In an epic poem originally written in old English, known as one of the if not the earliest piece of English literature, Beowulf proves his worth as a prince and as a king through three battles that help neighboring groups and his own. Beowulf begins as a prince of the Geats who must prove his worth. He sails away from home with some of his men and eventually arrives in the land of Hrogar, whose people have been recently terrorized by a monster named Grendel. After an evening introducing himself by bragging about his past feats, Beowulf battles Grendel and wins - only to provoke the anger of Grendel's mother, an inhabitant of the sea who is enraged that her son has been killed.
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Beowulf promises to challenge her as well. His hosts offer him several items to help him in his quest, including a sword and some armor. After a dramatic, mostly underwater fight, his supporters nearly leave him for dead, until Beowulf at the last moment emerges victorious. Hrogar expresses his extreme thanks, and, having won a valuable ally for his people and (more importantly) his own honor, Beowulf heads home.
Beowulf goes on to become king of the Geats and rules for several decades, into his old age. At this time, he is faced with his third and final heroic battle against a dragon that has awakened. As the king of his people, Beowulf must protect his honor by protecting them, and engages in battle that must once again be to the death. This is perhaps the longest battle of the three, and due to Beowulf's advancing age and the dragon's strength, it is the most challenging for him. He is successful in killing the dragon, but at the expense of his own life: The dragon, before dying, wounds him mortally. In Beowulf's time and society, however, honor and glory through protecting his people in battle is more important than his own life, and Beowulf has no regrets. His people gather to hold a funeral for him as best they know how, remembering and honoring their dead king.
Modern versions of Beowulf are generally translated from old English into modern English, and there are multiple translations available on the market. The old English epic is thought to have been passed down orally and recorded by a Christian monk somewhere around 800AD.
Best part of story, including ending:
The story is somewhat violent and glorifies a way of life of which the warrior life was a vital part. At the same time, Beowulf is able to protect and become a hero to his people.
Best scene in story:
When Beowulf dies, the reader can see how faithful his follower Wiglaf was and how much Wiglaf valued his king. That Wiglaf was remembered by name demonstrates also that this fits into these people's values.
Opinion about the main character:
Beowulf is a bit of a braggart, especially at the beginning - possibly a natural part of the culture and people of the time, but also rather distasteful to some modern readers. He is courageous, however.
