The Hero Declines in Beowulf?Beowulf, a stirring Old English poem of men and monsters, chronicles the rise and fall of a superhuman hero called Beowulf. It is the interpretation of some readers that clearly declines through the poem. This essay will explore this point of view. In Beowulf, the main character, a Geat warrior named Beowulf, possesses extraordinary qualities: "He was the strongest of men living at that time, powerful and noble." Upon spotting Beowulf approaching, the Danes' sea guard says, "I never saw a greater man on earth..." King Hrothgar of the Danes says of Beowulf, "The seafarers who brought gifts to the Geats say that he has the force of 30 men in his grasp. He chooses to fight Grendel alone and without shield or weapons; previously the hero had slain nine sea monsters with his sword. And he is fully willing to sacrifice his own life for it: " ... I alone will grant the wish of your people... or I will die in the hands of the enemy." Beowulf consciously chooses to act in a superhuman way: "I will perform the deeds of a hero or I will have spent my last day in this hall of mead." Even Grendel recognizes the superior strength of the hero: "The criminal knew that he had not met another with such a hold in this Middle-earth." Other warriors, when they thought of Beowulf, "quickly composed a skillful tale in words ". Hrothgar refers to Beowulf as "the best of warriors". Danish Queen Wealhtheow compliments her after Grendel's defeat: "You have forever earned the praise of men near and far." Hrothgar speaks of good warriors: "This is the best-born man - my friend Beowulf... the best of warriors." When the dragon burns the Geats' mead hall and Beowulf prepares to take revenge, "he has scorned a guest, a... middle of paper... at that moment he sorely lacks a strong faith in God." , which was the cause of his early successes, in addition to his extraordinary strength. Weakened by this lack and a miserly attitude, he fails not only against the dragon but also morally. BIBLIOGRAPHY Chickering, Howell D.. Beowulf A dual-Language Edition. New York: Anchor Books, 1977. Fry, Donald K.. “Introduction.” In The Beowulf Poet, edited by Donald K. Fry. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968. Goldsmith, Margaret E.. “The Corruption of Beowulf.” In Readings on Beowulf, edited by Stephen P. Thompson. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1998. Shippey, T.A. “The world of poetry”. In Beowulf – Modern Critical Interpretations, edited by Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987.Thompson, Stephen P, editor. Readings on Beowulf. San Diego: Greenhaven Press,1998.