Beowulf's Transformation Over the course of the poem, Beowulf goes from an abandoned child to a valiant warrior to a king. This transformation, expressed in the tone and content of the poem, shows the importance of the relationship between lord and thane and expresses the ultimate value of that bond. From the difference in the battle scenes to Beowulf's speeches, it is clear that he has gone from a somewhat selfish hero to a selfless king. Within this change he also goes from serving a lord to becoming a lord, and in this way the poem shows us the importance of both sides of the relationship. Beowulf is initially said to flee from Grendel because he "could not bear or bear that / that anyone else living under heaven / should be held in higher esteem than he" (43). In the end he fights the dragon more for the good of his people than for his own pride; he dies relieved because "[he] was allowed to leave [his] people / so well endowed" (2796) The battle scenes themselves are also a clue...