Beowulf was a great and powerful warrior known for his incredible skill. He had fought and killed everything in his path. When word came of a great monster named Grendel that was terrorizing Hrothgar's Mede Hall, Beowulf journeyed to defeat the monster. Upon his arrival, King Hrothgar welcomed him and gave him permission to fight the monster, with a single gesture; Beowulf wanted to fight the monster without any armor or weapons. He fought the monster and killed it, keeping its arm as a trophy, which he hung in the mead hall for all to see. This is why we put cardboard cutouts in a trophy case. He then fought Grendel's mother/mother/witch (depending on the translation). After defeating this evil monster, Beowulf returned home to the land of the Geats and 50 years later he was the king of the land. At that time there was a dragon on the loose and Beowulf was invited to fight it. This battle would be his last and a loyal man named Wiglaf would help him defeat the monster. Beowulf's motivations for doing these wonderful things were based on the Anglo-Saxon code. Part of the Anglo-Saxon code is to honor your duty; Beowulf made the journey to Hrothgar's Mede Hall because he had a duty to do so. He was known everywhere as the greatest warrior, Hrothgar himself even said: "Well, can he say, whose judgment is just, recalling to the memory of men of the past, that this earl was born of better strain ! Your fame, friend Beowulf, is spread everywhere and among all peoples. In a manly way, you showed your strength, your power and your wisdom. I will keep my word, the promised friendship we once promised. Long will you remain as a support for your people..." (Lines 1160-1168) Beowulf believed him...... middle of paper ...... every special talent you have an obligation to use this talent. It's a tough question to pick a side because it really goes one way or the other. Some would say that even if you have a talent, you have free will and can choose not to use it. Others say that when you are spectacular at something, you have a duty to do that thing that others can't do. If you knew you could help a team win, but you walk away and that team loses, are you responsible? If you knew you had the talent to save a life and no one else could, would you want it? If you can change the world for the better, but don't apply yourself, are you responsible for the state the world is in? You have the power to change many things in this world, but people like to tell us that we are small and insignificant. They do not remember each other's power; all it takes is one drop of water to trigger a waterfall.