Beowulf then turns the speech back to Unferth, asserting wryly that he has never heard of any similar achievement by his accuser. He has, however, heard that Unferth has killed his own brothers, for which he will be condemned to Hell even though he may be “clever” with words. (We are reminded of Cain, another brother-killer, and the damnation that descends even to Grendel.) With that, Beowulf directly addresses the problems that the Scyldings have had with Grendel. Raising his rhetoric a notch, he shames Unferth by saying that Grendel would not have been so successful against King Hrothgar if Unferth’s “battle-spirit, were as sharp as your words” (596). In his conclusion, Beowulf sardonically refers to the “Victory-Scyldings” (597), still directing his speech to Unferth, and concludes that Grendel has no fear of him. However, a Geat, Beowulf, will defeat the ogre. The next day, Unferth and his friends will be able to “walk brave to mead” (604).
Beowulf has gone just far enough. He has shown admirable restraint without backing down, and his verbal attacks have been centered on Unferth, not the Scyldings generally. King Hrothgar and the others applaud and laugh. The speech is a huge success.
The poetic imagery of the passage is worth notice as well, especially when the poet associates the metaphor of feasting with death. Beowulf says that the denizens of the deep intended to feast on him, amusingly suggesting a scene in which sea-beasts are formally pulling up to a banquet on the ocean floor. Instead, he offers them a “sword-feast” (562); they eat death. The crisis of Unferth’s insult has passed. It is nothing compared to the challenge that is about to come.
