Heroism : Beowulf And Cuchallain

Christopher Reeve once said “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endures in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” In other words, a hero is a normal person who is able to be strong and persevere despite difficult obstacles preventing them. In the book, Beowulf, the the nephew of the king of the land of the geats, helps Hrothgar, another king, kill a series of monsters that threaten his kingdom. He helps Hrothgar kill Grendel, Grendel’s Mother, and The Firedrake. Beowulf is a hero because he is just an ordinary person who finds the strength to persevere and endure despite the overwhelming obstacles preventing him from doing so. Beowulf embodies Christopher Reeve’s definition of a hero because he defeated the flesh-eating Grendel, who could not be stopped even by groups of elite soldiers. Beowulf also killed Grendel’s mother, a much eviler being who lived in a cave in an endless pool of blood that led to hell. Finally, he defeated The Firedrake, who swelled up and breathed fire when angry.

Throughout time, heroes have stereotypically been described as men who possess qualities such as courage, strength, leadership, and determination. Certainly, many of these characteristics have changed as time has passed. In modern society, heroes can simply be average people who sacrifice their own happiness for the welfare of others and do their best to create a change in the world. Beowulf, an extraordinary warrior in the Anglo Saxon period, is an epic hero because of his pride, strength and courage. He fought many battles in order to protect the Danes from chaos. Angelina Jolie, like Beowulf, is a hero because she defeats every impediment to help and fight against inequality.

Today in society there are many individuals who can be described as heroic because of their courageous actions towards helping others. People who do not believe in heroes today do not see the change happening around the world for the benefits of future generations. However, in reality many individuals are risking their own lives to fight for what they believe in and for the change they wish to see in this world. Alfred de Vigny asserts that there are no heroes in this world, but even ancient stories like Beowulf provide examples of heroes who risk their lives to save others while we do still have heroes during modern-day times.

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.

What defines a hero? Is it how they appear, what they do, or is it in their nature? All throughout history, stories about handsome, strong men accomplishing herculean tasks have retained popularity. The hero saves a maiden, rushes into a burning building, or kills a terrifying monster. Beowulf is a common example, but modern heroes, soldiers, for example, should also be considered. Although Beowulf is fictional and soldiers are real, they both demonstrate bravery, loyalty, and sacrifice.

When one thinks of heroes, names such as Ghandi, Martin Luther King, and Mother Theresa often come to mind. These people had done a lot of favors, courage, helps, and more of things for the people who needed them. The true definition of hero is a man of distinguished valor. Bravery, courage, intrepidity, boldness, daring, and prowess in war are a hero’s characteristics. However a hero is understood to be different to everyone. Upon closer examination, many different qualities than these become apparent. The definition of heroism changes with the context and time. Heroes of the past are not necessarily heroes of present time and vise versa. A person can be a hero for saving the life of one or of millions.

The term, “hero” is a wide concept that many people like to use. The greatest stereotype of a hero is someone who is physically strong and can defeat almost anyone, but the idea of heroism isn’t limited to that. There are those who are not physically strong, but a hero can be outspoken and protects what is right even at the cost of their lives. This type of heroism was seen in World War II, where many Jews and others were taken into concentration camps to die, few rose up to the challenge in order to protect what was humane. WWII became a dark time in history because of the slaughter of thousands of people, a large majority being Jewish.

In society, there are many different types of heroes. Heroes throughout time have changed and from culture to culture they differ for example, in the early times they were defined as someone who will lead them into battle but now it's more about having a positive impact on other people and society as a whole. 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 one who is selfless, relentless and brave. The Anglo-Saxon hero, Beowulf, is a brave, well respected and selfless person that will do anything for the good of the people and he will even risk his life to protect them.

A hero is a person who others admire for their courage, strength and  heroic acts. Hero’s enter a battlefield facing the inferior villain without any concern of their own life, the only thought on the hero’s mind is executioning the villain in order to save other people's lives. Chris Kyle was a modern day hero, because he strived to help a cause greater than himself and make the world a safer place. Beowulf was a olden day hero, he wanted glory for the acts he performed. Even though, he wanted the glory, he also wanted to save people's lives.

“Heroes are everyday, common people. Most of what they do goes unheralded, unappreciated. And that, ironically, is heroism: not to be recognized” (Oliver Stone pg. 73). Heroism doesn’t offer recognition or rewards, in fact, most heroes go unnoticed by the public. People are heroes because they care about problems that might not affect them, but may affect other people in a harmful way. Heroes can be afraid, but over time they have to overcome their fears and achieve what they are shooting for. They are never selfish, and are always looking out for others, even if that means they have to go out of their way to help someone. Heroism always means determination, and always continuing to push through the hard obstacles in life that they might

As joseph Campbell say “A hero is someone his given his or life to something bigger.” Many people disagree on who might qualify to be a hero. While only a few people could qualify to be called a hero, may people have done heroic through their life. Beowulf and my parents have demonstrated heroism through their actions. There are difference and similarities between modern day hoers and analog Saxon.

Heroes are those who have gone above what the average person would do to ensure the welfare of others. Natural disasters, terrorism, poverty, and war are some of the many things that destroy and end people’s lives. Throughout history, many people have made a difference. However, as history progresses, what we consider to be socially normal changes along with our definition of a hero. In Ancient Greece, Theseus, Hercules, and Perseus were considered heroes, but today only Theseus and Perseus would be considered heroes because Hercules would be shunned by society.

The word hero has many meanings for many people. The definition of a hero changes with context and time. Some of the most valiant heroes in my mind are the ones that no one knows about. The man who overcame poverty and discrimination to get an amazing education, the woman who escaped abuse and became a wonderful mother. These people are not what society would deem worthy of the title “Hero.” But our heroes need not be lavish and well known.

According to the Oxford dictionaries a hero is “A person who is admired for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities” (Oxford Dictionaries). Despite the time period, the qualities of a hero appear the same; the circumstance that a hero encounters is what differs. In the poems “Beowulf” and “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,” both protagonists display noble qualities that exhibit heroism such as their selflessness, bravery, and honor. Beowulf and Sir Gawain are perceived as ancient heroes because of their courage to stand against figures that threatened their society; comparably in modern day, heroes are faced with different obstacles, but fight them holding the same values. In 2017, a hero holds the same qualities as these past heroes. Currently, in America people are suffering from natural disasters, which let us identify our modern day heroes as they rise to help the people affected.

There are several things that can define a hero. In the tale of Beowulf, a young warrior fights to defend his neighboring country and eventually becomes a king who must defend his own country. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, a knight of King Arthur’s court accepts a challenge and must persevere to follow through and bring honor back to his uncle’s court. These men are both similar in their loyalty and devotion, however, both men also face different challenges that force them to acknowledge their flaws. By comparing and contrasting Beowulf and Sir Gawain, it is shown what it means to be hero who is also human.