In the epic poem Beowulf, by Anglo-Saxon the protagonist, Beowulf, shows how to be a true hero. He wants to live a life of a king and it becomes a part of him. This epic poem is going to compare Beowulf and Martin Luther King Jr. and how they are alike as a modern day hero. It will explain how they are fighting for a good cause, how they are both honorable for what they do, and the respect they get for doing what they believe in. The first comparison is how they are both fighting for a good cause, and they are trying to help and protect people. In the epic poem, Beowulf is fighting to destroy the monster that is eating all of Hrothgar’s men in the mead hall. Beowulf defeats the monster and all the other monsters that were being evil and doing …show more content…
Beowulf becomes honorable when he says: “O shelterer warriors and people’s loved friend, that this one favor should not refuse me that I alone, and with the help of my men may purge all evil from this hall. I have too, that the monster scorn of men is so great that need no weapons and fear none” (258-263). Beowulf means that he going to fight the monster Grendel using only hands because it's not fair using weapons. Beowulf is trying to get all the fame and glory defeating the monster but anybody can kill using weapons, Beowulf uses his hands. This shows how honorable Beowulf is. Martin Luther King Jr is honorable because of his famous quote “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal”. King said. “I have a dream that my four little will one day live in a nation where they will not be judge by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today”. This is very honorable because it wasn't just for him, it was for the people of the world and for the next generation. Also because Martin Luther King Jr quote still stands to this day and we honor him for doing
Courage Isn’t Relative As said by Dr. Robert Anthony, “[c]ourage is simply the willingness to be afraid and act anyway” (Brainyquote.com). This quote means that having courage is the ability to face your fear. Two people who share this trait, one fictional and one real, are Wiglaf from the epic poem Beowulf and Martin Luther King Jr. The first, Wiglaf, is a warrior who helps his king defeat a dragon. Martin Luther King Jr. was a civil rights activist who helped improve the lives of many African Americans.
Martin Luther King Jr. and Beowulf: Leaders During Changing Times All societies have qualities they value. Some value qualities such as physical strength and a noble bloodline while others value qualities like bravery and honesty. We call the people who embody completely all the values of their society, heroes. The society of the Anglo-Saxon’s and 1960’s
Both Beowulf and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. embody the qualities of heroism through bravery and theology. Beowulf is often referred to as one of today’s bravest literary heroes. He exemplifies great bravery throughout his epic journey. Beowulf and his men set sail to Denmark
Beowulf & Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A basic definition, of a hero is a person that puts others’ lives and safety first. Therefore, he’s defined by his acts and traits not by his looks or social status. He is well respected not only by the ones that he saves, but also by his community as a whole. Heroes come from everywhere around the world, with different capabilities, backgrounds and beliefs. Yet, they have a lot in common, most importantly standing up for the ones that cannot stand for themselves.
Compare and Contrast: Heroism When people hear the word “hero,” Thor, X-Men, Captain America, Superman and several others may come to mind. Heroes do not have to own supernatural powers to be mighty but need to make an impact. Heroism is manifested in the actions of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Beowulf by staying true to their beliefs. Nothing was able to stop their way of life.
When describing Nelson Mandela, President Barack Obama said in one of his speeches, “I think he’s a hero for the world. And if and when he passes from this place, one thing I think we’ll all know is that his legacy is one that will linger on throughout the ages.” Mandela, at the time, was South Africa’s first elected president and a racial rights activist who was greatly admired. Obama’s description in his speech sounds almost exactly like that of Beowulf, a hero of the great epic of the same name. He was known for his legacies that had been heard across Scandinavia during the Anglo-Saxon period and around the world to this day, similarly to Mandela.
Christopher Reeve (AKA the 1978 superman) said that, “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles”. Both Beowulf and Modern day heroes are similar in that way in that they fight for the common good of people. That quote from Christopher Reeves on what a modern day hero is, also applies to the epic hero qualities that Beowulf has. Similarly Beowulf and a modern day hero defeat an evil so that good can prevail. Some examples are, Beowulf Slaying Grendel and Grendel's mother to save the land of the Danes, and soldiers fighting enemies that threaten the lives of a country, and police officers putting criminals behind bars.
The names of Nelson Mandela, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr. are known worldwide. They have lead many fighting what they believe in. One man many people think of when being a leader to fight for his beliefs of the people is Jesus Christ. Jesus is loved by many and hated by the powerful, just like these three other men, but their is one comparison that has been made to a certain protagonist of ancient times. In the epic poem ,Beowulf, the protagonist, Beowulf, is a leader who fights for the betterment of society while being the one that many look up to.
The speeches and boasts were the same, with Beowulf telling how great he is and King Hrothgar telling how hard, yet important, it is to be a warrior. Another similarity is the fight between Grendel and Beowulf. In the movie, Beowulf tore Grendel’s arm off, and fought him by hand, not by sword or shield—same goes for the book. In conclusion, both the poem had their similarities and differences.
Martin Luther King Jr. helped us realize that segregation and poverty are wrong. He also helped us realize that we should treat people the same. No matter race, color, or gender. He has impacted our everyday lives with the Civil Rights Act and his “I Have a Dream…” speech. He is an important man with an important history.
Medieval literature shows the change of heroes throughout centuries. For the English medieval times, two story’s heroes stand out: Le Morte d'Arthur’s Lancelot and Beowulf’s Beowulf. Lancelot, the patient, humble, and chivalrous knight, is contrasted by Beowulf, a boastful, proud, and rowdy viking. It clearly shows how stories have changed in their depiction of protagonists. Both Beowulf and Lancelot are great warriors and leaders but that is where their similarities end.
They both go through the “Hero’s Journey,” and display many characteristics of a hero. Beowulf, however, better fits the qualities of an epic hero due to his unselfish personality, his fearlessness, and his nobility. One reason Beowulf is the better epic hero is because his intentions and motives were selfless. He always fought to save the people, not for glory or treasures.
Beowulf and King Arthur are both portrayed as heroes and someone to look up to. Some similarities are both of them are very brave. They are also both very compelling leaders in their own respective ways. Even with their similarities they have differences in their heroic qualities such as Beowulf not really being a human in the sense that he can do superhuman things and King Arthur being a normal human being. It's also interesting to note that King Arthur was more of a hero for his character whereas Beowulf was more of a hero in the sense that he slays monsters and dragons.
Beowulf against Mandela A hero is someone who is admired for his or her actions. Actions such as valor and audacity to achieve the moments that define a hero. One such hero is Beowulf, the hero who had defeated plenty of foes in the epic Beowulf. Beowulf was the mighty hero who had slain the mighty Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon.
This third comparison will focus on the most famous passage of the poem, which is the culmination of a Hrothgar’s long speech to Beowulf. The main themes are the importance of strength and pride in life, the fragility of life and for the first time, Beowulf is seen here as a human warrior and not for his heroic and divine deeds (lines 1758-1768 in Heaney’s, 1476-1484 in Tolkien’s). 1. Hrothgar’s warning on the fragility of life: contextualization With this passage, the reader is in the middle of the poem: Beowulf has just defeated Grendel’s mother and has become what he always wanted to be, namely a Knight in shining armour.