There are a two heroic acts that Beowulf accomplished that characterize him as being noble. One example of these acts is his altruistic behavior through out his life. When beowolf heard that the great king hrothgar and his knights were being attacked by the evil monster Grendel. Without even asking king hrothgar what was in it for him Beowolf got up and took 14 of his men and sailed on a ship to king hrothgar’s palace to face the evil monster Grendel in hand to hand combat.
Beowolf told the king that he will leave his fate to god and if god wants him illed Grendel will kill him. If god doesn’t want him to die beowolf will come out victorios in killing Grendel. The king liked Beowolf’s noble words and wished him luck. Beowolf without hesitation laid down in the line of knights to wait for Grendel to strike. This part of the story shows that Beowolf is not completly moral because he lets some knights be killed by Grendel before he attacks. Beowulf and Grendel fight and the monster’s arm is ripped off causing a slow and painful death.
Even though Beowolf didn’t do this heroic and noble ct for the reward ing Hrothgar gave him a sword and eight horses with golden cheek plates. The second act of Beowolf’s conflict with grendel showing his nobility is not with Gredel himself but with Grendels mother. After Grendel was killed his mother was very angry and killed a knight in king Hrothgar’s court the same way her son had. King Hrothgar was very disturbed by this and didn’t know what to do. He called for Beowolf and told him of a dangerous swamp where Grendel and his mother lived.
The king also said that o one would go into the swamp to kill Grendel’s mother. The noble Beowolf answered Quickly “sorow not O King! I will persue this monster where ever it may go and i will kill it”. They went to the swamp and Beowolf dived deep into the water not at all fearing what ever awaited him at the bottom. This shows that he is courages. He battled with Grendel’s mother and beat her. Beowolf and the king celabrated all night and in the morning Beowolf told king Hrothgar goodbye and said to call for him if he ever needed help again.