A Hero In Beowulf : What Makes A Hero

Many people have different understandings of what it is to be a hero. In the dictionary the definition of a hero is a person, typically a man, who people admire or idolize for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. Beowulf lacks noble qualities. Noble qualities show what he will fight for what they believe in no matter the cost or the benefits. A true hero fights for the good in the world and what they believe in their heart.

Many people disagree on who might qualify to be a hero. While a few people could qualify to be called a hero, many people have done some heroic things at some point in their life; Beowulf and Cuchallain demonstrated heroism through their actions. A hero in the medieval times is considered to be someone that is a noble character that fights for his honor or the honor of his kingdom or community and also someone that is willing to risk his or her life for the greater good. Beowulf was a brave man that volunteered to fight a monster that was terrorizing the people of Herot. He heard about the monster, and decided to travel all the way to Herot to assist the king in defeating the monster. “ I come to proffer my wholehearted help and counsel’’

The hero is an age-old concept that describes someone that will defend their honor to the end. In Beowulf, the author portrays the warrior Beowulf and his three battles in such a way as to clearly define what it means to be a hero. Fred Robinson and J. R. R. Tolkien addressed heroism in Beowulf regarding the warrior’s traits, as well as his battles and burial. The author of Beowulf defines the hero through Beowulf’s three battles with Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon. In this poem, each monster possesses a specific quality undesired by heroes. Beowulf battles anger/jealousy, vengeance, and greed/selfishness for the good of his Geat nation. As Beowulf fends off these anti-hero traits, he becomes capable of being a great leader of

Being a hero can be defined many different ways. Several qualities like courage, respect, and strength can define heroism. A hero is noted for his or her actions for being brave, powerful, and acting with honor. In the epic poem, Beowulf, the main character Beowulf shows all of these characteristics by defending the Danish king, Hrothgar, and his people. He is a true hero by honoring his country and exerting his power and strength to protect others. Beowulf embodies the qualities of bravery, being powerful, and demonstrating his honor; therefore, he can be considered a true hero.

Most of us have heard of modern day heroes such as Spiderman, Superman, and the Hulk. Each is a hero to many children. Heroes are introduced to people early on in life usually as fictional characters, but as children grow older their perceptions of heroes alter. The characteristics of a hero are usually based around the ideas of a society or culture. In the epic Beowulf, the main character is thought of as a hero. Beowulf, a pagan warrior and the main character of the epic, shows certain characteristics such as bravery, loyalty, and generosity, which portray him as a hero. It is interesting how modern day heroes show the much of the same qualities as Beowulf.

A hero, “a person noted for courageous acts or nobility of character”(“Hero”). A hero shows much more than honor and glory, they sacrifice their own life to selflessly help out the lives of others. By having heroes it gives us hope, wisdom, and justice throughout the nation. The three main types of heroes include an epic hero, superhero, and your own personal hero. These heroes show that it 's more than the cape or armour they wear, they show the true meaning of a hero by defining sacrifice, loyalty, and determination.

Throughout the story, Beowulf displays many attributes of a hero. In the story Beowulf shows many characteristics of hero such as strength, courage, and intelligence. In the story, Beowulf displays these qualities of a hero in battles that he is involved in during the story. The battles Beowulf is involved in is how Beowulf earns his fame and gains these characteristics. In the story, Beowulf fights and defeats monsters around the different kingdoms in the story protecting the other humans in the story which leads to him being king.

A hero is not born; he is self-made with heroic qualities. What qualifies for making someone a hero? According to Merriam Webster, a hero is defined as: “ a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability”. Beowulf perfectly fits that definition of a hero. In Seamus Heaney Beowulf, Beowulf has everything it takes to be known as a hero. Some of Beowulf’s vital traits as warrior includes bravery, courage, honor, incredible physical strength, and the will to serve the people for the greater good. This poem is centered around him and that is all he needs to be portrayed as the hero he is.

A hero is defined as “a person noted for courageous acts or nobility of character,” says dictionary.com. During the whole book Beowulf is saving the Geats, aiding Hrothgar, killing creatures and saving his people. He shows his heroism through his bravery and acts of courage; but he is also being assisted through fate and God. From killing Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon he knows that he is doing great things for all of the people in his kingdoms.

How do people perceive a hero? A person who saves millions of lives or someone who saves a cat from a tree. From little to big anyone can be considered a hero, especially a character from a story or a book. One specific character, is Beowulf from the epic poem, “Beowulf”. Beowulf is a Geat who is summoned by the king of Danes, Hrothgar, whose great mead hall, Heorot, is plagued by the monster Grendel. The battle with Grendel resulted in Grendel’s defeat. As the poem goes on, Beowulf gets involved in a battle with Grendel’s mother which he also defeats. Later in his life, Beowulf becomes king of the Geats and fights his last battle with a dragon who terrorized Beowulf’s realm. This battle resulted in the dragon’s defeat, but Beowulf was utterly wounded and later cremated. Beowulf goes through great lengths to battle these creatures, and his heroic acts lead him to becoming an epic hero. Beowulf is a hero because he posses courage/ bravery, faith, and strength.

A true hero does not fear death or, but instead risks all that he is for what he believes to be right, moral, and just. Beowulf is an epic and tells the story of a legendary hero, conquering all obstacles as if he was immortal. Up until the end of Beowulf’s life he was constantly looking to be the hero. However, his humanity is exposed by his death. Heroes all share the characteristic of their willingness to die in their effort to accomplish their heroic act, thus making the act in itself heroic. Throughout the epic, Beowulf in many ways exhibited all the qualities and characteristics needed to be a true hero.

Beowulf is considered a hero in many ways because he goes through many problems and overcomes many of them. Beowulf puts his life on the line countless times to protect the lives of others and doesn’t really get a reward for it. He is what many believe any kind of warrior or great leader should strive to be. Beowulf should be considered a hero because he stood and faced all his odds head on, puts his life on the line to protect his people, and he displays selfless service for his people. Even though he boasts often he can back it up.

A person who is admired for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. This is the traditional understanding of what it means to be a hero. Ladies and gentlemen, has heroism evolved over time? I believe not only the qualities of heroes have changed, but also the way in which heroism is defined. The modern hero sacrifices, in service to a greater purpose.

In three interesting and exciting tales we find three main characters also know as the the

Looking back at early forms of literature we notice the classic idea of heroism in Beowulf. As time passes by the notion of a hero changes. Consciousness in early literature such as, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, does not enter the innermost thoughts. The notion of a hero and the notion of consciousness changes within literature through time. In the novel, Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen the hero is portrayed differently compared to earlier texts as well as the characters being aware of one’s environment. The author Jane Austen, carefully shapes her characters’ actions, feelings and affiliations in a specific way. In Sense and Sensibility we have a clearer picture of the consciousness of characters than what we see in Beowulf or Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.