Beowulf analysis

During his tenure, Beowulf shows the qualities of a good leader by bringing rich onto the kingdom and showing how brave enough he is to put himself first to make sure his people are safe. As a brave warrior, Beowulf protected his people after which he served as an effective leader. A notable incident is his decision to fight the dragon troubling the people despite the adverse risk that he predisposed himself to. Beowulfs leadership is easily mistaken for something else like fame, power or glory. Others mistake his bravery as selfishness; he did what he had to do for his people to survive which is clearly not selfish. As an effective leader, he is obligated to kill the dragon to reassure the people on his promises.

As such, Beowulf’s high regard for his people and self-centeredness make him an ideal leader for the kingdom. Leaders are required to make rational decisions at the right time as this has a profound impact on the people. Rational decision making is an important leadership quality as it is critical for effective management. An important aspect for leaders is standing by their decisions to get the best out of it. Beowulf demonstrates his leadership qualities by embodying both of these, heroism and respect. As a young warrior, Beowulf was revered by the people. He demonstrates his wisdom by the experiences he underwent before becoming a king. Notably, leaders are expected to lead their people through difficult situations using diverse approaches.

Beowulf demonstrates this by intimidating his enemies and bringing peace and riches to the kingdom. Therefore, Beowulf was a good leader because he held high regard for his people and demonstrated wisdom as a king. Others would feel as if he was more of a greedy person looking for fame and riches in return. They feel as if he was only in this for him to gain out of it. People would go out there way and do anything for fame and money, so this is an example of why others feel as if he was in it for another reason and not to really help others. The battle with Beowulf and Grendel, Beowulf fought with nothing but his bare hands as if he was trying to glorify himself as a strong man who can do anything.

” This quote shows that moderation is good in one’s approach to life. Thirst and drunkenness represent life’s extremes. That against the light of Aristotle’s whatever one does in life should be done in a moderate measure. If one does little, they are doing a disservice to themselves and so do they when they do more than they are expected. Beowulf’s courage was understandable because he was a warrior. When applied in moderation, pride is a virtue. However, when pride is applied excessively it becomes a vice and a source of weakness. Beowulf’s hubris is one major cause for his downfall and a reason for his death. This is enough cause to believe that Beowulf was a tragic hero rather than an epic hero (Buda).