Beowulf’s motives for sailing to Denmark are complex. First, he is a young warrior eager to earn glory and enhance his reputation. He can expect to be rewarded well if he is victorious. Second, he is on a lifelong quest of honor; only through fame and honor can a warrior hope to gain a measure of immortality. Finally, and probably most importantly, there is an implication that Beowulf’s family owes a debt to Hrothgar. Beowulf’s father, Ecgtheow, once killed a leader of another tribe in a feud. When his enemies sought vengeance, Ecgtheow took refuge with Hrothgar, then a young king. Eventually, Hrothgar settled the feud by making a tribute payment (wergild) of “fine old treasures” (472) to Ecgtheow’s enemies. The bond between the families goes back many years, and Beowulf is proud to be able to come to Hrothgar’s assistance.
Beowulf is an impressive-looking man. The reader first encounters him as he disembarks from the ship. The coastal guard points out that he has never seen “a mightier noble, / a larger man” (247–48) even though he has held this watch and seen many warriors come and go. Beowulf is huge and strong. He carries himself with the bearing of a noble leader, a champion. He is a young man, probably in his early twenties.
Reputation is one of the major themes of the epic. As the coastal guard first approaches the Geats, he asks about Beowulf’s lineage (251) — the same question that a visitor might expect in the Greek epic, The Odyssey, composed some 1,500 years before. Beowulf responds by itemizing his father’s accomplishments and reputation. He briefly mentions his king, Hygelac, and his people, the Geats. When Beowulf lists his own accomplishments to Hrothgar (418 ff.), he is respecting custom rather than indulging in vanity. Hrothgar wants to know more about the man who has come to rescue him. Beowulf has properly held back information about himself while dealing with a mere coastal guard but details his personal reputation to the king.
