This epic poem is about legend name Beowulf who seeks out for fame in his lands to destroy the all mighty Grindel. He soon face many other challenges as many heroes have to do. Beowulf has many Anglo-Saxon Heroic characteristic similarities such as Bravery and Strength. The biggest characteristic that he has is Sense of duty and honor. Beowulf shows his bravery when he has kills Grendel with his bear hands. "He needs no weapons and fears none. Nor will I. My lord Higlac might think less of me if I let my sword go where my feet were afraid to…” (263-264). Beowulf believe in hour to fight with the same weapon as his opponent so he bravely confronts grendel with his hands. “If weapons were useless he'd use his hands. The strength in his fingers." (506-507) Beowulf doesn't need a weapon to defeat his enemies, his hands are his weapons. …show more content…
When Grendel's mother finds out she wants revenge on Beowulf and she is even more scary and stranger looking than Grendel. When Beowulf is trying to find Grendel's mother it was said that “He leaped into the lake, would not wait for anyone's answer...For hours he sank through the waves.” (467-469) Beowulf bravery jumps into the water to find grendel's mother cave to fight her. “He raised his arms and seized her by the shoulder; anger doubled... proud prince was ready to leap on her …” (509-513) When Beowulf finds her he leaps to attack her and shows his bravery then she soon falls like her son
Shortly after doing this, he brags, “When it comes to fighting, I count myself as dangerous any day as Grendel” (lines 677-678). Reckless actions like these only validates Beowulf’s courage and boldness which make him appear more heroic. When he tosses away his shield and sword before leaving for his match with Grendel, he clarifies that his challenger “has no idea the arts of war, or shield or swordplay” (lines 681-682). He therefore decides that there will be “no weapons, therefore, for either this night” (lines 683-684). When Grendel places out his hand to grab the next sleeping man, but that man's hand comes up to meet him, grabbing the monster's hand firmly in such a strong grip that Grendel is afraid; his finger joints are breaking.
Being a hero can mean many different things. A modern day hero might be someone who has a strong moral code or someone that has extraordinary powers and abilities but, looking back in time the meaning of a hero has changed slightly. During Anglo-Saxon times, being a hero meant being loyal to their lord and god, having a sense of duty, being selfless, having honor, being intelligent, and boasting. It also meant being brave and having courage, having a sense of justice, and having larger than life strength. A great example of an Anglo-Saxon hero is Beowulf from “Beowulf,” written by an unknown author. In this poem, Beowulf exemplifies the characteristics of an Anglo-Saxon hero because he was brave and courageous, he had superhuman strength, and he had a unique sense of justice.
The epic poem Beowulf expresses many Anglo-Saxon ideas. The Anglo-Saxons were warrior-farmers who loved fighting. Warriors were celebrated and valued in the Anglo-Saxon times. Beowulf, the main character of the poem, is an example of the archetypal “hero as warrior,” which defines an Anglo-Saxon warrior. The Anglo-Saxons were always prepared for war and willing to fight for the sake of the people, just like Beowulf. Nearly god-like, Beowulf undergoes many physical and mental challenges in order to help others and showcase his heroic ways. Because Beowulf is a celebrated hero, has supernatural strength, and undying loyalty, he is the epitome of an Anglo-Saxon warrior.
more than use art to rid of unwelcome spirits. Shields, churches, even the handles of swords have been known to have pictures, or art, on them by this time. Much like Egyptians, important members of society would generally be buried with artifacts to keep them protected in the afterlife. Which is a peculiar sight to see since the Anglo-Saxons did not believe the afterlife as pagans, but as stated, they were converted into Christians when the St. Augustine came to the pagans.
Throughout his journeys, Beowulf is portrayed in different ways based on which monster he is battling. What starts off as the conquest of a young, prideful hero when fighting Grendel, switches to more of a reliable hero with the battle with Grendel’s mother, and finally concludes with the epic battle between Beowulf and the dragon. The latter shows Beowulf as an old and wise king. Beowulf is motivated to succeed and prove to his king he is a courageous protector of people.
Courage is certainly a trait which every hero must possess, particularly because no one wants a hero who is a coward. Thankfully, Beowulf is no coward. When Beowulf hears of Grendel’s exploits in Denmark, he travels to the “distant” land, without hesitation, to rid the Danes of that “demon…conceived by a pair of those monsters born of Cain, murderous creatures banished by God”. Beowulf’s courage is displayed even more when he chooses not to fight with weapons, despite knowing
Originating in the Anglo-Saxon period, the epic poem Beowulf portrays a legendary hero. Beowulf established the earlier form of heroism, and was then later introduced in to the English culture. Praised and admired by many people, Beowulf possesses several distinct traits that allow him to be defined perfectly as an ideal Anglo-Saxon hero; his eagerness to seek glory and fame, rather than richness and treasures, his loyalty and graceful attitude not only to his rulers but also to his followers, and his contradictory beliefs of faith and fate
Leyerle characterizes Beowulf’s bravery by putting the needs of others above himself only to smile back at death. Beowulf having to already fight something larger than himself, he challenges Grendel to a hand to hand combat: “No weapons, therefore for either this night; unarmed [Grendel] shall face me if he dares” (682-85). Beowulf’s personal valor could only be demonstrated by the willingness to engage in combat. This article can help clarify the reasons why Beowulf should have only act on reason and doubt rather than human tendencies such as pride and
The epic poem Beowulf describes the most heroic man of the Anglo-Saxon times. The hero, Beowulf, is a seemingly invincible person with all the extraordinary traits required of an Anglo Saxon hero. He is able to use his super-human physical strength and courage to put his people before himself. He encounters many monsters and horrible beasts, but he never fears the threat of death. His leadership skills are outstanding and he is even able to boast about all his achievements. Beowulf is the ultimate epic hero who risks his life countless times for glory which to him meant eternal life.
The True Hero What do you think makes up a hero? There is a hero in most stories and is easy to spot who the hero is, but sometimes you need to take a closer look to find out who the real hero is. One example is between the stories called Beowulf and Grendel that tell both sides of the main characters and leaves us to decide who is the true hero of the story. So even though Grendel was a peaceful monster at one point, Beowulf is the true hero of the story because he came to Herot to save people from a vicious monster and he is born a normal person from a normal bloodline. Beowulf lived across the Sea from Herot and had no business with the place but still came to save people from harm.
“Beowulf” the poem is the first recorded piece of the Anglo-Saxon literature also know as Old English. During those times the viking lived by nine virtues, which made them an Anglo-saxon hero. Beowulf is an embodiment of a typical Anglo-saxon hero, because he demonstrates courage, honor, and
Beowulf first displays his courage during his fight with the evil monster Grendel. In the poem, Beowulf challenges the beast to dual and says that he will fight him with no weapon and armor to show his courage. “No weapons, therefore,/ for either this night: unarmed he shall face me if face me he dares” (Heaney 683-685). This shows how much courage beowulf has because he is fighting a descendent from cain and is taking him on without any weapons and armor. Secondly, Beowulf does not hesitat for one second and takes on the beast without any help, this shows how courages the hero is. “He was bearing in/ where he lay on the bed: he was bearing in/ wiht open claw when the alert hero’s/ comeback and armlock forestolled him utterly” (764-750). Beowulf then defeats the evil monster grendel by tearing off his arm and killing the beast. In the poem the poeple are celebrating over this victory while Beowulf is dissapointed in himself because he thinks that it would be better if he had the head of the beast rather than the arm. “If you could have seen the monster himself/ where he lay beaten, I would have been better pleased” (960-961). Beowulf does not realise that he was the only one who could defeat this monster and no one else could because they do not have the courage.
Christopher Reeve once said “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endures in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” In other words, a hero is a normal person who is able to be strong and persevere despite difficult obstacles preventing them. In the book, Beowulf, the the nephew of the king of the land of the geats, helps Hrothgar, another king, kill a series of monsters that threaten his kingdom. He helps Hrothgar kill Grendel, Grendel’s Mother, and The Firedrake. Beowulf is a hero because he is just an ordinary person who finds the strength to persevere and endure despite the overwhelming obstacles preventing him from doing so. Beowulf embodies Christopher Reeve’s definition of a hero because he defeated the flesh-eating Grendel, who could not be stopped even by groups of elite soldiers. Beowulf also killed Grendel’s mother, a much eviler being who lived in a cave in an endless pool of blood that led to hell. Finally, he defeated The Firedrake, who swelled up and breathed fire when angry.
During the battle of Grendel, we see a confident and proud Beowulf, who boasts about his power and might before the battle. For example, Beowulf’s confidence is clarified when he says "I have heard moreover that the monster scorns in his reckless way to use weapons; therefore... I hereby renounce sword and the shelter of the broad shield... hand-to-hand is how it will be..." (Beowulf 433-440). Beowulf choosing not to use a sword is completely unnecessary and is a result of pure confidence. Though he wasn’t allowed the opportunity to challenge Grendel one on one due to the beast’s surprise attack, Beowulf still managed to eliminate Grendel and show his immense strength.
The Anglo-Saxons’ cultures and traditions are rooted in their beliefs of the perfect hero. Their ideal hero has many key characteristics influenced by their culture including courage, strength, bravery, thick skin, loyalty, humbleness, and the ability to create strong trustworthy friendships. Beowulf is an epic poem that exhibits the ideal Anglo-Saxon hero. The Anglo-Saxon traditions illustrated in Beowulf accurately represent the Anglo-Saxon traditions of the time period. This is accomplished through the distinct correlation of heroic characteristics between Beowulf and the culture’s traditional depiction of an Anglo-Saxon hero.