Beowulf Embodies The Anglo-Saxon Hero

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.

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.

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.

Beowulf is a hero in the eyes of his fellow men through his amazing physical strength. He fought in numerous battles and returned victorious

The last battle that Beowulf partook in was perhaps the most heroic of all. Although the battle ended his life, it proved that of all the men in the story, Beowulf was the only true Anglo-Saxon hero. All of his troops proved to be fickle. They abandoned him in a time when they were needed the most. Though his men lived, they lived as cowards, yielding to the dragon apprehended by all the Geats. Never the less, Beowulf’s strength of heart and mind gave him the will to fight the dragon, although none of his men were there to help him. In this part of the tale, Beowulf was older and his physical strength had dwindled. But despite this, his tremendous heroism remained. He fought the dragon to his death and died with a pride, gallantry and chivalry that no man at the time had

An epic hero is a brave and noble character in an epic poem, admired for great achievements or affected by grand events. The epic hero of a story embarks on a quest in search of fame and glory, and encounters challenges throughout their journey. No matter the adversity, the epic hero maintains bravery and courage, never backing down. However, what the epic hero does not know is that the “real reason for a quest is always self-knowledge” (Foster 3). In the epic Beowulf, Anonymous employes the affection of a king, bravery in battle, an eternal quest and a lasting legacy to show Beowulf as an epic hero.

As the Martian Manhunter once said, “The future is worth it. All the pain. All the tears. The future is worth the fight”. This modern day superhero mentality, that fighting the good fight is worth it because it is the right thing to do is seen everywhere today. Movies, comic books, and videos games come out yearly featuring superheroes who fight for justice using their superhuman abilities. They possess characteristics such as bravery, strength, a stong moral compass, and loyalty. Interestingly, these modern day superhero traits can be traced all the way back to the Anglo-Saxons were the first hero ever, Beowulf lived. It is Beowulf who not only exemplifies modern day hero traits, but he more importantly shows the ideals of an Anglo-Saxon hero. Without a doubt, Beowulf demonstrates the traits of an Anglo-Saxon hero.

This shows his strength, his courage, and his lasting capabilities which start his life as a hero. Beowulf is extremely courageous more than your average warrior at this time. Once in Herot he offers to fight the monster Grendel with only the help of his men. As quoted in the following sentences “that i, alone and with the help of my men, may purge all evil from this hall.”

Beowulf does not fail his people, even at the last, when as an old man

Beowulf’s last test of courage comes in his old age when his people are threatened by a “mighty” dragon. Beowulf felt as if something he had done had caused the irascible beast to wreck havoc on his people, “killing and destroying” them and their homes with its “molten” breath. Knowing what had to be done, Beowulf bravely faced the dragon, while all of his people, except for one, fled in fear. His last battle, which ended in death, displayed Beowulf’s unwavering courage, the type that every hero should possess.

Beowulf has been king for about fifty years and has been encountered with a lot of stress. Beowulf has some doubt in this battle claiming, “I’ve never known fear; as a youth I fought/ In endless battles. I am old, now/ But I will fight again, seek fame still”

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

“Their intention, I think, was to make Beowulf and the ancient world of the epic more engaging for modern audiences, particularly those unfamiliar with the story . . .” (Wood). Incorporating modern-day issues into the plot created an altogether better

Beowulf, in Burton Raffel’s translation, is portrayed as a religiously conflicted Anglo-Saxon cultural hero. The story blatantly conveys Beowulf’s Christian faith with excerpts like, “Jumping to the ground, the Geats pushed their boat to the sand and tied it in place, mail shirts and armor rattling as they swiftly moored their ship. And then they gave thanks to God for their easy crossing” (224-228). Without any analysis, the reader can safely assume that Beowulf practices Christianity because the character gives thanks to God on a regular basis. Moreover, through sacrifice, the brave soldier embodies Christian values. Beowulf’s altruistic decision to sail to Denmark could save a kingdom to which the Geats are not in any way indebted. Comparatively,

The personality of the heroes in medieval stories are what causes us to classify them as heroes. Beowulf has physical strength that can not be compared to anybody alive. That physical strength helps play into Beowulf’s character which causes him to defeat his enemies with much more ease than everybody else. In addition to Beowulf’s physical strength Beowulf is a courageous person. Beowulf fights and defeats the terrible monster Grendel without being asked or told to by any person to help out Hrothgar and the Danes. After that, Beowulf defeats Grendel’s mother to help out the Danes once again. In the end of the story, as an old king of the Geats Beowulf protects the Geats from a vicious dragon that is attacking the kingdom. Doing this ultimately