Pagan Tradition in BeowulfBeowulf is steeped in a pagan tradition that describes nature as hostile and the forces of death as uncontrollable. Blind fate chooses random victims; man is never reconciled with the world. Beowulf ends in failure. There is some truth to this conclusion, but for the most part, someone who hasn't had a life well lived most likely represented it. Beowulf is steeped in a pagan tradition, but not in a tradition that describes nature as hostile. The setting at the beginning is described as: "...these beautiful plains bordered by oceans, then the sun and moon proudly set to shine on the earth and illuminate it..." (8). This doesn't seem like anything hostile to me; on the contrary, what is described creates an image of delight. “The corners of the earth were beautified with trees…”(11) it is said. Reading these words, the last thing on my mind would be hostile. The forces of death and blind fate that choose random victims may have some truth in them, but fate is something very controversial. “…He took thirty men, crushed them unaware in their beds…”(37) It might seem that fate had decided who would die, but this was probably not the case. Grendel, “…slipped through the door…”(36) and kidnapped anyone he could get his hands on. Most likely he entered and killed the first thirty who slept closest to him. He certainly didn't sneak in among all those men and risk waking them up and starting to massacre in that direction. What if, while he was massacring the group, they had woken up? He would be trapped in the mead hall and would surely meet his death. I guess Grendel is smarter than that. It wasn't fate that decided who would die that night, but simply who had slept by the door. Making smart decisions and thinking things through can control your destiny, if such a thing exists. Beowulf did not end in failure. How could a man known as a hero and a king be considered a failure? He can't. He, after defeating Grendel's mother, became king of the Geats and was admired by his people. As has been said, he was showered with gifts. “…Loaded with gifts given to him by Hrothgar…” (p. 34, prologue) He lived in peace for fifty years before having to face the dragon; fifty years of peace and prosperity to rejoice in.