Although not related by blood, Beowulf the Geat shares a name with a beloved Danish king of old. Hrothgar knew Beowulf's father, and so the two had a respectful allegiance to each other. Hrothgar had interceded on the Geats behalf years before and prevented a war, so both Beowulf and Hrothgar saw Beowulf's coming as a valorous and honorable deed.
Even though Unferth questioned Beowulf's abilities, Beowulf's account of his own victories over sea monsters was sufficient for Hrothgar to see the heroic ideal working itself out in Beowulf and brought him in as a friend and son of the Danes.
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