Beowulf can serve well as a reflection of the life of the Germanic aristocracy of the old days. The primary epic, which by definition deals with heroic deeds and extraordinary figures, often uses comparisons and contrasts to differentiate good qualities and flaws and make them more explicit. Throughout the poem we recognize the idealization of Beowulf as both a warrior and a king. The main characteristics that contribute to Beowulf's greatness are courage, martial skill, honor, responsibility, generosity, and the pursuit of fame. The mention of Scyld, the legendary Danish hero, and Beowulf the Dane at the beginning of the poem serves as an implicit comparison. with the upcoming Beowulf the Great. The similarities between the warrior and his heroic predecessors highlight Beowulf's qualities. Beowulf shows respect for King Hrothgar and reveals his responsibility when he asks the king to take care of his men in case of his death in the fight with Grendel. Unlike Unferth, the "spoiler of peace", he had not killed his relatives, nor had he boasted of his courage when the facts proved the opposite: for if Unferth had been so courageous, Grendel would no longer have been alive. Unferth's negative image of a servant is reinforced by the fact that he gave his sword to Beowulf, whereas a virtuous warrior never parts with his sword. An example of ignoble behavior is also represented in the form of the cowardly warriors of the king Beowulf's retinue, who, with the exception of Wiglaf, leaves him unattended in the fight with the Dragon. They are a total opposite to the brave hero. As king, Beowulf resembles the wise men Hrothgar and Hygelac. Generous to his nobles, he guides his land towards prosperity. For his people he sacrifices his life, unlike Heremot, the avaricious former Danish king, who brought "carnage and death" to his relatives, "killed his companions" and fled, and whose reign brought torment to his people . Beowulf shared the fate of the heroic Sigemund, the dragon slayer, who gained treasures for his subordinates but whose life came to a bitter end.