Beowulf : The Characteristics Of An Anglo-Saxon Hero

Although cultural heroes ultimately serve the purpose of solidifying the values of a particular culture , the ever-changing, dynamic nature of heroism identifies itself as religious or a natural trait. Heroism is considered putting yourself at risk when in danger, helping those in need, and being the first one to step up and help, In the read Beowulf, he does just that. “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles” This quote is perfect in relation to Beowulf and the Anglo-Saxon beliefs. Heroism is displayed in many ways, It is showed all throughout the articles as well. Beowulf displays and greatly achieves one of the Anglo-Saxon values heroism through strength and greatness. As the story continues he resembles the traits of a protagonist more and more, for example, they place their careers in a high positions as if they are more important than their lives. Beowulf is seen in my eyes as almost fearless, how he goes about his quest and actions, slays Grendel and Grendel 's mother. Beowulf seems to put his life of adventure and intensity in front of his personal life. He focuses more on the Military part then he does his family or close friends. For him to put that in front of his morals and beliefs makes him an even greater hero.

Slaying demons, fighting dragons. Just an ordinary life for a hero—a hero named Beowulf. Beowulf is known for battling massive and terrifying beasts with unwavering confidence. Many attribute his success to his courage and determination, but it also leads him to his untimely demise. Maybe his confidence is not an asset, but a tragic flaw, a vulnerability.

When someone typically hears something regarding a superhero it’s the fact that they are saving the day. What comes to my mind is a tall, muscled, and good-looking man. The abilities epic heroes hold are without a doubt unspeakable. In common heroes today, they hold the ability to be strong, courageous, and have superhuman features. For example, the Anglo-Saxon heroes were always prepared to put their own lives in jeopardy for the greater good. Heroes always have target goals they must achieve in order to accomplish significant objectives in society. Majority of heroes have superhuman abilities compared to abilities of gods’. In the story of Beowulf, readers get to see a young audacious hero show the abilities of loyalty, wisdom, and physical strength. As I read the story, I saw that Beowulf matures into a man who doesn’t simply upkeep about individual magnificence and integrity but cares about his society as a leader. Beowulf is compared to a modern epic hero because he is fighting for a good cause, rewarded for doing the right thing, and is respectfully treated as a hero.

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.

The epic-poem, Beowulf is an adventurous and bold account of the trials and tribulations of an Anglo-Saxon hero. The main character in the poem, Beowulf, encounters three monsters throughout the poem that are enraged for three different reasons, which cause them to wreak havoc on society. First, he faces Grendel who is an angered social outcast of the Heorot community. Next, he defeats Grendel’s mother who is out to avenge her son’s death. And lastly, he faces his death when he fights the Dragon who awakens from his deep sleep very angry from being burgled. In this epic-poem written in the eighth century, Beowulf is portrayed to be an extremely heroic figure to the people of the Heorot and Hygelac societies because of his braveness to

First, Beowulf displays the anglo-saxon hero characteristic of bravery and courage throughout different points in the poem. “Proclaiming that he’d go to the famous King, would sail across the sea to Hrothgar, now when help was needed.” (114-116) Beowulf stood up and was brave enough to go and

Another characteristic of Beowulf that is consistently shown through the story is that Beowulf is human. He performs many great deeds and faces deadly challenges, but he is not flawless. He faces his challenges knowing that he may not be able to defeat his enemy. During Beowulf's great battle with the dragon, the dragon bites Beowulf and causes the deadly blow:

To be brave, one must continue on after knowing the possibility of a dreadful ending. Beowulf countlessly acts with bravery in his multiple battles against his strong monsterous opponents. In his first

The traits of an epic hero are having noble lineage, travelling to vast settings, being capable of great feats, showing nationalism and pride, being an excellent warrior and finally, showing humility and pride. Beowulf is an epic poem from Anglo-Saxon culture written between the 8th and 11th centuries. Anglo-Saxons were a warrior and seafaring culture and the result is that they loved tales like Beowulf because of his bravery and warrior-like demeanor. In the epic poem of Beowulf, Beowulf, a young Geat warrior, travels to Denmark to defeat Grendel, a monster who is said to be a descendant of Cain. Beowulf also defeats Grendel’s mother and a dragon at the end of the story. Anglo-Saxons were intensely interested in their honor and legacy, which is something Beowulf is as well because he longs to be remembered after he is gone. In considering the definition of an epic hero, Beowulf is an ideal example of one because he fulfills all the parameters of the classical understanding of this type of hero.

The Anglo-Saxon Hero A true hero is defined to be a person of great bravery and courage who has incredible qualities and is admired for having these character traits. An Anglo-Saxon hero is someone who has great leadership capabilities, is willing to provide for his people, and will be willing to run head first into danger despite the possible harm that may come of them. Anglo-Saxon heroes were usually kings or thanes, mainly because they distinguished themselves above their peers through proving their loyalty to the community and gaining the respect of those surrounding them. These leaders have to be willing to put their own lives in danger or on hold to benefit others.

What defines a hero? Is it their physical or mental strength, is it their ability to influence, or is it their willingness to help others? In the epic poem "Beowulf" the definition of what a hero in Anglo Saxon culture is found throughout the poem in many places. The hero in "Beowulf", Beowulf demonstrates exactly what it takes to be a great hero in Anglo Saxon culture through his 3 battles in the poem. The battles that Beowulf goes through shows all the traits that are important to be a hero in Anglo Saxon culture.

A specific trait of a noble and heroic king is that of the ability to remain loyal to his people and provide protection for them when in crisis. Beowulf embodies this trait to a strong extent and this is evident when the Dragon destroys Beowulf’s throne-hall and endangers his kingdom. Despite his old age and weakened body, at the first sight of danger Beowulf is willing to return to his heroic warrior persona and defend his kingdom. After receiving news that Beowulf’s throne-hall “has been burned to a cinder” by the dragon, the narrator states “the war-king planned and plotted his revenge” (Beowulf 2326; 2336). In doing so, it is evident that despite other noble kings employing younger, braver warriors to fight their battles, Beowulf’s embodiment

In the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf the main character Beowulf shows us that a hero has extreme strength and willpower to achieve what he desires. Beowulf shows us a glimpse of his willpower during the fight with Grendel’s mother. Grendel’s Mother was immune to his blade, but instead of abandoning all hope, as most people would do, he tosses the useless blade aside and decides to fight her with his hands alone. “Fame comes to men who mean to win it, and care about nothing else.” Even though the situation looked bleak for Beowulf, he continued on. Beowulf also shows us his superhuman strength in his fight with Grendel’s Mother. Pinned to the ground by her superior strength, Beowulf never gave up hope, but instead he noticed a giant’s sword

An epic hero is a person that has courage who has outstanding,dangerous,and beautiful qualities and abilities, and that hero is usually admired for having these aspects of their character and also admired for brave and noble acts. An Anglo-Saxon hero is a hero who has great intentional qualities, and is able to provide people protection, and is willing to risk their lives to protect his people. An epic hero will always be looked up to, not only for being a hero but also because of what they do, and how theirs not many good heros out their.

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,