Role models are important in society, especially for children. They demonstrate how to act and establish morals and values to mold them into adults to function in society. These role models can be anyone from a parent to a fictional hero. All across the world, literature represents heroes as the embodiment of values of the culture. The heroes in literature service role models are the characteristics and qualities that are important to the society. Fictional heroes are created by cultures to reflect their values, the similarities and differences between different cultures can be found by comparing these values.
The most well-known fictional hero from the Anglo-Saxon time period is Beowulf. Beowulf was a soldier because Anglo-Saxon society revolved
Beowulf demonstrated another important Anglo-Saxon characteristic, bravery, when he fought the dragon. Beowulf knew he was old when he decided to face the dragon but did not back down from the fight at hand. He decided to stand and fight the dragon instead of running even when he knew he could not defeat the beast by himself. Like the true hero he was
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.
During the Anglo-Saxon era, the Anglo-Saxons were invaded by monsters and demons. In addition, the Anglo-Saxons were in search for a hero. That hero turned out to be the great Beowulf. Beowulf fits the characteristics of the ideal hero: he has superhuman strength, a desire for glory, and courage.
Beowulf is an epic poem whose earliest surviving copy was written in 1000 A.D. The story consists of three thousand one hundred and eighty two lines that follow the life of the title character. The original author of the epic poem is unknown mainly because it started as a verbal tale passed down orally through the ages. Finally someone wrote it down in a document now called the Nowell Codex. The epic tale is centered on Beowulf and his actions in an adventure to repay a debt owed by his father to Hrothgar, a Danish king. A gargantuan monster that is terrorizing Hrothgar’s mead hall is Beowulf’s target and Beowulf sails across the sea to aid his father’s
Courage, generosity, faithfulness are the qualities that every hero, today, has embodied. Everyone looks towards these figures for leadership and in the Anglo-Saxon religion actually tends to put heroic figures on a high pedestal. Besides the king, heros are looked up to just as much. Beowulf is an Anglo-Saxon hero because he shows loyalty towards his king, selflessness and a sense of justice in everything he does.
Excellence has always been a virtue revered by society. Writers throughout the ages have tried to capture the essence of excellence in their works, often in the form of a title character, who is the embodiment of perfection, encapsulating all the ideal traits necessary for one to be considered an excellent member of society. However, the standards for excellence are not universally agreed upon. On the contrary, one man's idea of excellence may very well be another's idea of mediocrity. Yet, human nature is constant enough that by analyzing different literary "heroes", one can discover the standards of excellence that are common to different peoples.
The character of Beowulf was a perfect example of what a Saxon hero would have looked like. Beowulf was portrayed as a man who contained the strength of thirty men and was unmatched in the art of combat. "I have never seen a mightier warrior on earth than is one of you, a man in battle-dress" (Beowulf, 7). In the poem, Beowulf heard of a town that was being terrorized by a beast that no one could seem to stop. Beowulf, knowing his strength sets out to find this beast in order to attempt to kill it.
The Hero of the Anglo-Saxon Period In every culture, there are certain standards set forth for heroes. The epic poem Beowulf, renders a legendary hero.
The concept of a hero has changed throughout the years as social changes impact every new era. From various pieces of literature, art, and stories we can identify the qualities society most attributed with them. One of the earliest known pieces of Anglo-Saxon literature is Beowulf. Beowulf is an epic poem where the protagonist is forced to undergo various trials to protect his name, country, and neighbors. Transitioning into the Medieval era, the text, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, was the next major piece of literature to show what the standards of a hero was at that time.
The Anglo-Saxon Hero Today, the world defines a hero as someone who is kind, smart, and includes everyone. In the Anglo-Saxon era, Beowulf, a character from the epic, Beowulf, embodies many of the qualities that the Anglo-Saxons considered when defining a hero. Beowulf fights in his first battle of the epic against Grendel because he continually murdered sleeping men in Hrothgar’s beautiful hall, Herot. Once Grendel is defeated, his spiteful mother comes to seek revenge, so Beowulf battles and kills her as well.
A true hero have to be strong and courageous and still be humble. In literature, Beowulf can be a perfect example. Both, the novel and poem Beowulf actions tell us that he is willing to sacrifice all for the peace his people has been waiting and wanting. Beowulf actions are perfect examples of an Anglo-Saxon hero, he demonstrate us that his courage and strengths are set examples for many corrupt called “heroes” during his time of age. Grendel is a brutally cruel beast who lives on an open cave at the bottom of a boiling cave with his mother, he attacks the meadhall for food and an insatiable pleasure for
The Anglo-saxon period lasted for about 600 years from 410 AD to 1066 AD. The term Anglo-Saxon is used to describe the Germanic people who ruled territories that are commonly know as England and Wales today. The Anglo-Saxon people based eachother off of status. The most admired people were warriors and heroes of great status. The characteristics of a hero were are much different compared to the characteristics of a hero today. Back then to be a hero you must have had strength, courage, humility and thick skin. In Beowulf the main character has all these things. In the book Beowulf is first described as someone,” Who valuable gift-gems of the Geatmen carried As peace-offering thither, that he thirty men's grapple Has in his hand, the hero-in-battle”.
Originating in the Anglo-Saxon period, the epic poem Beowulf portrays a legendary hero. Beowulf established the earlier form of heroism, and was then later introduced in to the English culture. Praised and admired by many people, Beowulf possesses several distinct traits that allow him to be defined perfectly as an ideal Anglo-Saxon hero; his eagerness to seek glory and fame, rather than richness and treasures, his loyalty and graceful attitude not only to his rulers but also to his followers, and his contradictory beliefs of faith and fate
Arthur Ashe said, “True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.” People say to be a hero, a person has to have these five qualities: courage, selflessness, humility, patience, and be caring. While a hero needs to meet some of these requirements, they do not have to do something extravagant. They could be a normal person, such as a firefighter or policeman, saving a person's life. In the Anglo-Saxon era, people were illiterate. There would be bards that came around to entertain the people. They would recite these poems or songs about a hero, such as Beowulf, doing incredible things. The Anglo-Saxons thought that a hero was warrior,
Anglo-Saxons thought that heroes were to be bold, strong, fearless, loyal, and show an indifference to pain. The Anglo-Saxon considered Beowulf a hero. Heroes were to help other countries that were in need and go beyond the friendships to their lord if needed. The kings in this period were to be heroic as well. The people expected the king to not only be heroic, but also extraordinary and generous. The kings were known to be courageous and by showing this great courage, they succeeded in many wars they were involved in.