Beowulf affected many of the people with whom he encountered in a positive manner. He led a strong group of warriors into battle against several strong and formidable evil opponents. He demonstrated characteristics throughout the story that showed his heroic nature. Beowulf is a hero because of his strength, courage and honor. Throughout the story, one of the main topics is Beowulf’s strength. Even in the beginning descriptions of Beowulf, he is first described as stronger than anyone in this world (111) and the strongest of the Geats (110). Beowulf used his incredible strength to defeat Grendel and during their battle, even Grendel acknowledged his amazing power: “He (Grendel) knew at once that nowhere on Earth had he met a man whose hands
Beowulf wields his physical strength, just like a shield, to protect himself from his brethren’s lack of faith. Interestingly, that is what instigates his bravery and propels him to face any conflict head-on. Additionally, we can see that his strength has reached unrivalled measures “a hand grip harder than anything he had ever encountered in any man on the face of earth” (lines 750-752) and how it has managed to elevate his prowess “When he wielded a sword, no matter how blooded and hard-edged the blade his hand was too strong, the stroke he dealt (I have heard) would ruin it. He could reap no advantage” (lines 2684-2687)”.
One example of Beowulf’s strengths was no other man could do the same tasks, and fight the battles he fought. Beowulf goes into many battles throughout his lifetime. Also, the quote in line 505-506 “If weapons were useless he’d use his hands, the strength in his fingers”. Beowulf also lifts the giant forged sword from the wall and swings it hard enough to cut of Grendel’s mothers head. A sword that is described as “so massive that no ordinary man could lift its carved and decorated lengths.
Beowulf is a true epic hero because he is fearless, very strong, and well honored. Beowulf portrays all of the traits of a hero throughout the epic. He never hesitated to kill a monster, or even to give a helping hand at any time. He could always back up his boast with perfection. Beowulf is not a god, or a supernatural man, but he was the closest man to
When Beowulf has a contest with Grendel, his strength is put to the test. People thought he was amazingly strong as it states, “Before then, no Shielding elder would believe there was any power or person on earth capable of wrecking their horn-rigged hall
Frequently, throughout Beowulf, Beowulf showed superhuman strength. In many cases, he showed off his extraordinary powers, by defeating demons. The most eye catching part of Beowulf’s superhuman strength is The Battle with Grendel. Beowulf showed true superhuman strength when during the fight, Beowulf defeated Grendel using only one hand his arm (323-324). In addition, Beowulf showed true super human strengths in The Battle with Grendel’s Mother when
The epic hero Beowulf also extrudes great strength and power. Lines 110-111 in the poem state “the strongest of the Geats- greater and stronger than anyone anywhere in this world.” Also in lines 246-248 he tells about his men seeing his strength for themselves, rising from the darkest of war, and dripping with his enemy’s blood showing Hrothgar that others have seen his strength. When Beowulf went to the bottom of the lake to kill Grendel’s mother and bring back a trophy, he swam back up carrying Grendel’s head by himself along with part of a sword yet it took four of his men to
Many heroes have been known for being brave, courageous, and strong; Beowulf is one of these heroes. Every hero is brave, some heroes may not start out that way at first. Heroes become brave by fighting in battles and slaying their enemies. Courage is not only a trait of heroes everyone has some courage somewhere deep inside them. Heroes use their courage to slay dragons and fight monsters just like Beowulf did. Not every is physically strong, but also strong minded. Heroes have to pay attention to their surroundings in order to stay alive. Heroes use their strength to save their kingdoms, if that hero is lucky they might even become king just like Beowulf. All of these traits help to make up a great hero.
The lead and most important character Beowulf was told to be the hero that has no weakness or fear of anything, as told in the tale. In the poem, it states that, “Beowulf is greater and stronger than anyone else in the entire world.” In the movie, it is a very similar description too. He proves his strength after his defeat of the monster Grendel. He showed that he has no fear when he undressed himself to fight the beast, and he shows that he is so powerful when he tears off the beast’s arm to end the battle. Although there is a similar sense and feel for who Beowulf is in both the movie, and the poem, there is a major detail in the movie that is not told in the poem. In the movie, Beowulf has a very great lust for women. Not only is this
Beowulf, the epic poem, about a courageous warrior who is a hero of the Danes. A constant theme that runs throughout the poem is Beowulf’s bravery and tremendous feats of strength. In each of the three major battle, Beowulf defies the odds, fighting against monsters in hand to hand battles, sometimes without any armor, with the belief that fate or the Gods will show favor to him as long as he is not afraid to die.
“The captain of evil discovered himself in a handgrip harder than anything he had ever encountered in any man on the face of the earth”. Beowulf shows his superhuman strength when he kills Grendel’s mother and when he fights Grendel. Most heroes have to be strong, so they can save people in need or fight off the bad guys. What made Beowulf stronger was not his physical strength but his mental strength. He knew that he could’ve killed Grendel but he didn’t
Good and evil are obliviously presented in Beowulf to the point that it’s nearly impossible to overlook. Grendel lacked any actual description of his physical appearance. This is because Grendel represents horror and corruption and the audience are supposed to visualize him as an enormous, scary, monster (enormous because the epic stated that he was carrying 30 men in his arms). He also represents everything that goes against the Anglo-Saxons culture so that the audience also sees him as a foreigner (The audience, at the time, were Anglo-Saxons).
Beowulf is appeared to be the most powerful among all the powerful. Physical strength was excessively begrudged by the Anglo-Saxon society. Beowulf could kill the best beast of all, Grendell. Beowulf eventually did kill Grendell; Grendell had never come to such a match among a more powerful individual "That shepherd of evil, guardian of crime knew at once that nowhere on earth had he met a man whose hands were harder". This demonstrates the physical strength that Beowulf epitomized.
First, epic heroes are always strong. Beowulf’s strength shines in his quests. He defeats Grendel with his bare hands even though he has always fought with his trusty sword. He later uses a weapon made for a giant to defeat Grendel’s mother. He even defeats a dragon that is terrorizing
Beowulf’s unique character and actions are similar to what people call a hero. He is a physically built, strong-minded person. The loyalty of Beowulf is a huge advantage when being a king to his people. Beowulf’s ability to not back down from anything and making the right choices shows bravery. Characteristics of Beowulf explain why he is considered a hero and a king.
Due to being an epic hero, Beowulf had a well-respected reputation, superior strength, and extreme courage. His great reputation is indicated numerous times within the passage. For example, he was known as “the strongest of the Geats-greater and stronger than anyone anywhere in this world” (ll. 110-111). Beowulf’s strength was revealed in the way that he was able to execute Grendel by ripping his arm from his body. “Grendel saw that his strength was deserting him, his claws bound fast, Higlac’s brave follower tearing at his hands.