To what extent does the theme of Beowulf seem universal?

There are many predominant themes in the epic poem
Beowulf. One could look at any one of them and justify their
relevance in contemporary society and the universal understanding of
them.

First, the theme of glory and treasure are definitely
universal. Many people are out to find their place in the world: fame, fortune, and
glory. Simplistically, today's society raises up the stature of those in the spotlight.
Children grow up watching television and dreaming of being their favorite rock star,
athlete, or movie star. The initial appeal is the fact that the people they admire have
both fame and fortune.

Second, the theme of loyalty is one
which Beowulf proves to be of the utmost importance. Unfortunately in today's society,
many people fail to see the importance of loyalty. Instead, they are out to insure that
they obtain fame and glory (see #1) at whatever cost. While loyalty seems to be
important to contemporary society, it maintains a position on the back-burner of
society.

Third, the theme of fate (or wyrd) is one which
has been argued for centuries. The Christian faith believes in a sort of fate in their
trust that God knows the path their life will take before life even began. The term fate
is still used in contemporary society today given the fact that many people deem the
happenings in their life as a result of fate (think, "It was fate we
met.")

The universal appeal of Beowulf comes from the fact
that many different cultures have similar ideologies which they have lived by for
centuries.