Boasting and speaking of false abilities that he no longer possesses, Beowulf ultimately puts himself in a difficult situation when he faces a physically challenging threat. The epic poem Beowulf presents the story of the classic struggle of an older man who refuses to accept the fact that he does not have the same heroic abilities as when he was younger; since he cannot display his youthful physical abilities, he relies on the power of his tongue. Before Beowulf is introduced into the story, the Danish people are suffering under the reign of the current villain, Grendel, and need a young hero to come to their rescue; although Beowulf's first victory earns him heroic status among the Danish people, in doing so he is forced to maintain this status for the rest of his life. The Danish people lived in a peaceful kingdom ruled by King Hrothgar until Grendel, described by the narrator as "a demon out of hell" (100), goes on a killing spree, forcing the people to live in