A close reading of Beowulf and the contradictions made within the text

The epic poem Beowulf contains contradictions about the heroic character of the protagonist Beowulf. Two certain passages in Beowulf, one at the beginning of the text and one near the end, offer evidence of inconsistencies within Beowulf's character. We must ask one question of the poem's protagonist: Is he really the hero he claims to be? Certain aspects of Beowulf's integrity, mainly his lies about people's perceptions of him, contradict the conventional classification of a hero.
The legend of Beowulf begins with King Hrothgar, who is in a dilemma because Grendel, an evil monster, ha…