As one nears the end of Beowulf, it becomes clear that Beowulf's real enemy is not some monster lurking in the murky waters of the sea, nor a vengeful mother wanting to defend her murderous son's death, and especially not some fire breathing dragon waiting in the dark shadows of a cave. Many persons or things seem to be causes of Beowulf's death. However, if we were to closely examine the entirety of the legend, Beowulf's descent into death begins shortly after his defeat of Grendel. Beowulf's real enemy seems to exist within himself as two obsessions: to be the best man of his time and to…
