The article focuses on the instances of contextual realization of the idea of inevitability as one of the most ancient aspects of the semantics of the Old English verbs ‘sculan' and ‘mōtan. This idea was present within the modality of necessity, as well as within a certain type of possibility treated as permission. With regard to its ideological and communicative aspects, the Anglo-Saxon poem “Beowulf” is regarded as a sample of epic-heroic discourse, where the idea of inevitability can be traced in utterances relating to both the pagan and Christian concepts of man's fate and predetermination.