We don’t quite know when Beowulf was written, but, given some of the historical or semi-historical characters in it, it was probably composed in its current form around the 9th century but was created in a different iteration, passed along via oral storytelling, centuries before. It’s the tale of a hero, Beowulf, who slays the monster Grendel and its mother before becoming a wise ruler that, in his later years, sacrifices himself to defeat a dragon that threatens his kingdom. It’s a story of bravery, heroism, glory, and wise leadership.
Men in our society don’t have the same opportunities to earn what they have with blood and iron rather than gold. Consumerism, meekness, and conformity are the defining facets of our society, not the desire for glory and celebration of bravery that define the culture in Beowulf.