Beowulf: Epic Hero Essay example

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.

Every epic hero possesses certain heroic characteristics. The epic poem Beowulf describes the most heroic man of the Anglo-Saxon times. Beowulf is the hero. He shows that he is a great man by always putting other things before his own needs. He is important and needed by his people and is known by many as a strong, courageous and a helpful person. He shows all of the qualities and traits that a true hero possesses.

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 most heroic of traits within Beowulf is that he is not afraid to die. He always explains his death wishes before going into battle and requests to have any assets delivered to his people. “…and if death takes me…send to Hyglac the best of war clothes that protects my breasts, finest of male shirts. It is a legacy of Hrethel, the works of Weland. Fate always goes as it must.” He is aware of the heroic paradox; he will be glorified in life or death for his actions. He knows that when he fights an enemy like Grendel or Grendel’s mother he will achieve immortality as the victor or the loser. “I resolved when I sat down in the sea-boat with my men, that I should fulfill the will of your people or else fall in slaughter. I shall achieve a dead of manly

Every epic hero possesses certain heroic characteristics. The epic poem Beowulf describes the most heroic man of the Anglo-Saxon times. Beowulf is the hero. He shows that he is a great man by always putting other things before his own needs. He is important and needed by his people and is known by many as a strong, courageous and a helpful person. He shows all of the qualities and traits that a true hero possesses.

We have all had someone whom we have considered our hero. We call them our hero because they have exhibited certain characteristics that make us feel safe or protected in harmful situations. A few books demonstrate heroic characteristics masterfully through their characters. Beowulf portrays a strong, self-sacrificing hero. Canterbury Tales shows us a wise and caring hero. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight displays a flawed, loyal hero. These three men give us some of the attributes it takes to be considered a hero. These books tell us that to be a hero, you have to sacrifice, have wisdom, and loyalty.

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

Every epic hero possesses certain heroic characteristics. Beowulf, like other epic heroes, possesses the following heroic qualities: epic heroes are superhuman types of beings. They have a noble birth and show great bravery. They display great intelligence and resourcefulness. They have a reverence for G-d and for the values of their society. They are dominant male figures and suffer severe pain, but in the end, they conquer evil (Vivone 9/27/99). In addition to Beowulf’s heroic qualities, he is very strong. Beowulf was said to have “the strength of thirty [men] in his mighty handgrip” (Bloom 11). Early proof of Beowulf’s extraordinary strength is evidenced by his dismemberment of Grendel’s limb, the fight in the cave under water, and the

Beowulf showed his honor as he traveled from his homeland to battle the vicious monster Grendel, who was terrorizing the Danes. Grendel “Raided and ravaged” the mead hall, showing no honor by killing intoxicated men in their sleep. Beowulf knows that there is a chance that he may die in his great battle against Grendel when he says, “If death does take me, send the hammered mail of my armor to Higlac…”, yet he is still willing to attempt to defeat Grendel. A hero in the Anglo-Saxon time is always very confident, as well he should be. It would serve no purpose to face battle with doubt of ones ability to do so, and with fear of all that awaits him. Beowulf’s morality came also in the form of loyalty to people and his word. Promises by Beowulf were kept . Acceptance of death, and care for the welfare of his people were Beowulf’s greatest virtues. His

A hero should always be a Epic Hero one who is larger than life, and who knows good values in life. In Beowulf especially, it speaks much about strength, but not only strength in his arms, but the strength to stay strong and love people. In the poem we learn about how Beowulf who is the hero during Anglo Saxton times. We learn how invincible and mighty Beowulf really is. He’s actually a great example of a epic hero, cause of his great strength and abilities.

Beowulf is raised in a warrior environment. In fact, his father Ecgtheow, a very famous man, was a great warrior. Young Beowulf sees his father as a role model; furthermore, he tries to be as similar to his father as he can be. For example, as Beowulf is giving his final words to Wiglaf, the narrator says “that was the warriors’s last word” (Heaney, l 2817). When the narrator ends Beowulf’s last moments he calls Beowulf a warrior instead of a king. Proving that Beowulf belongs to a warrior status, not an elite one.Moreover, his kingdom accredits him as a warrior more than they view him as royalty as they give him a viking-style, warrior funeral. Furthermore, when Beowulf passes away, “his soul fled from his breast to its destined place among the steadfast ones” (2819). His soul goes to the warriors’ place in heaven versus going to the kings’ place in heaven. The audience sees the hero’s changes throughout the epic, but the narrator uses periodic structure in order to frame the story around Beowulf being a warrior. He is naturally inclined to act like a warrior instead of a king. According to the American Poetry Review, Beowulf “does manage to slay the dragon, but he also meets his own death and enters the legends of his people as a warrior of high renown.” A king would never fight in battle. A king would trust his warriors to defeat the enemy and come back successful. Although

An epic hero is a person that accomplishes a goal that no one else has accomplished or something that gives back to the community. Beowulf is considered an epic hero because he is strong, brave, proud and boastful.

The choices Between Reality Does the title of an ideal hero and king fit Beowulf? Did Beowulf lacked characteristics to be a good hero and king. Throughout the “Beowulf-An Epic Poem, Beowulf was known for having a good personality he strive to serve his people to the best of his ability. Beowulf had an obeyed to follow his leaders even when he wasn’t king. Beowulf was honored to become king and have people under his wing for fifty years; there is greatness in the role Beowulf shared. Beowulf fits to be an ideal hero and king. As a hero he served those above him when he was not king. Shield Sheafson was an example in ‘Beowulf An-Epic Poem” that lived up to. “A founding to start with, he would flourish later on as his powers waxed and his worth was proved,” found in https://books.google.com/books?id=tSOzAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA3&lpg=PA3&dq=%E2%80%9CA.

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

Imagine that you are the hero of a village. You are the person that everyone looks up to- you have all the fame and fortune you could possibly want. But, this doesn’t just come to you on a silver platter. There are risks to take, challenges to overcome, and lives to be put at stake. You must defeat creatures of all sizes and strengths to gain this honorary title. This is Beowulf’s reality as he must conquer unbelievable tasks that nobody else would dare to face. Because of this, Beowulf is recognized as a boasting person, brave, and selfless; and rightfully so.