Joshua Gebresellassie Ms. Mendez English IV 9 October 2017 Beowulf Have you ever thought of being so strong that you have the ability to fight with a dragon and kill it? Beowulf, an epic written in England by an anonymous writer that tells how this powerful and fearless human being that fights monsters and dinosaurs with his bare hands and sometimes with weapons. An Epic is a long narrative poem, sometimes developed orally, that celebrates heroic deeds and legendary events (Wiggins 39). This epic generally describes about how Beowulf was a great leader, powerful man with a fearless heart killing monsters and weird creatures. Defeats monsters and fight gods or very bad guys. Beowulf exemplifies the traits of the perfect strong hero. He …show more content…
Beowulf has obviously a super – human strength his love for the people, his fearless heart that makes him fight with weird creatures and monsters, and his strong moral characteristics. This reflects or shows that Beowulf has “larger than life” qualities. He can do very amazing skills that is way more different and unique than what people do most often in their daily life. Like who would fight with a monster just for a King or kill a monsters mother who was mad and wanted revenge on Beowulf because he killed her son. He also looked for her everywhere he thought she would be. His fearless heart didn’t stop him from diving into the lake of monster’s to go in a battle with her, Grendels mom. The Bible describes Jesus as a good leader because he wants to risk his life for the greater good of his people and his kingdom. The same thing is with Beowulf, he is natural leader of others because he risks anything for the benefit of his people or kingdom. Even though his fighting skills and strength are indescribably strong he gave his life fighting a dinosaur, which way bigger than what he was. He put his life on risk when he was fighting with the Dragon so that his people can live in peace and free from horror. Beowulf a great leader who sacrifices his life for others later dies by an evil monster to keep his kingdom from fear and chaos. Just defeating and killing the monster was not Beowulf’s only
The first trait Beowulf shows off is his bravery. He shows his bravery by traveling across the ocean to ask the Danes if he and his men can go out and defeat the terrorizing monster Grendal. In the poem Beowulf goes to the King of the Danes and says “… Grendal and I are called/ Together, and I’ve come. Grant me, then,/ Lord and protector of this noble place,/ A single request! … That I, alone and with the help of my men,/ May purge all evil
Beowulf’s strength is exemplified many times in the story. Beowulf was said to have “the strength of thirty men in his mighty handgrip.” He fought in numerous battles and returned victorious from all but his last. In his argument with Unferth, Beowulf explains the reason he lost a swimming match with his opponent Brecca. Not only had Beowulf been swimming for seven nights, he had also stopped to kill nine sea creatures in the depths of the ocean. Beowulf is also strong enough to kill the monster Grendel with his bare hands by ripping off his arm. When Beowulf is fighting Grendel’s mother, he is able to slay her by slashing the monster’s neck with a giant sword that can only be lifted by a person as strong as Beowulf. When he chops off her head, he carries it from the ocean with no difficulty, but it takes four men to lift and carry it back to Heorot. This strength is a key trait of Beowulf’s heroism.
Beowulf is a wonderful hero that didn’t deserve to die the way he did. But, he died an honorable death to which many people will remember. Being the strongest man on Earth wasn’t what made Beowulf a hero, it was the ways in which he used his powers. He used his gifts for the greater good and to help humanity from the evil fiends in it. All of these qualities combined to create one on the greatest heroes there ever was-- fictional or
Starting as a warrior and later becoming the king, Beowulf left behind a legacy. Beowulf portrays many traits of a hero. According to the Beowulf History Channel documentary, implies that he was a “superhuman” (History Doc.). Beowulf was known as “the strongest of the Geats” (Beowulf 195). According to the epic Beowulf, Beowulf was “stronger than anyone anywhere”(194). He was like no other anywhere else. Beowulf was not scared of battle, and felt like the best way to die was in battle.Beowulf was fearless. He voluntarily put himself in danger in order to protect his people and friends. Beowulf sailed across the sea to Denmark “in friendship” to
Every epic hero possesses certain heroic characteristics. Beowulf, like other epic heroes, possesses the following heroic qualities: epic heroes are superhuman types of beings. They have a noble birth and show great bravery. They display great intelligence and resourcefulness. They have a reverence for G-d and for the values of their society. They are dominant male figures and suffer severe pain, but in the end, they conquer evil (Vivone 9/27/99). In addition to Beowulf’s heroic qualities, he is very strong. Beowulf was said to have “the strength of thirty [men] in his mighty handgrip” (Bloom 11). Early proof of Beowulf’s extraordinary strength is evidenced by his dismemberment of Grendel’s limb, the fight in the cave under water, and the
Beowulf exhibits many obvious heroic qualities, such as his strength and confidence in battle. These along with more subtle diplomatic actions serve to define him as both a great warrior and leader.
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
Throughout his battles with Grendel and his mother, Beowulf shows that beyond a doubt he is the strongest warrior in the land, yet he displays serious flaws in his character that could have cost him that title. Beowulf is very strategic; the weapons he uses, the location in which he battles even the monsters he chooses to battle are all chosen to prove himself to be the best. In his first battle with the monster Grendel, Beowulf easily and confidently defeats his enemy, yet in this battle with the monster’s mother, he faces his flaws dead on. Beowulf always emerges as the hero, at least on the outside.
Beowulf if extremely brave, even for a warrior of his time. He is personally willing to protect a foreign city from a man-killing monster that no one else would dare go up against. The fact that makes even more of a hero is how he does not receive anything but honor and glory for killing the beasts he is faced with. Most warriors of the time would have requested a monetary reward for such a feat. However,
Beowulf was considered an warrior with extraordinary strength, he was sent to do many treacherous tasks for his kingdom. He was indeed a true hero, countless people would not even think to do some of the things he has done. It was all for the love and respect of his people, often times most of his duties were to fend off evil monsters and dragons.
Even though Beowulf seems to be the perfect hero, he does have his flaws. Beowulf’s impulsive and rash decision making is something that puts him in danger, and eventually brings him to his end. Beowulf is a courageous person who has the best qualities to be a top notch hero. He has no fear in anything, which is shown when he learns about Grendel
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.
Some of his most heroic qualities were strength, being a great warrior, and his righteousness. Beowulf is very strong. He is as strong as 30 people. He said that he was going to fight Grendel on his own, all by himself. He quotes, “In wanton mood all weapons despises,” (Beowulf line 27).
To begin with, the attributes that make Beowulf a classic hero in that he is a great warrior, courageous, strong, brave, loyal and proud. Beowulf made a claim about if you have not decided what your fate is going to be then you can succeed with sheer nerve and courageous behavior. Which is stated as "Often, for undaunted courage, fate spares the man it has not already marked." (572-573). Another significant courageous act that Beowulf did was his battle with the dragon. Stated as “And now the youth was to enter the line of battle with his lord, his first time to be tested as a fighter. His spirit did not break and the ancestral blade would keep its edge, as the dragon discovered as soon as they came together in the combat.” (2625-2630).
Just like with his bravery, Beowulf displayed his immense strength throughout the poem. Were it not for his strength he most likely would not have been able to survive many of his encounters with his enemies. “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. Every bone in his body