Beowulf's Fighting Motivation In Beowulf, the hero from which this poem takes its name fights battle after battle; proving his heroism and ridding his people of the evil which disrupts their lives by physically battling it. Three specific encounters of this sort occur in the poem: Beowulf's battle with Grendel, with Grendel's mother, and with the dragon. In each battle, it seems as if Beowulf has a slightly different motivation for fighting, although the reasons …
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…to be a combination of both selfless and selfish reasons. Beowulf is willing to give his life for the Geats, but he does keep material rewards and fame in mind in the possibility that he should survive. Beowulf is a selfless hero to everyone else but himself: he cares for the people of Geatland, but in a way, they are merely a part of Beowulf's wish to be remembered as a martyr by future generations.