The Characteristics Of Beowulf As An Epic Hero

Every epic hero acquires certain heroic characteristics. The poem, “Beowulf, is about the most heroic man of the Anglo-Saxon period. Beowulf is a warrior from Geatland that comes to help Hrothgar, the king of Danes, defeat the monster Grendel who has been killing men in their kingdom. Beowulf defeats the unstoppable beast, Grendel. Then Grendel’s mother comes to try to avenge Grendel’s death, and Beowulf slaughters her in her underwater lair. After 50 peaceful years of ruling the Geats, Beowulf in his old age fights his last battle with a dragon. He defeats the dragon, with help from Wiglaf, but dies as a result. The main character, Beowulf exemplifies many characteristics that an epic hero possesses. Beowulf’s characteristics include

Beowulf, written between the 8th and 10th centuries, is an epic poem set in southern Sweden. The poem illustrates the Anglo-Saxon’s strong belief in the heroic code. The loyalty between the warrior and his king bound the culture together. The warrior was the ultimate hero who represented strength and courage. Beowulf, the hero in the poem, illustrates the Germanic principles of the heroic code. Through the battles and character interactions, Beowulf converges loyalty, strength, courage and forgiveness into the hero archetype.

There have been many grand stories about great warriors, and champions; those about epic heroes however, are the truly exceptional tales. One such tale, over a thousand years old, stands out from all the rest: Beowulf, the tale of a great warrior, on his quest to achieve eternal glory, defeating great opponents. Throughout the whole story, Beowulf demonstrates most –if not all- of the qualities that an archetypal hero possesses. He embodies the highest ideals of his culture, travels to find adventure, and is not emotionally connected to his followers. Beowulf undertakes his journey to achieve something of great value to himself and society, defeats monsters, yet maintains humanity. Although Beowulf experiences

_Beowulf_ is an epic poem that, above all, gives us a vision of a time long ago; a time when the most important traits to have were courage and integrity. The only thing that could give such fame to somebody was heroic deeds and family lineage. Beowulf, as the example of pagan heroes, exhibited his desire to accumulate fame and fortune; the only way to do so was to avenge the death of others. This theme of retribution that is present throughout the whole poem seems to enrich the identities of its characters.

Beowulf ‘s confidence in his abilities and courage to carry out his mission exhibits how he could be considered an epic hero. When he first hears of the Danes’ plight with the monster Grendel, Beowulf wastes no time in “his plan to sail the swan’s road and seek out that king” who desperately needs assistance in his troubles (Heaney 201-202). He eagerly accepts his call to action, wasting no time in ensuring King Hrothgar of his “awesome strength” and exhibiting an unwavering self-assurance as he recalls how he “battled and bound five beasts” (Heaney 418-420). In these first encounters with the hero, it is evident that Beowulf’s defining characteristics include his courage and pride. There is no fear or reluctance in his attempt for glory,

The epic poem Beowulf contains contradictions about the heroic character of the protagonist Beowulf. Two certain passages in Beowulf, one at the beginning of the text and one near the end, offer evidence of inconsistencies within Beowulf 's character. We must ask one question of the poem 's protagonist: Is he really the hero he claims to be? Certain aspects of Beowulf 's integrity, mainly his lies about people 's perceptions of him, contradict the conventional classification of a hero.

As Beowulf lies at rest, the question must be asked. Was he a true hero? Wanting only to help the towns people and keep them safe? Or just a mighty man wanting to be king, loathed in fame and riches? That is something that may always stay

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” is a medieval heroic epic. The poem originated on the basis of ancient traditions related to pagan times. The poem represent an early example of precisely moral heroism, but not the one that is caused by the desire for fame and power. The main character of the poem, Beowulf, is capable of sacrificing himself and courage in the name of justice. He is a true hero by honoring his country and exerting his power and strength to protect others. His courage is shown by not hesitating to risk his own life to pursue the Dane’s enemies. By being self-assured, Beowulf is able to successfully defeat the fiends, Grendel and his infamous mother. At the time Beowulf is planning to pursue the vindictive dragon, the epic poem states, “I’ve never known fear, as a youth I fought in endless battles. I am old now, but I will fight again, seek fame still, If the dragon hiding in his tower dares to face me.” (ll. 2511-2515). He feels no fear, is confident in fighting the dragon alone, and has no qualms in risking his life to save others. He declares his bravery by saying, “When he comes to me I mean to stand, not run from his shooting flames, stand till fate decides which of us wins... No one else could do what I mean to, here, no man but me could hope to defeat this monster.” (ll. 2525-2534) In his actions, Beowulf’s bravery is clearly shown throughout the poem. As king, Beowulf is the

Beowulf is a story that has been told over thousands of years. Beowulf is the story of one of the greatest warriors known to man. Even the man who claims to be the best of them all has a weakness and has faced temptations. Beowulf's inability to control his lust for women, power, and pride is what continues the deconstruction of the kingdom. The curse continues to rampage through the village of the Danes due to man’s weakness.

Beowulf is a classic story of a hero. His immense strength allows him to complete impossible deeds, and his honorable personality and strong moral compass means he is focused on helping people, not on winning glory. Beowulf’s strength as a hero beyond physical strength is exemplified by his extreme stubbornness and persistence when faced with a difficult challenge. His battles follow the arc of his character development, from a minor hero to a powerful and loved king with his conquests being so important in the warrior-culture which he lived in.

In great literature, many heroes accept a challenge and set off on the hero’s journey. In the novel Beowulf, the hero Beowulf faces a tough road of trials. Throughout his journey he accepts each challenge head on and displays many characteristics that defend his title as a hero. He is a great leader, he is brave, and he is selfless and sacrifices himself in an attempt to protect his people.

In conclusion, Beowulf is an epic poem that portrays many characteristics of what an ideal hero of this time would be, the flaws that can come with that burden, and the lasting impressions an ideal hero should have on the people affected by it. Beowulf had confidence he his abilities which led to his reputation being known and well liked. The way he handled the battles and the faith that comes with it, allowed him to be seen as an ideal hero in many peoples’ eyes. As with most heroes though, things become more demanding and they tend to slip in the ways they believe

Beowulf is an interesting text. The author is unknown. A little about the text is that it is the longest surviving, old English poem that is cited as one of the most important works from the old English literature. We don’t even know the full title. We know very little about how this poem came to be but we know that some of the things we take out of it can still be seen today. It was a poem based off of the Anglo Saxons and how they saw their people and how they would risk everything to save their country. The main guy in this play is called Beowulf and he starts big things in this poem like getting individual recognition. There are 3 things that motivate Beowulf’s actions.

Beowulf is unlike other heroes. He seems to be the hero who is misplaced and causes some tension in the heroic code, because of his impurities. Although he is disadvantaged, instead of sulking, Beowulf amasses his weaknesses and is a better person because of them: “Beowulf was the rare kind of person who makes strength out of his own weaknesses. His eyes being poor, he determined to see not just as well as other people, but better than most...Beowulf had made the best of all he had, putting each imperfection to work in the service of his integrity”(20). As a child, he was often found playing with the bees--his name is translated to mean “bee hunter”-- and when you play with fire, you're bound to get burned. Beowulf was injured drastically by the bees and as a result, his vision was impaired. Beowulf, is determined not to look, but to really truly see. Beowulf does not automatically judge someone based on their past,