Pride In Beowulf And Bakaridjan Kone

Both Bakaridjan Kone and Beowulf take great pride in their reputation and courage, and they view their battles as opportunities to win praise and better that reputation. However, both heroes show signs of fear and change in perspective when confronted with the idea of their own death. I do not believe that this change in outlook exposes them as hypocrites. Rather, it shows that, in the end, they are just two human beings.

From the moment he is introduced, it is clear that Beowulf is confident in his abilities. He boldly tells Hrothgar that he will fight Grendel, the monster causing trouble for the Danes, “hand to hand.” Beowulf also seems at peace with whatever the outcome of the battle may be, stating that “Wyrd,” also known as fate,

“always weaves as it must.” Beowulf goes on to win the battle against Grendel, and he later defeats Grendel’s mother. The myth then jumps ahead to a time when Beowulf is much older, and he is tasked with slaying a dragon. Here, it is evident that Beowulf values his reputation. Against the wishes of his advisers, Beowulf chooses to battle the dragon because he “will always the shield and spear of the Geat-folk.” Even in his old age, Beowulf cannot stand the idea that his reputation may be tarnished if he refuses this task. He cannot miss this opportunity to achieve additional acclaim. During the course of his battle with the dragon, it becomes clear that Beowulf’s time to die has come. After he realizes that he is going to lose the contest, Beowulf is described as being “unwilling to leave the earth.” Beowulf later decides that he is okay with dying, but, for a moment, even he is afraid.
Bakaridjan Kone is very similar to Beowulf. From a very young age, he displays a similar lack of fear. He is able to withstand the pain of the King’s spear going through his foot without even wincing or crying out. Like Beowulf, Bakaridjan Kone also tells his King that people “must accept death and not fear it.” He also confidently informs Dosoke Zan that he plans to “conquer” him and receive acknowledgement for bringing “your gun to Da Monzon’s djeli”. However, when he realizes that there is a good chance he will die fighting Dosoke Zan, he elects to retreat rather than face “certain death.” The similarities to Beowulf continue, as Bakaridjan Kone shows concern for reputation, going into hiding to avoid damaging it any further. Finally, at the end of the story, Bakaridjan Kone changes his perspective again, deciding that he is at peace if death as long as he is following his code of honor. This once again draws parallels to Beowulf.
In conclusion, Beowulf and Bakaridjan Kone and Beowulf are two characters who reinforce the idea that heroes are also human beings. In my mind, a hypocrite is someone who is unable to back up any of their confident talk with action. This is certainly not the case with Beowulf or Bakaridjan Kone. Beowulf is victorious against Grendel and Grendel’s mother. Bakaridjan Kone triumphs over Bilissi. When they say they will do something, they almost always come through. Their moments of weakness remind the reader that they are human, just like everybody else. After all, it is not uncommon for someone to be scared in the face of danger. Their moments of weakness do not, however, give the reader the right to label them as hypocrites.