...story of Beowulf represents what qualities a hero should embrace. Many heroes are portrayed as men with god-like gifts, or born half god; Beowulf is simply born strong, courageous, brave, and selfless. He does what good he can do where he can. His mood and tone are always that of someone doing the good deed, for the sake of the deed itself. In the film Beowulf, filmed in 2007, the hero still retains some of his virtuous qualities but in a smaller form. Beowulf still comes to Hrothgar’s to repay his father's debt, however, in the film Beowulf gives lust, and is clearly attracted to Hrothgar’s Queen. In the book, Beowulf does not think twice about the queen. His virtues keep him from drifting off task, as he is simply there to kill the monster, which plagues the Danes. The film may not have meant to, but does portray Beowulf as prideful concerning his achievements. A portion in the story addresses Beowulf’s swimming race with Breca. In the film, Beowulf is matched in strength with Breca and claims he was saving his strength for the last loop. In the book, Beowulf makes note that he and Breca were tied, and neither could beat each other. Unferth challenges whether or not Beowulf can even beat Grendel, because of his loss of the swimming race. Beowulf’s response in the book shows his maturity and a level head. Though he is young he manages to answer very calmly, traditionally Beowulf would have had rights to challenge Unferth, despite having this opportunity Beowulf declines...
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...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...
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...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 after life 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 able to defeat each of his opponents and perform...
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...In the epic poem Beowulf, Beowulf himself, an Anglo-Viking, displays many heroic characteristics. Such characteristics include kinship, fate, and fame. Kinship is someone who is loyal and would never betray their men. Beowulf is just that, he was willing to fight to the death for his warriors, who were like family to him, always thinking positive, and never let them down. Kinship is shown in lines 41-44 when it says, “At daybreak, with the sun's light, the saw/ How well he had worked, and in that gray morning/ Broke their long feast with tears and...” This quote is explaining how the warriors are noticing how hard working Beowulf is and that he would do anything for them. Another characteristic portrayed by Beowulf is fate, ones predetermined...
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...supernatural beings. Comparing Beowulf to Percy Jackson based on their culture and heroic characteristics involving bravery, leadership, strength, personality traits, fighting style, and their motivation to fight. Focuses on the two different aspects of heroism as defined by Greek and Anglo Saxon culture. Beowulf and Percy Jackson share the heroic traits of leadership skills, superhuman strength and bravery. Beowulf is the leader of the Geats,...
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...unsuccessful downfall in his life. Beowulf was not able to put his internal struggles to an end. Instead, these struggles brought him to his inglorious end. Greed is one of the unpropitious qualities that Beowulf possessed and battled internally throughout the course of his life.Beowulf avarice for fame is the principal factor that drove him from Geatland to Daneland in a time when no one,not even the Danes’ great lord, was able to defeat a terrifying fiend named Grendel. When he met with Hrothgar, Beowulf even stated that his lord Higlac might think less of him if he was afraid to fight the monster and “hid behind some broad linden shield“.Beowulf’s greed for gaining glory instigated Beowulf to go on a second battle with Grendel’s mother.Hrothgar said that after Beowulf defeats Grendel’s mother, he will be rewarded with “heaped-up ancient treasure” for the battle he wins.Without giving a second thought, Beowulf agreed that he will fight .The same greed also provoked him to fight the horrendous dragon. He did not want to lose his fame and for this reason, he knew he had to go in a battle with the dragon in order to maintain his glory as a king. Pride was another detrimental quality Beowulf struggled with that predominated different periods in his life.Beowulf’s overconfidence was first evident in an event that Unferth,Hrothgar’s courtier, recalls. After Beowulf enters Herot Hall and flaunts about his great achievements, Unferth referred to Beowulf as “the same boastful fool...
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...Thesis x2?: The Beowulf poet aims to use the monsters as puppets in order to demonstrate the problematic pride of the Germanic society, thus making the good and bad more similar than initially believed. (Perhaps more like “than given by first impression”) Grendel is one of the representations of the problematic pride within the Anglo-Saxons’ heroic society. As known of the society, one’s glory arises from their accomplishments for their lord or king. The Germanic culture believed heavily on the sharing of prizes, thus making them (nonselfish) people. Their honor was seen to be eternal, considering how their names were known throughout history. In this sense, the natural (happening?) of these accomplishments is for the holder to go higher in...
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...number of comparable attributes as well as a number of notable differences. Beowulf is a pillar in old English literature. He can be compared to the hero Achilles from the Iliad based on warrior strength and compared to Aeneas he went on a journey. Although many years separated these heroes and their journeys, there proved to be a comparison between them all that shows how the earlier hero inspired the later. The glories of a hero is something that is shown when comparing Beowolf an Achilles. Beowulf’s society held fame and glory at a high standard. He knew he would receive praise from the kingdom he went to help, but this shows how he also cares about others. Achilles does not like the Greeks. He went to war for the fame and glory, more than the cause. Achilles was a little more vain than Beowulf, but both of them enjoyed the glories of fighting. Beowulf and Achilles both have enemies that they face off against. Beowulf has numerous epic battles with creatures. The story revolves around his epic battle with Grendel. He then goes on to fight with Grendel’s mother. The ending is rounded off with at battle of him and a dragon. Achilles has to fight with Hector and the Trojan army. It seems as if this is how Achilles saw himself on the battle ground with an army facing him. He faced many foes, but all of them lead up to his battle with Hector. Hector was one of the big fights that he faced. Beowulf and Achilles dispatched these foes with ease. This is a demonstration of how...
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...Beowulf and Grendel are alike and they are different in certain ways. Beowulf is the epic hero in this poem. He has characteristics such as bravery and strength. Grendel is the villain in this poem. Grendel is also fearless and wants to win the battle just like Beowulf. Beowulf is human and Grendel is supernatural. Beowulf wants fame and he’s a part of a social structure. Grendel on the other hand is not part of a social structure, he’s an outcast. Beowulf’s expectations was to get a victory so that he could have the fame. He was brave to battle with Grendel. Everybody saw Beowulf as courageous after he won the battle. Beowulf is also known for performing great deeds. After his victory, Beowulf became the king of the Geats. However, Beowulf showed fairness by not...
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...Beowulf and Achilles were very famous amongst their people, the fame of Achilles is originated from his mother dipping him into the River of Styx to make him immortal. However, she missed his heel and this ended up being a vulnerable weakness to him. His Heroism during the Trojan war with the Greeks also gained him plenty of fame. Beowulf is just as famous if not more famous in his world because of how safe he made his people feel. They always depended on him and he delivered when he defeated Grendel in his final battle. After he beat Grendel his fame grew because all the people around the world learned of Beowulf when they all came to see proof of the death of Grendel. Beowulf showed a lot of bravery when he stepped up to fight Grendel....
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...| The main character in the epic poem “Beowulf”, whose legendary and heroic actions are central to the Anglo-Saxon culture, is Beowulf. Beowulf is a hero who embodies the ideal characteristics in the Anglo-Saxon culture; these characteristics all come together to make up an epic tale. He possesses the virtues, traits and beliefs that were respected in the Anglo-Saxon culture. Beowulf displays these virtues in his own actions and words during different circumstances throughout the tale. Beowulf was "the strongest of the Geats" and also "greater and stronger than anyone anywhere in this world". Beowulf is shown to be the strongest among the strong. Physical strength was very much envied by the Anglo-Saxon culture. Beowulf could slay the greatest monster of all, Grendel. Beowulf killed Grendel; Grendel had never come to such a match among a stronger person "That shepherd of sins soon found that never before had he felt in any man other in all the earth a mightier hand-grip”(565-570). This shows the physical strength that Beowulf embodied. Beowulf was fearless of all opponents and fought to defend his fame and glory. Beowulf did not need to tell anyone that he was fearless; he showed them how fearless he was. Beowulf needed no sword or shield to protect him from Grendel when he killed Grendel with his own hands " And I give you pledge, She shall not in safety escape to cover, To earthy cavern, or forest fastness, Or gulf of ocean, go where she may. This day with patience endure...
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...In the Old English epic, Beowulf, the book’s namesake, (Beowulf), is seen maturing from a young hero, to a wise king, and it is through this progression and growth that the old English bards developed Beowulf’s ultimate goal of eternal glory. From impressively defeating Grendel and liberating the Danes, to the revenge killing of Grendel’s mom, and even later by saving his nation through self-sacrifice, Beowulf captures the heart of those of the Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian world to ultimately go down in history forever. Firstly; however, Beowulf had to start as the equivalent of a nobody to us, (the reader), and the world. All that is known is his quest to slay Grendel on accounts of its attacks on the Danish mead-hall, Heorot. “ ‘I come...
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...The Reasoning for Beowulf’s Killing (An Analysis of why Beowulf Killed The Three Monsters in The Story Beowulf) Beowulf is an epic poem of a man, who had the strength of 40 men, called Beowulf. He is a Norsemen which were scary, brutal killing men. The tale begins as an oral story, told around campfires and not being written down until several years later. These men live by a code called the Anglo-Saxon code. The code set guidelines on how the Norsemen are supposed to act and behave. This code gave an understanding of the power of a role model, which the men would look to, or in other words, the leader. Beowulf faces three monsters in the poem, and tries to defeat them all. In the epic poem, Beowulf, Beowulf has three motivations for killing the three monsters. In the story, Beowulf, Beowulf’s motivation to kill the first monster, Grendel, was because of duty. Beowulf travels from his country to Harot in order to fight Grendel because his people knew of his ability to fight, therefore, making it his duty to kill the monster. When Beowulf meets Hrothgar, the aging lord of the Dunes, and gives him information about where he comes from and his background. Obligation is another word associated with duty, which made Beowulf...
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...“..Beowulf, Higlac’s follower and the strongest of the Geats- greater and stronger than anyone anywhere in this world--” these are the words that describe Beowulf. The poem Beowulf is the earliest example of poetry in the English language. The story takes place in Scandinavia during the 5th century CE, about a brave Germanic Warrior named Beowulf who lived to fight for glory and honor. In fact, the poem is still around up-to-date, and indeed a movie was made as well. However, the movie Beowulf shows numerous amount of differences within the poem based on our society today. Although the poem and the movie Beowulf share some similarities, the different portrayals of Beowulf’s role as a hero, Beowulf’s last battle, and gender role divulge the values of society in which they are told. To begin with, the first example of similarities and difference in the poem and movie Beowulf is warrior’s role as a mighty and brave hero. In the poem Beowulf; Beowulf was notable for his heroic character, and described as the bravest and strongest of all the geats. When Hrothgar’s herot was attacked by the evil monster Grendel; Beowulf accepted the monster’s terms that...
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...41-01 Beowulf was a strong warrior hailing from the Scandinavian tribe called the Geats in Sweden, where he served under Lord Hygelac. During the 10th and 11th century, the relationship between Lord and warrior was more of a friendship rather than one doing the bidding of the other. The role of the warrior was to fight for the honor, and glory of his Lord. He would then bask in the glow of his achievements, and be rewarded for his valiant efforts. Beowulf was a great warrior known for defeating many monsters in Sweden, but when he heard that there was an undefeated monster terrorizing the Danish, he sailed there, eager to face his opponent. He arrived at Heorot, met with Lord Hrothgar, and told him he would defeat the monster, Grendel. His intent was to help the Dane’s, but mostly bring eternal glory to his Lord. All of Beowulf’s actions throughout the poem can be traced back to the traditional relationship between a Lord and his warrior subject. Before the battle with Grendel, Beowulf makes the decision to fight without using any weapons; a decision most warriors would consider to be foolish. “The monster scorns the use of weapons,” “hand to hand is how it will be (433-439). This statement by Beowulf reveals to us the reasoning behind his decision to “renounce” his weaponry, and fight “hand to hand” (436-438). Grendel is not armed with anything but his own strength; therefore Beowulf sees weapons as an advantage that would aid him in defeating his opponent. Beowulf doesn’t...
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