Beowulf: The Five Qualities Of A Hero

The epic Beowulf tells the tale of a legendary archetypal hero named Beowulf who slays the evil monsters that terrorizes a foreign king’s kingdom as well as defeat a terrifying dragon that has plagued his homeland. By listening to the story of Beowulf, Anglo Saxons could learn about their ancient values of bravery, loyalty, and the heroism needed to defeat the evil monsters; these epic heroes were the self-portraits of their cultures. Beowulf is the manifestation of the Anglo Saxon values: bravery, physical strength, fame, loyalty as a follower, and generosity as a leader.

“For a true hero isn’t measured by the size of his strength, but the strength of his heart” as said in the movie Hercules. This is also shown in the epic poem Beowulf when Beowulf risks his life for his people and people from far away. A true hero does an act for the greater good of the people and does it no matter what, because if a hero does it for themselves they aren’t helping anyone and it is defined as selfish which has a negative connotation. A hero is aware of the danger and isn’t reckless or foolish because if they weren’t aware then they didn’t intend to do that act. If they are foolish or reckless they can’t be a hero because they are putting themselves and other people in unnecessary danger. Beowulf in his last battle deals with a dragon who is terrorizing his people, and they come to him for help. Beowulf shows all of the characteristics of a hero while facing the dragon in his final battle.

Beowulf exemplifies heroic qualities that convey his nobility and courage. The poem named Beowulf has no known author. The author of the poem is known to be a Anglo-Saxon poet. The poem, "Beowulf", is an Old English epic poem. The character, Beowulf, is a noble hero who offered to help King Hrothgar by fighting a demon named Grendal. He fought many enemies before and while becoming a king. Beowulf is a loyal and noble hero to the people of Geats and Danes. Epic heroes are defined with specific qualities that this particular literary epic hero fits into. Many literary heroes are described with particular characteristics, and Beowulf fits those standards in order to be considered a hero. Beowulf expresses many heroic qualities that depict him as a noble and loyal leader.

In "Beowulf", the main character Beowulf, throughout the epic poem is shown as a true hero who has all the qualities and what it takes to protect the land. Even though there are some moments in "Beowulf" that try to make it seem like he is not a true hero, he proves himself with three major battles. Beowulf illustrates his heroic qualities through three major battles: his battle with Grendel, his battle with Grendel's mother, and his battle with the dragon.

Beowulf was a man who was always coming to the rescue and always willing to lend a helping hand. Ultimately that could have been his downfall and part of the reason for his demise. He was admired by many, especially by his men and followers. Many looked up to him and aspired to be just like him, hoping to obtain some of his traits. Beowulf displayed qualities of both an epic hero and a tragic hero. He constantly displayed the four virtues of an epic hero which are wisdom, strength, loyalty, and courage but had many shortcomings close to his death which makes him also a tragic hero.

In Anglo-Saxon literature and culture, to be considered a hero was to also be considered a warrior/ soldier. To be a hero, you had to not only be strong but you also had to be smart, and have plenty of courage. These warriors were willing to face any type of trials and tribulations at any odd. These types of heroic warriors would fight to the death to obtain glory and save their people. The Anglo-Saxon hero needed to possess all of these characteristics, and still be kind hearted and humble regardless. Beowulf, arguably is, the best example of an Anglo-Saxon hero that we have in modern literature. Beowulf's most important traits as an epic hero are as

Beowulf is more than just a story, it’s a cornerstone of modern literature as its dynamic structure and theme display great originality and uniqueness. Given its history, the story plot is certainly original as it was constructed over 1300 years ago. Beowulf is an epic poem in which the plot is intended to portray the unique heroism of German warriors. Beowulf exemplifies the traits of the perfect hero. The poem explores his heroism in two separate phases—youth and age—and through three separate and increasingly difficult conflicts—with Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon. Yet Beowulf has more than just history as the story itself is one of greatness.

Beowulf demonstrates three of the most important aspects of being a true and epic hero: strength, bravery, and honor. He demonstrated both strength and bravery as well as honor when fighting Grendel. By ripping the arm of the monstrous beast, Beowulf showcased his superhuman strength. Only a brave and heroic man would go into a fight with both the demon, his mother, and then a dragon knowing success awaits. Glory follows success but Beowulf didn’t let that get to his head, his honor kept him fighting for a higher cause. Beowulf, the hero of he Anglo-Saxon times, the only man fighting for the people.

To begin with, the attributes that make Beowulf a classic hero in that he is a great warrior, courageous, strong, brave, loyal and proud. Beowulf made a claim about if you have not decided what your fate is going to be then you can succeed with sheer nerve and courageous behavior. Which is stated as "Often, for undaunted courage, fate spares the man it has not already marked." (572-573). Another significant courageous act that Beowulf did was his battle with the dragon. Stated as “And now the youth was to enter the line of battle with his lord, his first time to be tested as a fighter. His spirit did not break and the ancestral blade would keep its edge, as the dragon discovered as soon as they came together in the combat.” (2625-2630).

To know whether someone is a hero or not the first thing you need to know is; what is a hero? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a hero as someone who is a mythological or legendary figure often divine in descent endowed with great strength. Beowulf is embodied as a hero who fought for his people and defeated evil with his immortal powers that he used to bring peace and justice. He constantly showed virtues admirable of any man especially during the Anglo-Saxon time period; he was wise, noble, and brave and was a true hero. Following the ways of comitataus, Beowulf often has to suppress his internal natural human fears and live up to what was expected of an Anglo-Saxon warrior. Beowulf is constantly dealing with a dual ordeal from external battles with supernatural demons and pressure from those around him to internal battles caused by natural human tendencies of pride, greed, cowardice, betrayal, and self-concern, throughout his life. Beowulf was a very important hero of the time who accomplished many impressive feats and was revered.

As long as evil is present in the world, the human race will need a savior. This person has to demonstrate courage, strength, honor, and reflect the values of their society. This person I am describing is a hero. They often are recognized as a hero after combatting some tough circumstance or battling some giant monster. But who was that person before the fight ? And who were they after all the chaos had calmed? Beowulf portrays the true characteristics of a hero not only before the fight, and during the fight, but after; just like my father did. Heros are more than just the battle they are in. They continually demonstrate courage, strength, honor, and reflect the values of their society.

Epic heroes possess qualities that separate them from the average man. They are defined by four main characteristics: 1. Being born of nobility or a high position, 2. Possessing superhuman courage, 3. Exhibiting traits that reflect the important ideals of society, and 4. Performing actions which determine the fate of a group or a nation. All of which are traits which can be recognized in the epic Beowulf. As a warrior of the Geats in Sweden, Beowulf, whom the poem is named after, possess all these qualities when he heroically aids Hrothgar, King of the Danes, in defending Harot from a beast named Grendel.

Beowulf was a man with the appearance of a hero but the heart of any ordinary man. He was a living testament of what an epic hero is while also offering an understanding of how men can falter. He bore the same struggles of a human man but often overcame them with his wit. These issues originated from the lives of men before him that came to torment the world later into their existence. The very seed these hero’s attempted to plant into the world were rooted out of evil and not good. They failed when it came to the understanding of actions rooted out of self as opposed to SELF.

The most classical epic hero journey is one that was passed down from oral tradition. This is the epic poem of Beowulf. Unlike most epic poems, the author is unknown. It is believed that it was written between the 8th and 11th century. During this time period, the concept of the epic hero journey was at it’s birth. Joseph campbell however, created a cycle to track the journey, and only a true hero follows it. Beowulf, the strongest man of his time, follows the hero cycle many times during his life, from being prideful and selfish, to overcoming his fatal flaw and doing heroic deeds for the sake of his people, to finally receiving his final reward, which is being honored after he defeats the descendants of Cain. These are the characteristics of an epic hero, that Beowulf embodies.

Heroes have been known widely for their non-violent ways, their act of kindness, and helping people because it’s the right thing to do (and not for fame). A modern day hero usually shows these types of acts. However, an Anglo-Saxon hero shows some of the opposite traits, including violence. Beowulf is one of a good example of an Anglo-Saxon hero. However, Beowulf shouldn’t be considered as a modern day hero today because he had different super abilities that a normal person doesn’t have, he uses the acts of violence, and he’s really boastful about himself.