what is the lesson of the story?

The poem is pretty far from anything happening to day. I haven't had to fight any monsters or dragons lately but we can take a few lessons out of Beowulf. The lessons can come out of the thematic elements to the poem. The idea of heritage and identity is strong. You will notice that people are known as the son of a certain father. Ancestry and family bonds are important. That's kind of a good thing to a point. Many people try to distance themselves from their family and parents when they hit adolescents. I also think the whole myth element is important. Our western society clings to a very precarious sense of myth; much of it is served out by Hollywood containing less than ideal quality. So, Beowulf is a reminder of the deep sense of story-telling and myth that used to enrich the lives of people before science and reality TV came along.