Pride in Beowulf
...lp others without losing dignity or self-respect. In Beowulf, Hrothgar states "God brings to us / wonder after wonder Wielder of glory... Through the Shaper's will / a visiting warrior has vanquished into the night / this murdering sprite" (930-941). The passage is a clear example of Hrothgar's Christian pride and his attribution of all things to God. He attributes these deeds and the saving of his nation not to a person, but to God himself. Beowulf is a man of much Christian pride as well. Throughout the novel, he states that none of the amazing feats that he is doing would be possible without God's help and attributes his murdering of Grendel, Grendel's mother, the dragon, and all the other creatures he must slay to God's will. In response to Wealhtheow's trials, Beowulf says "Wyrd often spares / an undoomed man when his mind-strength prevails. / With sword's edges I sent into death / nine sea-monsters." (572-575). Beowulf puts off murdering nine sea-monsters as doing the business of Wyrd, or God. The opposing aspect of pride is pride of the warrior nature. In the early ages, warriors treated pride much differently than the Christian viewing of pride. They viewed pride as a goal. A warrior would honor his pride as his main trait and it was considered better to lose one's life than to lose one's pride and honor. A distinguished scene of pride in Beowulf is Wiglaf’s situation. Beowulf's pride overtakes him, and he goes to fight the dragon alone. After seeing Beowulf in trouble, Wiglaf tells his warriors, “Now the day has come / when this heartstrong chief needs help in battle / good...