Analysis Of King Hrothgar In Beowulf Poem

Hrothgar Introduction in the Beowulf Poem

In the Beowulf poem, Hrothgar is the leader of the Danes; in addition, he is also the lord over the kingdom’s great hall-Heorot (Rumford, 2007). As the poem slowly unfolds, the works of Grendel, who has been persistently plundering the King’s hall-Heorot, are tormenting the kingdom. It is clear that Grendel has been killing and eating the warriors of the Danes and other people in the hall at will.

It is unfortunate that in the entire kingdom, no single soldier has the ability and skills to fight and kill Grendel. It is until Beowulf; one of Hrothgar’s skillful warriors comes and defeats Grendel and later plans and fights his mother, killing her as well (Rumford, 2007). As a gesture of victory, Beowulf gives the sword he used to kill Grendel and her mother to the king. In return, the king lavishes much praise to the warrior, as well as different forms of rewards.

Attributes of King Hrothgar

Compared to the Beowulf warrior, Hrothgar is a different phase of youthful leadership, in this case, he is portrayed as a successful and reliable father figure to Beowulf warriors. In fact, this kind of king is who Beowulf later becomes. The king makes a hall in which his queen and warriors often gather in celebrations of the victory get in wars and other good things that he gets in his leadership (Gummere, 2012). He organizes his warriors to fight and win battles and defend his throne and kingdom for the welfare of his subjects.

King Hrothgar is wise and skillful, after being assisted by Beowulf warrior to kill Grendel and his mother; he is given a sword as a form of victory. The king shows his appreciation to the warrior by showering him with much praise. In addition, he offers the warrior with several words of advice in the hope that when he later becomes king, it would make him a wise king and leader of the Danes people.

In his advice, the King explains that he has learned that in life, he has faced various enemies that are too difficult to conquer (Rumford, 2007). In the same way, life offers various kinds of problems, while a particular individual can easily tackle some; others require assistance from other people. This way, the king seems to be acknowledging that Beowulf was essential in fighting the evil Grendel, thus helping not only his reign but also his people in the kingdom.

Another important attribute of the king is that he is a humbler leader. The narrator explains that Hrothgar has achieved humility through the fights that he has had to endure in the course of fighting Grendel the evil alongside its mother (Gummere, 2012). This is shown evidently in the king’s advice that he offers to Beowulf after helping him fight and defeat Grendel the evil. In his advice, the king is urging the young warrior Beowulf to be wise and always acknowledge that other people are important in the course of leadership and thus should be respected.

Personal Opinion

The story of King Hrothgar and his leadership style depicts human societies that have become successful because of the value they give to all people. These societies have leaders that understand the value their subjects have on their leadership and their societies.

At the same time, life presents different challenges and problems that people have to be prepared to deal with. In solving these problems, people should be flexible enough to seek assistance from other people whenever they are unable to handle the problems in their own capacities. It is important to appreciate and acknowledge the value of all people in society, this is because one person that may appear small or insignificant can be very helpful in various instances. For this reason, creating and maintaining healthy relationships with all people is an important ingredient in the success of people, not only in leadership circumstances but also in general areas of life.

References
Gummere, F. (2012). Beowulf. S.l: Duke Classics.
Rumford, J. (2007). Beowulf: A heros tale retold. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

References
Gummere, F. (2012). Beowulf. S.l: Duke Classics.
Rumford, J. (2007). Beowulf: A heros tale retold. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.