While Beowulf is praised and admired for his orality and quality of speech, I have trouble liking his character the way in which other characters appear to worship him.

Not given a physical description of our hero, we are convinced of his magnificence by the way in which other people interact with him. His overbearing pride might exude confidence to his subjects and supporters, but I feel as though in modern society humility is valued and worshiped much more that strength. I compared great leaders of today, and while yes, they do hone great speech making capabilities, it is the way in which they ultimately carry themselves that set Beowulf apart.

Over confidence comes across as playing with fire and even almost disrespectful at times in Beowulf. When he is retelling all of his great adventures, he does not neglect to emphasis how much greater and stronger he was than the monster he has slain. When he sets out to kill Grendel, He could have done so with a sword and armour, but instead he exhibits evidence of a hubris when he decided to take him on in the nude. While at the time that quality would have been praised, today it would be scorned.

President Obama, my immediate comparison and modern day representation of a great speaker, is arguably where he is today because of his ability to vocalize fantastic speeches. However, if he were at war with an opposing country that Obama was confident he could defeat, humiliating the country would be of bad taste. It is having the integrity to not engage in violence that is praised opposed to the bravery to do so back in the days of the Danes.