The epic of Beowulf follows the traditional theme and has the same values of all the other pagan mythological stories. In fact, all hero stories are almost identical, in fact it basically is the story of Heracles and the Nemean Lion. Beowulf displays the virtues of honesty, bravery, and fate; all which can be traced back to Norse paganism.
The first virtue is honesty. Honesty is shown many times in this epic poem. One time is when Wiglaf promises to be loyal to his lord Beowulf. Even when all his comrades desert Beowulf, Wiglaf stays and risks his own life because Beowulf has risked his own life for him. Honesty is a common trait in many mythological hero stories. Beowulf is a man of honesty and he keeps his promises and only asks in return that his friends and followers will keep their promises they made to him. Honesty is also a very important virtue for any leader.
The next virtue is bravery. Bravery is all thorough this poem. Like when Beowulf goes to a foreign land to save them from monsters. Another display of bravery in the epic of Beowulf is when Beowulf is at an old age but he must fight a fire breathing dragon to save his people and to expand his wealth. Bravery is defined by acting without fear. Acting without fear traces back to paganism where the greatest honor is to die in battle. To be a hero, the most important trait is bravery.
The third most and final virtue is fate. Fate is the most tell tale sign of paganism. In Norse paganisms they have what are called the Norns who are three mythological women who spin the thread of life and cut it at a certain length to mark ones death. Beowulf, although Christian still believes in fate, an idea that has been firmly pressed into all the minds of the people of his day and age after Christianity was more widely accepted in their culture. In the battles that Beowulf faces, he always tells someone that if fates plan is to let him die that day, then to take care of his men.
The epic poem of Beowulf is a typical hero story in which the hero has super human strength, he fights, eventually loses or comes to a heroic “death” and the story ends. But in Beowulf things are slightly different or even strange for those who are not knowledgeable in Norse paganism or in the beliefs of the people at that time. But beneath the odd names there are still the typical pagan heroic virtues of honesty, bravery, and fate.