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Essay On Beowulf Is An Epic Hero

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Everyone need someone to look up to. Someone who motivates them and makes them feel safe and be their hero. The same was true for 6th Century Scandinavians. They were bellicose people because they were in constant fear of the unknown dangers that approach them, and they needed a epic hero to save them. An epic hero is a person who in a story who comes in and saves the day. An example of an epic hero is the character Beowulf in the epic “Beowulf”, translated by Burton Raffel. At this time, the Anglo-Saxons were scared of the unknowe disasters and evil in their life. The were afraid of invasions, natural disasters, monsters, and the unknown. Beowulf was created a an epic hero to help them cope with theses fears. There are several characteristics that an epic hero bears: superhuman qualities along with being larger than life, being noble and reflecting his culture,going on a quest coupled with them having courage, skill, …show more content…

Whiles Epic heroes are strong skillful people, they still get themselves in situations that could end them. This is where God or the gods intervene to help the hero accomplish his quest. While Beowulf was fighting Grendel’s mother, and close to defeat, “he saw, hanging on the wall, a heavy/ sword”(lines 530-531). At the moment Beowulf begins to become phlegmatic and he needs to get through. God/the gods have given him the sword he need to be triumphant. Not only do they need help from God/gods, they need magical help to conclude their quest. Beowulf has a magical chest armor that during the battle of Grendel’s mother that “sea beasts who beat at/ his mail shirt, stabbing with tusks and teeth” and she could not puncture it (lines 483-484). Beowulf’s armor is made by an invisible blacksmith and has magical qualities that help him in his quest including the battle of Grendel’s mother. Even the most powerful people need help from time to

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