Imagine being a prince hundreds of years ago, when everything was built upon the basic polite behavior. Now imagine Beowulf being self- concerned with his own fame and what he wished to do. Forgetting about politeness, gathering men together and sailing off to a foreign land uninvited and unannounced. If you were the king of a land where a large boat full of men clad in chain mail landed wouldn't you be slightly worried being unaware of their motives"

"No body tried to keep him from going, no elder denied him dear as he was to him. Instead they inspected omens...as he moved a bout leader as he was enlisting men..."(Heaney III).

Considering that Beowulf had the strength of thirty men in each hand, it most likely would not have been possible for an elder or any man to keep Beowulf from going on the quest...