Charles Churchill once said “All hunt for fame, but most mistake the way”, implying that while fame is an important goal for people, they may not always go about achieving it the right way (Charles Churchill Quotes). For people who preoccupy themselves with being famous, their intelligence is overridden by impulsiveness, as they begin to make careless decisions in order to appear impressive. In many cases, this leads to the death of the attention-seeker, because their hasty decisions put them in perilous situations. In the story Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney, Beowulf, the hero in the epic, is portrayed as a heroic figure, because he fights monsters and protects the town, but for the wrong reasons. Instead of defeating the monsters solely in order to protect the town and make sure that the members of the clan are safe, Beowulf fights so that people will remember him as a hero when he dies. Heroes in today’s society are people like firefighters, policemen, but they can also be everyday people, who happen to perform extraordinary actions. A contemporary hero is a person who …show more content…
Prior to his first encounter with Grendel, Beowulf blusters that he will defeat him on even terms, meaning that he will not use weaponry or armor for protection. In the book, Beowulf says “I hereby renounce sword and the shelter of the broad shield, the heavy war-board: hand-to-hand is how it will be, a life-and-death fight with the fiend” (436-440). This claim is not only laughable, but it also makes him look like a fool in front of his people. Heroes need to be rational, know their limits, and not make promises that a reasonable person would find outlandish. Heroes are admired for their courage, but also for their honesty. While Beowulf’s boasts might be thought of as him stating his qualifications as a hero back during the time that it was written, it is thought of as arrogant in today’s
Beowulf's pagan warrior culture perceives fame as a way of leaving an eternal memory of an individual's actions. It’s something that will continue one's memory even after death. Beowulf believes that it will be a way of praising him for his deeds. From his compassion to courage, and his bravery and honor, all of Beowulf’s actions come together to prove he is an epic
13.) In the beginning, Herot was being savagely attacked by Grendel and lives were being taken for twelve straight winters. He was “so set on murder that no crime could ever be enough, no savage assault quench his lust for evil” (lines 50-53). Finally, the brave warrior Beowulf arrives to Herot and murders the devious Grendel. Seeking revenge, Grendel’s mom slyly arrives at Herot and snatches only one victim.
Even if we take into the time period in which it was written, Beowulf is not the shining hero he
Beowulf possessed the poised demeanor necessary to defeat all evils by the arrogant swing of his sword. The commitment shown by lending his life to the welfare of his people was imperative in order to be called a flawless warrior. Beowulf embodied the determination that Anglo-Saxons saw as unmeasurably valuable. If nothing more than just fiction, Beowulf is the ideal hero of the people from who he originated. “They said that of all the kings upon the earth he was the man most gracious and fair-minded, kindest to his people and keenest to win fame.”
Beowulf cares greatly for his honor. When he is fighting Grendel, he decides to not use a weapon since Grendel has none. He doesn’t want anyone saying he won unfairly. When being spoken about his fighting it is said, “He, swiftly banished to mingle with monsters at mercy of foes…” (Part 2)
Everyone has a perspective on good and evil; the battle line between good and even runs through the heart. “Beowulf” illuminates characters that come from dark and deep backgrounds that construct their dauntless actions. In the heroic tale “Beowulf,” the author’s tones strongly demonstrates themes of loyalty, honor, and courage. Raffel’s tones remotely displays the act of loyalty within multiple characters. “Hail to these who will rise to God, drop off their dead bodies” (101).
Questions of Honor: Beowulf Beowulf’s honor and integrity can be questioned throughout the entirety of the epic poem, Beowulf. Whether or not his actions are inspired by his own pompous arrogance or confidence, one can argue that he is a hero nonetheless. Evidence and experience prove that Beowulf is more of a fearless hero than an excessively prideful man, and his hubris is more than justified due to the formidable duties he is able to execute. Throughout the poem, Beowulf expresses his intense strength and courage to the fearful people in the poem. His daring sense of self-assurance is backed by his victories against all three monsters, (even though he suffers a tragic death after facing the dragon, it is a defeat nonetheless).
Madisyn Ortolano Mr. Richards English IV January 31, 2023 Beowulf Paper Beowulf is an epic hero in many ways. He fights monsters and dragons, but he believes in a fair fight, he is a demi-god, he has to fight alone, he has a magical weapon, and he is introduced in the middle of turmoil. Beowulf possesses all the characteristics and more which makes him an epic hero. Now let's dive into reason one.
Beowulf declares that he “drove five great giants into chains, [and] chased all of that race from the Earth.” He is immensely overbearing at that point because he is too proud of his achievements. Being excessively prideful does not exactly label Beowulf as a hero. Beowulf assumes all of the courageous acts he fulfills will make him
Beowulf embodies many universal societal heroic values that are signified in the modern world like courage, bravery, and strength. In the poem, Beowulf displays courage. “Now, I mean to be a match for Grendel, settle the outcome in single combat” (Heaney 425-426). This quote shows courage because he’s telling them that he can fight Grendel and wants to weather he wins or loses.
He had no fear fighting off Grendel, but he did have fear fighting the dragon, but he was not going to give up. Beowulf was so loyal to the Geats he died after killing the dragon. The soldiers in the world are loyal to our country by protecting the citizens and obeying orders. Some soldiers die fighting, but most soldiers would be happy to die that way knowing that they fought for our
In the epic Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney, Beowulf is depicted as a heroic figure who fights monsters and defends the weak. During its time, Beowulf would be considered a great hero, however in today 's standards Beowulf would only be considered a great warrior. That’s because a hero should value the lives of the people and not seek to be rewarded. Instead, Beowulf committed heroic acts for his own selfish reasons and never shows to values the lives of the people. From fighting Grendel to slaying the dragon, Beowulf only fought because he value the fame and fortune that comes along with those accomplishments.
Beowulf says, "No Weapons, therefore,/ for either this night: unarmed he shall face me/ if face me he dares"(55. 683-685). This passage shows that Beowulf is fighting Grendel for the pride of killing the greatest monster, instead of fighting Grendel to save the Danes. If Beowulf's top priority is to save the people, he would have known that his best chance would be to wear armour and use weapons, but because he wants the pride and fame he goes into battle without armour or weapons. Beowulf was the best chance for the Danes to be safe again, and if Beowulf went in with no armour and no weapons, and died, then Grendel could continue killing men, women, and children every day until he finally dies.
Compare with his encounter with the dragon. Beowulf treated Grendel as an equal by facing him his bare strength alone. “The prince of the Geats was putting his trust in his great strength and in God's favor. Off came the hero's iron mailcoat and hard helmet; he handed over his trusty sword to an attendant thane and asked him to safekeep all that war-gear (X)”. Beowulf’s confidence comes from his belief that he not matters how monstrous Grendel was, he isn’t invincible.
Alexander Hamilton once said, “There is a certain Enthusiasm in liberty that makes Human nature rise above itself, in acts of bravery and heroism.” Beowulf is an epic poem in which the main character Beowulf did acts of service, but he fought for those who couldn’t fight. The overall theme of good versus evil in Beowulf had Beowulf dealing with challenges that no ordinary man would be able to handle unless they were a true epic hero. Throughout the poem Beowulf proves to be an epic hero by his strength, bravery, and sacrifice.