King of the Danes. He will kill Grendel or die trying. Beowulf helps Hrothgar, the king of the Danes. Grendel has been attacking Heorot for 12 years and so the word has reached the land of the Geats - Beowulf's land. Who does Beowulf help? He has the skill set and the duty to rid the Danes of evil. fourteen. Who is King of the Danes and for what problem does he need help? When night falls, the Danes leave the hall to Beowulf and his men. 12 winters (years) Grendel caused problems for the Danes for... Cain. There are two main reasons for him to do this, beyond the general idea that monsters are bad and ought to be killed. This creates a virtuous cycle in which the people aided by the hero and their families become obligated to the hero and his family in the future, building a powerful network of alliances. Not only did this act show Hrothgar to be wealthy, just, and generous, but it also meant that Beowulf's family owed Hrothgar a debt of honor. He also tells Unferth and some of the other Danes who are less thrilled to see Beowulf arrive that the Danes don't seem to be fighting back for themselves. First and foremost is the moral obligation to come to the aid of his father's benefactor. Therefore, if Beowulf is traveling to the land of the Danes to win personal glory, then he's also making the journey in order to pay back a debt from the past. Beowulf hears of Grendel's repeated attacks on the Danes and volunteers to come to the aid of his father's benefactor. This information comes to light when Beowulf arrives in the land of the Danes (approximately ll. Beowulf is the one who protects the Danes. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. Epics in literary cultures, such as the Aeneid and Paradise Lost, tend to have some further purpose beyond the quest for glory, but in so-called "authentic" or primary epics, glory is sufficient. Beowulf travels to the land of the Danes, Hrothgar's land, because the stories of Grendel's attacks have spread. If you are on a personal connection, like at home, you can run an anti-virus scan on your device to make sure it is not infected with malware. 185-285). Beowulf travels to the land of the Danes to kill the monster, Grendel. Beowulf travels to the land of the Danes to kill the monster, Grendel. He organized feasts for them until one fateful night when Grendel attacked and killed many warriors and kept doing this every night until the warriors abandoned the hall. He may be jealous everyone is having a good time and because he is pure evil . Start your 48-hour free trial and unlock all the summaries, Q&A, and analyses you need to get better grades now. why did beowulf decide to free the danes from grendel? However, though personal motivations drive Beowulf, he also possesses a keen sense of honor and a desire to serve others. This is because it was in his nature to standout among his peers and fellow warriors. Hrothgar is too old to fight off the monster himself and his sons are too young. Rips his arm off. Writing Help; Log in Remember me. Log in here. What is Beowulf’s vow to the Danes prior to his departure? For instance, Hrothgar actually protected Beowulf's father during a past conflict, and so we can see that Beowulf is coming to rescue the Danes in order to protect the man who helped his father. The first reason is known in Anglo-Saxon warrior culture as comitatus, a feudal relationship involving mutual obligations. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. Who were the Danes in Beowulf? He is placed in a boat surrounded by his gear and treasures, sent off to sea, and then the boat is set on fire.2. He says that he considers himself to be as dangerous as Grendel. Why does Unferth challenge Beowulf? Sign Up. He dismembers both Grendel and Grendel's mother; the cause of the disturbance of the Danes. a mead hall. How many men did Beowulf bring? He dismembers both Grendel and Grendel's mother; the cause of the disturbance of the Danes. Beowulf lies down to wait, while his fearful men lie awake, doubting that any of them will live to see morning. ©2020 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved, http://www.lnstar.com/literature/beowulf/beowulf2.htm, What are important characteristics within, What causes Grendel to attack the mead-hall Herot in. He does this in order to help Hrothgar, who once came to the aid of his father, and because he is an epic hero in search of great deeds to perform. • Hrothgar also rewards him richly for his assistance. Another way to prevent getting this page in the future is to use Privacy Pass. Why do you think the Danes observed this ritual? Hrothgar the King of the Danes built the largest Mead hall Heorot to reward his warriors and his people. Who is Hrothgar? This established the relationship of comitatus, in which a king or feudal lord provides land, treasure, or political support, and the beneficiary and his family are bound to fight for him. In response to the first question, there are a few reasons that Beowulf helps Hrothgar and the Danes. Later, we find out that Beowulf wanted to make a name for himself so fighting and defeating a monster like Grendel would fulfill that. Beowulf, therefore, feels somewhat in debt to Hrothgar. Cloudflare Ray ID: 5f9bb8efd8863502 Grendel is a descendant from Cain. Beowulf travels to the land of the Danes to kill the monster, Grendel. Are you a teacher? The motive that brought Beowulf to Daneland is the same as that which drew Achilles to Troy. I think the Danes observed this burial as a way to show respect.3. Beowulf wants to prove his strength and bravery. Before the poem begins, Hrothgar, King of the Danes, helped Beowulf's father, Ecgtheow. Grendel's ancestor. Who is the king of the Danes during the conflict with Grendel? What does King Hrothgar decide to build? He is the hero of the epic Beowulf, he kills Grendel and the people of Hereot are saved Who does Beowulf help? Second, in the genre of heroic epic, traveling and defeating powerful monsters is how a hero establishes his fame and reputation, bringing glory not just to himself but also to his family and clan. Educators go through a rigorous application process, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team. M.A. The second is that Beowulf is an epic hero, and he must do great deeds to win honor and glory. • What promise does Beowulf make to Hrothgar and the Danes? In that case Beowulf's actions are not wholly selfish; indeed, they're actually fairly selfless, as the warrior is striving to honor Hrothgar's past deeds by protecting him from Grendel. Already a member? Top subjects are Literature, History, and Business. Log in with Facebook Home Beowulf Q & A why did beowulf decide to free t... Beowulf why did beowulf decide to free the danes from grendel? Hrothgar's mead hall . Sign up now, Latest answer posted October 12, 2018 at 11:15:38 AM, Latest answer posted April 29, 2016 at 9:37:55 PM, Latest answer posted September 28, 2016 at 10:55:21 PM, Latest answer posted January 20, 2016 at 7:42:51 PM, Latest answer posted September 07, 2019 at 6:36:32 AM. Why does Grendel's mother attack Herot? These will ensure that his name lives on in history and legend and that songs and poems will be written about him. He is jealous of Beowulf so tries to make him look bad. Kings were protected by God. Beowulf's father, Edgetho, had once fought alongside Hrothgar and Hrothgar had saved Edgetho. Forgot your password? You may need to download version 2.0 now from the Chrome Web Store. Poets spread the message about this horror until the news reached Beowulf and being a great warrior, he decided to challenge the monster. Your IP: 52.16.81.97 Why does Grendel attack the Danes?