Characteristics Of Beowulf

Being a great leader can depend on what circumstances are given and how they are handled. It can also fall upon the leader to be devoted, strong, humble, caring, and to be there when people need help, no matter the situation. Even in modern day, a leader has a duty to protect his/her followers, in order to stay in command and gain his/her trust and commitment. The Anglo-Saxon hero demonstrates these qualities by relying on his mental strength to overcome his age to defend and physical strength to hunt and destroy evil threats for the people who can not defend themselves. Future leaders can also use Beowulf as an example and can base their own leadership styles off of his characteristics.

An Epic Hero is a brave, noble character in an epic poem, and they are admired for great achievements or affected by a grand event. In another point of view, A Epic Hero has to have strength, faith and Braveness in order to perform heroic deeds. In the story Beowulf , Beowulf is an epic hero because he kills Grendel the monster, Grendel’s Mother and a dragon that no one else could have defeated. All the things Beowulf did throughout this story showed evidence of an epic hero, also with his personality and dedication. Beowulf is an epic hero because of how he sacrificed his life to perform heroic deeds. Also for his extraordinary strength, Braveness, and Faith.

During Beowulf’s story he travels to Denmark with 12 men determined to fight against Grendel. Grendel is monstrous, a evil giant who lives underneath the waters in a swamp. The monster fights and kills the Danes every night. The Danes are left with fear and danger. Beowulf fights Grendel and slices off his arm and the arm is hung high in the mead hall as a sign of a accomplishment defeating the monster.

In the fantasy world found within the story of Beowulf; Hrothgar, the wise king of the Danes, offers Beowulf some important lessons of leadership. Hrothgar, recognizing Beowulf’s nobility and strength, talks to him about how he should act to be a good ruler when he becomes king. The characteristics of good leadership that Hrothgar mentions still hold true today, through people like politicians, and business executives. Hrothgar’s sermon not only provides an insight into what leaders like these should do, it aims to bring to light what leaders should not do.

Throughout the story, Beowulf displays many attributes of a hero. In the story Beowulf shows many characteristics of hero such as strength, courage, and intelligence. In the story, Beowulf displays these qualities of a hero in battles that he is involved in during the story. The battles Beowulf is involved in is how Beowulf earns his fame and gains these characteristics. In the story, Beowulf fights and defeats monsters around the different kingdoms in the story protecting the other humans in the story which leads to him being king.

Beowulf and his group of Geatish warriors arrive “at the homeland of the Danes to rid that country of Grendel, a seemingly invincible, man-eating monster

Beowulf, while also being a follower of Higlac, he was known to be one of the most strongest and extraordinary geat that has ever existed that is willing to fight for honor and freedom. This caused his adrenaline to skyrocket which resulted in him gathering a total of fourteen other worthy men to go on this treacherous trip to Grendel’s home. Beowulf and his clique decides to stay in Herot where Grendel will come for them. The very next day, Grendel was hungry and he knew the location of the hunters. He began to devour his first victim and he began on the second until he realized it was Beowulf himself. One of Beowulf’s hand grabbed Grendel’s arm, while the other reaches for his mighty sword named Hrunting. Grendel knew he could not defeat

The epic poem Beowulf is told throughout history, and from generation to generation Beowulf’s strengths stayed the same. Examining his super human strength, extreme bravery, and high morality, shows exactly how much of an epic hero he really is. The life of the “strongest geat” (456) Beowulf is dangerous, but his life is also a story to tell that is so interesting to hear. The darkness that lurks behind every corner, will soon be brought into the daylight. The story that is told, but never forgotten will go down in history. The power that Beowulf himself possess is unimaginable, and unbelievable, therefore

The traits of an epic hero are superhuman abilities, embarking on a journey that changes him forever, and displays/embodies values of society. The epic, Beowulf, begins centuries ago where a young Geat comes to the land of the Danes to kill the monster who terrorizes the Danish, Grendel. In the process of completing his task, Beowulf reveals that he is an epic hero with the traits to show for it.

He then storms inside and finds sleeping soldiers, Grendel is excited at the sight because it means food. He grabs 30 men killing them and dragging their bodies back to his home where he eats them. The battle between Beowulf and Grendel goes on and on which not any normal person can fight for so long. they punch and kick each other multiple times, smashing into walls and wooden beams. Eventually Beowulf pins Grendel down and starts pulling on Grendel's arm, skin tears and muscle rips. Beowulf rips Grendel's arm off at the shoulder. Grendel, now wounded badly escapes to his home, and Beowulf keeps Grendel's arm as a trophy. Grendel's defeat angers his mother and she looks for revenge. So as the men were celebrating Beowulf's victory and as soon as the men were asleep she breaks into Herot and Takes only one man and Grendel's arm. That morning King Hrothgar was shocked to find it was his best friend that she took and killed. Beowulf set out to find her and kill her. The men went to the lake, the home of Grendel and his mother. Without thinking Beowulf jumps in and dives down, he keeps diving and diving. It takes him hours to get to the bottom, but when he does he's grabbed by Grendel's mother. She tries to hurt him but she can't so she drags him to her cave. Beowulf gets free and starts hitting her with his sword but it's useless so he uses his hands. Beowulf sees a giant sword on the wall bigger and heavier than normal, he reaches up and rips it off the wall, breaking the chains holding it up. With one swing he cuts off Grendel's mother head killing her.

In the epic Beowulf, there is a man named Beowulf. He is a classic tale of a true hero. He shows many traits of a hero when he is fighting a larger than life monster. Throughout the story, he battles three monsters, all of which show his true character. The two main character traits in Beowulf are superhuman strength, and loyalty.

The qualities of a great leader are widely discussed among people with many different views. Is a leader strong and emotional? Should a leader be calculating and cold? These are all dependant on someone’s thoughts about what are good leadership skills. In the story of Beowulf, the hero contains qualities that could lead him to being a great ruler according to the people he is with.

Beowulf came to the Kingdom of King Hrothgar by ship. He was accompanied by fourteen brave Geats. He went fourth to the King and told him that he was there to slay his Monster. (Page 47, Line 238 & 239) “Now Grendels‘, Name has echoed in our land:.” The night that they arrived Beowulf and the other brave soldiers’ stayed in the Herot Hall waiting for Grendel to come and try to kill them. (Page 48, Line 287 & 288) “Grendel arrived he grabbed a Geat and ripped him apart. (Page 48, Line 314 & 315) “Grendel snatched at the first geat, He came to, ripped him apart.” After they fought him for a while, Beowulf ripped Grendel’s arm off. Then, Grendel escaped Beowulf. (Page 50, Line 393) “Grendel escaped.” The Dane’s celebrated the victory of Beowulf. But Beowulf wasn’t finished killing monsters. He slayed Grendels mother and a dragon.

During the Anglo-Saxon era, the poem Beowulf came about and portrays many leadership skills still valid in today’s world. In the poem, Beowulf shows skills such as being well known and protecting his people, he upholds truth and justice, and he holds an inspirational vision through influential actions and behaviors affecting his followers. The poem serves as great knowledge for people seeking to be strong, charismatic leaders similar to Beowulf (Loughman). In the article “Beowulf and the Teaching of Leadership” Loughman talks how in the epic poem Beowulf it includes ways for people in the current era to practice and teach these leadership skills to better themselves and others (Loughman).

  The dialogue, action and motivation revolve about the characters in the poem (Abrams 32-33). It is the purpose of this essay to demonstrate the types of characters present in the anonymously written Anglo-Saxon poem, Beowulf - whether static or dynamic, whether flat or round, and whether protrayed through showing or telling.