...Beowulf is introduced as a courageous and powerful warrior and hero. He is greatly admired and looked up to by many. This traditional story is about Beowulf coming to help Hrothgar king of the Danes to rid his kingdom of the wicked beast, Grendel. As the text says in lines 61-62, “Herot stood empty, and stayed deserted for years, twelve winters of grief for Hrothgar”, that is until Beowulf came. He defeated Grendel but shortly after had to kill Grendel’s mother as well, for she was killing to avenge her lost son. Then many years pass and Beowulf is back in his homeland and has now been crowned the king. King Beowulf’s kingdom is peaceful until a dragon awakes and terrorizes his kingdom and Beowulf must battle one more time. Unfortunately, Beowulf...
Words: 500 - Pages: 2
...-Anonymous The epic story of Beowulf, a fierce soldier in the Anglo-Saxon society, is filled with adventures and depictions of what a true hero looks like. Beowulf exhibits countless examples of characteristics of a hero including, but not limited to, courage, loyalty, and strength. Beowulf illustrates courage in several different parts of the story. Courage is portrayed when Beowulf arrives to fight Grendel in the beginning all the way to the end of the poem when Beowulf fights his final battle with the dragon. Beowulf would have never agreed to try and save the Danes and Geats from these vicious monsters if he lacked courage. Beowulf shows a lot of courage throughout different parts of the poem, especially when he states, “...my hands / Alone shall fight for me, struggle for life / Against the monster” (Beowulf 172-174). Perhaps a king or another soldier would have tried...
Words: 535 - Pages: 3
...Beowulf’s final act of courage is when he faces the dragon that wages war on the Geat nation he rules. After fifty years into Beowulf’s reign a dragon is awoken by an intruder who steals a gem goblet while the dragon was asleep in his cave. The furious dragon “sourch[es] the ground…hunt[ing] for the trespasser” (2295-2296) creating a path of destruction burning the Geat nation and delivering “brutal assaults” (2318) from “virulent hate”(2319). Beowulf learns of this dangerous threat that has took monstrous amounts of innocent fatalities. Beowulf bravely admits “he was destined to face the end of his days in this mortal world; as was the dragon” (2342-2343). Beowulf wishes to fight the dragon as he did in his younger years against Grendel hand-to-hand....
Words: 391 - Pages: 2
...Honors English IV 23 August 2010 Beowulf Beowulf is the universal story of life’s journey from adolescence to adulthood and to old age. The hero grows in wisdom about himself and about the world through the pain and triumph of personal experience. Throughout the story, Beowulf is portrayed as the hero of Hrothgar’s people for saving them from Grendel, the monster. Beowulf changes as he advances from adolescence to adulthood to old age; he matures through heroism and courage. As Beowulf becomes older, you can see the maturity that grows inside of him through his acts of heroism. Grendel is the monster that went to Herot (mead hall) and slaughtered many of Hrothgar’s men while they were sleeping by smashing their bodies and devouring them for dinner. Beowulf, who is a follower of Higlac and is the strongest of the Geats, heard about Grendel and decided to take action himself, so he rounded up a few men and “ended the grief, sorrow, [and] suffering forced on Hrothgar’s helpless people” (Raffel, page 55). Beowulf showed heroism as he crossed the sea that led him to Herot to go save these people of Hrothgar, from this savage. He was portrayed as a hero in their eyes because he ended this tragedy with such strength and courage. As Beowulf pretended to sleep, Grendel “clutched at [him] with his claws, and was instantly seized himself, claws bent back as Beowulf leaned up on one arm” and Grendel was sure that he had never met a man so strong that his mind quickly filled with fear...
Words: 919 - Pages: 4
...heroes. Despite being in a different era I found Beowulf captivating and while watching The Hobbit:An Unexpected Journey, I was able to devise common traits all heroes share such as :courage , selflessness, and perseverance. In Beowulf it was refreshing to see a hero who has been dubbed “the strongest man alive” come to terms with the fact that he is not, and...
Words: 963 - Pages: 4
...In the story Beowulf he shows many different things but the things I thought stuck out that he showed were Courage, Strength, and Heroic Deeds/Heroism. Beowulf fought 3 different battles and was very successful in most of them. Beowulf showed Courage because he believed he could battle and save all of these people. He gave other people courage that believed in him and he wanted to prove that he could do it. Beowulf came here to do something and he wasn’t leaving until he was finish with it. Beowulf had enough courage he needed, he never backed down and he always got back up on his feet. He had the courage to go fight huge monsters and couldn’t let being afraid get in his way with any of the battles. Another theme Beowulf showed was strength. Beowulf proved that just because he was smaller and not a monster he could do just as much as them if not more. He killed with just his bare hands which showed so much strength and gave everyone else strength because if he can do it they can at least try. Beowulf had strength when he went to every battle, he had the strength that when he went to every battle he was going to succeed and he didn’t let anything get in the way. The last thing that I thought was a good theme was Heroic Deeds/Heroism. Beowulf went in there to do a job and save lives and he did. Beowulf is a hero to so many people because of his actions and what he has done. Beowulf killed the bad people that they couldn’t kill their selves. Beowulf was just a small...
Words: 345 - Pages: 2
...Beowulf Essay To be a hero in Anglo-Saxon literature and culture one must be a warrior. In the Anglo- Saxon culture a hero had to be intelligent, valorous, prideful and most importantly strong. Fighting for glory and fighting for his people until death was the duty of a hero. The hero had to be willing to face these odds and Beowulf portrayed this. Beowulf is the perfect example of an epic hero because of his prideful actions and willingness to take on fighting the strongest monster and the other hard deeds. "The seafarers used to say, I remember, who took our gifts to the great people in token of friendship-that is fighting man in his hands grasp had the strength of thirty other men. I am thinking that the Holy God, as a grace to us Danes in the West, has directed him here against Grendel’s oppression. Thus good man shall be offered treasures in return for his courage. " (Line 377) Strength is essential to be being an Anglo-Saxon hero. In these lines we can see Beowulf has massive strength if he has strength of thirty men in his arms. "I have not in my life set eyes on a man with more might in his frame than this helmed lord. He's no hall fellow dressed in fine armor, or his face belies him; he has a head of a hero." ( Lines 247) It is clear that physical appearance is essential to being a hero because it is important that you look the part. Even if Beowulf was not the greatest warrior it is always best to act and look the part so he could give the people hope. But...
Words: 820 - Pages: 4
...Anglo- Saxon hero, Beowulf, most perfectly fits into this category and truly defines what it means. At all times, Beowulf is never afraid to put his life on the line for the sake and protection of his people, which helped him gain approval from the people of his area. Throughout the course of the adventure and journey, Beowulf exemplifies what it means to be an epic hero showing loyalty, courage, intelligence, and selflessness in his efforts to save his people and achieve immortality. Beowulf proves that he is a great Anglo-Saxon epic hero through his loyalty. Loyalty was held paramount by...
Words: 1236 - Pages: 5
...values defined in ‘Beowulf’ and ‘Sir Gawain and the Green Knight’ ” The cultural values depicted in “Beowulf” and “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” are those of courage, honor, strength and humility among many others. Now, while exploring the ethos of the cultures in these pieces of literature the reader can deduce that each value means something different. What defines courage (and other values) in “Beowulf” differs from the definition of courage in “Sir Gawain” in many ways including the struggles Beowulf himself faced with Grendel, in “Sir Gawain” with the encounter with the lord’s wife, among other events in both poems. To begin with, in “Beowulf” these values are defined through the heroic code, which was held in the Anglo-Saxon culture in which this poem takes place. Beowulf himself is the definition of a “hero”, exemplifying values such as courage and strength. For example, one challenge that Beowulf held was the battle with Grendel. He shows exceptional strength when he is able to rip of Grendel’s arm which we see in the text itself, "The monster's whole body was in pain; a tremendous wound appeared on his shoulder. Sinews split and the bone-lapping’s burst. Beowulf was granted the glory of winning". The ability to cause so much physical pain to a giant monster shows just how powerful and strong Beowulf is. Strength here is sort of defined as physical power and ability rather than spiritual strength and what not. Courage, for example in Beowulf is also defined in...
Words: 1048 - Pages: 5
...passengers were rescued from the cold waters of the river. His demonstration of courage displays his wise decision to crash-land the plane in the freezing water rather than attempting a landing at the airport or on land. With only a few seconds to react to the situation, weighing all the possibilities what would be the safest method for all passengers aboard the plane. His ultimate character of courage is portrayed when he wades through the rising water in the plane, risking his life, to double check all passengers have evacuated the plane before he officially leaves the plane to sink below into the river which shows a man of courage and leadership. In Seamus Heaney’s Beowulf, Beowulf embodies the ideal Anglo-Saxon hero. Beowulf displays heroic characteristics of strength and audacity during combat with the vicious monsters. Through actions, Beowulf displays power and boldness during his battles with the vicious monsters. Young and tough, Beowulf hears of an inexorable creature that goes by the name of Grendel. (ABP) Grendel terrorizes the Danes, a small village, by inflicting constant cruelties on the villagers in the night. His desire to help these vulnerable villagers, Beowulf courageously sails to foreign lands to collaborate with the Danes to obliterate Grendel. On Beowulf’s first night staying with the Danes, Grendel who ventures into Beowulf’s chamber with a talon “raised to attack Beowulf where he lay on the bed, but the captain of evil discovers him in a handgrip harder...
Words: 927 - Pages: 4
...that come to mind when thinking of a hero include: superhuman abilities, courage, and selflessness. In the epic poem Beowulf, Beowulf displays all of these heroic traits. While some could argue that Beowulf is not a hero due to his desire for glory, his heroic qualities outweigh this one fault. Overall, Beowulf’s effectiveness as a hero can be seen through his courage and selflessness to take on extraordinary monsters and his superhuman ability to take on these creatures. The story begins by introducing a community and a monstrous creature that plagues the citizens. The creature, Grendel, is exceptionally power as he is able to kill thirty warriors with little effort: “He slipped through the door and there in the silence snatched up thirty men, smashed them unknowing in their beds and ran out with their bodies” (4). This would surely scare most men but not Beowulf. Beowulf welcomes the challenge and prepares to fight him as soon as he hears about the creature: “In his far-off home Beowulf, … heard how Grendel filled nights with horror and quickly commanded a boat fitted out” (6). Beowulf’s readiness to fight Grendel exemplifies his courage and selflessness. The fact that Beowulf lives in a far-off land further...
Words: 650 - Pages: 3
...are loyal to an individual or a cause. The epic poem Beowulf, written by Burton Raffel, depicts the life of Beowulf, the most heroic person during Anglo-Saxon times. Beowulf is fearful of no monster and seems to conquer every obstacle as if he were immortal. He possess many of the characteristics that make up an epic hero including: courage,physical strength, loyalty,confidence, and wisdom. During Anglo-Saxon times, tales were often told about epic heroes who put their own lives in danger for the greater good. These stories about fearless and honorable warriors provided the common people with a sense of security and provided lessons to young men that they should display honor in every act. Beowulf willingly put himself in danger when he accepted the challenge of fighting the monster, Grendel. He did this only to help the Geats and out of loyalty to the Danes. His actions defined his life and are recounted throughout the epic poem. Beowulf was never afraid of death. Before every battle he would explain his death wishes and request that his assets be delivered to his people. "And if death does take me, send the hammered mail of my armor to Hilgar" (Beowulf 18). Beowulf boasts about his courage and how he never backs down from a battle and fears nothing. No monster is too evil or has more strength. Beowulf exhibits his courage by protecting the kingdom and going up against Grendel. During his battle with Grendel, Beowulf shows his super human abilities by deciding to kill Grendel...
Words: 738 - Pages: 3
...must go willingly out of their comfort zone to defend others and show great courage in all circumstances. A hero is a leader, a strong independent being who is not afraid to stand on their own. In the epics, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Beowulf, the heroes are Sir Gawain and Beowulf. Sir Gawain and Beowulf show these qualities in many ways, even though there are some ways in which they differ, when talking about heroic acts they are very similar. Beowulf and Sir Gawain are strong warriors. In Beowulf, Beowulf was known for fighting monsters and anything that would try to harm his people. He shows his strength and courage when Beowulf went to fight Grendel. For example, “Fastened those claws in his...
Words: 588 - Pages: 3
...has for what he believes to be right and honorable. Epic heroes are, above all, defined by their action and valor. The anonymous Anglo-Saxon poem “Beowulf” chronicles the legendary tale of an epic hero and his brushes with monsters and demons. Facing foes that are beyond mere human strength, and beyond the power of the Danish warriors, Beowulf uses his extraordinary might to conquer the beasts. Beowulf displays the attributes of an epic hero through his displays of intense courage, strength, and generosity. Courage is the foundation of the warrior culture that Beowulf is a part of. It is necessary for Beowulf to be indifferent to death and meet every challenge with a courage and fearlessness that surmounts any warrior before him. “So warriors earn/ Their fame, and wealth is shaped with a sword” (24-25). Anglo-Saxons awarded and highly valued courage in their warriors. Through courageous deeds, warriors could achieve greatness in society. Beowulf’s ultimate goal is to win glory and immortality in each battle. “And for the first time in his life that famous prince/ Fought with fate against him, with glory/ Denied him. He knew it” (2572-73). Even though Beowulf perishes, he reaches the ultimate level of courage by facing death and battling the dragon. Strength is a constant obsession in the world of Anglo- Saxon warriors. Beowulf is always willing to go to extreme lengths to prove his physical prowess: [Grendel] needs no weapons and fears none. Nor will I… My hands Alone...
Words: 760 - Pages: 4
...Dominic Bowen Beowulf Archetype Hero essay Within the tale of “Beowulf” four character traits can be found which define the Anglo Saxon Hero. The first is loyalty, as demonstrated by the relationship between Lord and thane. According to page 23 of the “Beowulf” introduction, “a relationship based less on subordination of one man’s will to another than on mutual trust and respect.” The second and third characteristics are strength and courage. The importance of these specific traits to the Anglo-Saxon people is clearly presented during the reciting of Sigemund’s tale within Heorot. As the song states, “He was adventurer most famous, far and wide through the nations, for deed of courage – he had prospered from that before, the protector of warriors – after the war-making of Heremod had come to an end, his strength and his courage” (38). The final piece which comprises the Anglo-Saxon hero is the notion of fame. The only afterlife a warrior could ever aspire to have was immortality through fame. One again this is explained by the introduction to the story, “Beowulf’s chief reward is pagan immortality the memory in the minds of later generations of a hero’s heroic actions” (24-25). By understanding what defines a hero it is a simple matter to comprehend why Beowulf is considered by some to be the greatest of all. He posses unfaltering loyalty to his king and allies, and save for his final battle his thanes show the same devotion to him. His strength is unparalleled, as he is...
Words: 1265 - Pages: 6
