Beowulf: The Man, The Myth, The Ego

In my own personal opinion, I do feel that Beowulf is selfish for his excessive desire for fame. I feel that he has lost touch with his original intentions of upholding his family name, and acting purely for good. He has entered as state of mind, where his own personal glory and ego has taken over his actions. He inflicts pain on his enemies in excess, and aims to shock and awe his audiences, when actions of such amplitude are often unnecessary. I feel that if Beowulf regained his connection with his younger (more focused, and good intentioned) self, he would be the greater man. Without his mind in the right place, he will never be able to be the legend he wishes to become. Beowulf...you disappoint me.
To say that Beowulf is not a great figure of action and battle, however, would be foolish. He surely IS a "hero", just possibly not the "hero" he imagines himself to be. In the case of how Beowulf dealt with Grendel and Grendel's lovely mother, I personally would have handled the situation slightly differently..without inflicting more pain and death that was necessary. To me, the fact that he sees himself as such an astounding hero, and god among men, makes him less of a hero, and more of the generic human being, longing for fame.