Who is unferth and what purpose does history serve

For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Click the character infographic to download. Unferth is, to put it bluntly, mad jealous. He's not as cool as big B and everyone knows it , so Unferth tries to undermine him unjustly. How unkind. Unferth, a warrior in the tribe of the Spear-Danes, challenges Beowulf's boasts and claims about himself.

When Beowulf shows up ready to fight Grendel, Unferth tells a story he's heard about Beowulf's swimming contest with Breca, suggesting that Beowulf lost that competition. Beowulf corrects the story, but doesn't exactly claim to have beaten Breca , suggesting that Unferth may be right about some of the details.

Then Beowulf turns the knife by reminding Unferth that he hasn't been able to defeat Grendel , so he has no place to talk. Beowulf says:. As we read these lines, we realize that it's not enough to know that someone else may be exaggerating their claims to fame—if you don't have any claims to fame of your own, you don't have any place from which to speak.

Of course, it's not exactly true that Unferth doesn't have any claims to fame. He does have one thing he's known for: killing his brothers:.

That's right—Beowulf reminds Unferth, "You killed your own kith and kin" Shortly after Beowulf's arrival, Unferth, full of mead, insults the guest at a banquet. This is more than an awkward moment for the hosts. Unferth's behavior goes against the code of hospitality. Unferth accuses Beowulf, as a lad, of entering a dangerous, foolish seven-night swimming match on the open sea against a boy named Breca — and losing. Fortunately for the Dane, Beowulf demonstrates a noble spirit as well as ease with language as he refutes the charge and puts Unferth in his place.

In fact, Beowulf says, he swam with Breca for five nights, not wanting to abandon the weaker boy. Rough seas separated them, and Beowulf had to kill nine mighty sea monsters before going ashore the next day. Beowulf points out that Unferth's fame lies mainly in the fact that he killed his own brothers. If the Dane could fight as well as he talks, says Beowulf, King Hrothgar might not have such a problem with Grendel. Unferth later admits Beowulf's superiority after the defeat of Grendel and lends him a treasured sword, Hrunting, for the battle with Grendel's mother.

While the sword is ineffective, at least the Dane is making an effort.