Arrogance In Beowulf

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.

The epic poem “Beowulf”, translated by Burton Raffel, focuses on a hero by the name of Beowulf who goes on a quest to rescue King Hrothgar and his people from an egregious monster by the name of Grendel. This Anglo-Saxon tale gives insight into the values and beliefs of the people from whom the story originated. Their war-centered ideology and views on loyalty and courage were the principles that the Anglo-Saxon culture was founded upon. While warfare was a focal point in their lifestyle, it was far from a savage, barbaric state of fighting. Honor and prestige were bestowed upon those who died during battle and selflessness for fellow warriors was a fundamental belief. Boasting and self-possession were another common custom of the Anglo-Saxons. (“Anglo-Saxon Warfare Group”). Beowulf represents a quintessential Anglo-Saxon hero through his confident poise, his willingness for self-sacrifice, and his tenacity through near-impossible odds.

In the epic poem “Beowulf” the character Beowulf is the foundation for all of our modern heroes, but was he really a great hero? A hero is classified as a person who is admired for their bravery, achievements, or nobility. Although Beowulf displays all these qualities, there are several reasons he is not a hero, mainly him being egotistical and arrogant. This is why Beowulf is not a heroic person.

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.

Seamus Heaney’s Beowulf is an old epic poem in which the protagonist Beowulf, a hero of the Geats come to the aid of Hrothgar, king of Danes, whose great hall, Heorot is plagued by the monster name Grendel. Beowulf kills Grendel with his bare hands and Grendel’s mom with a giant sword and later becomes the king of Geats. Then after a period of fifty years, he defeats the dragon but is mortally wounded in the battle and dies. After his death, his attendants burn his body him in the huge funeral pyre and then bury him. Hero is the person who is admired and idealized for his courage, outstanding achievements, noble qualities, and is good in the opinion of others. Anglo-Saxon people find great honor in warfare and warfare is their primary motivation

Beowulf, a new translated verse by Seamus Heaney, a story about a hero who defeats monsters for his people. A hero has courage when he can fight for others, speak his mind, and conquer any obstacles. This paper is about how Beowulf has courage and uses it to protect others against the dangerous monsters in there kingdom. Beowulf wasn’t one of those people who sent others to do what needs to be done, he did it himself. Beowulf spoke whatever came to mind, especially if it’s important. Beowulf could any obstacle that got in his way. In contrast to Beowulf’s courage he can be very pompous. In a sense he can seem ostentatious or show a display his dignity of higher importance. Presenting himself as someone who is full of himself as a hero Beowulf

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

Beowulf was an amazing hero. His life was full of battles and epics that would take demy Gods to complete. Beowulf has conquered many tasks that would make many men see him as a God in the body of a man. Beowulf was a great tale told for a long time to inspire people that man can do great things, can be heros.

Though it is fiction, readers can comprehend Anglo-Saxon thoughts and their concepts of heroism, life and death. Anglo-Saxon culture valued strength, honor, courage, loyalty, and fearlessness. Beowulf was a hero because he was strong, loyal, brave, honorable, and fearless. He wanted to be remembered beyond the years of his life. These values in heroes has not disappeared like its culture. Today in the fiction of this modern world, the characteristics of a hero have not changed. Heroes in movies, TV shows, and literature all have these qualities. Beowulf's main goal was to seek glory and fame all the days of his life. Because of his heroic deeds Beowulf does not die, but lives on; not just in a tower above the sea, but in a poem that was sung for centuries around the

Beowulf is epic story that tells the tail of a hero, Beowulf, who slays dragons, fights heroically, and leads men. Many believe that Beowulf was a fierce leader, that allows his men to be successful, but one can clearly see the flaws in Beowulf’s leading abilities. Beowulf failed in

Beowulf is a hero that comes from the land of the Geats and travels to Danes to help the people in need. Beowulf hears that there is monster, Grendel, who is terrorizing the land and killing several warriors in the middle of the night. Beowulf shows how strong a person can be and the difference they can make to others. There are three motivations, duty, glory, and sacrifice that Beowulf has throughout the poem Beowulf.

A genuine definition of a monster is an "imaginary creature that is typically large, ugly, and frightening," but in the poem Beowulf a monster has much more meaning than just an imaginary creature. Monsters were commonly used in stories written during the pagan times. Throughout the plot of ‘Beowulf,' the protagonist Beowulf faces many obstacles that include fighting monsters: Grendel, Grendel's mother, and a Dragon. The monsters in Beowulf are present for a substantial reason to contribute towards the story, and they are symbolic of many qualities in the Anglo-Saxon culture.

All throughout history epic heroes were made. Beowulf, written in 1,000 A.D., by unknown portrays a hero of glory. In 1,200 B.C., Homer wrote The Iliad, which portrays a hero of determination. These heroes have many differences but it is their similarities that tie them together.

I have read hero-myths & Legends of the British Race during my summer holiday. In my mind, I think Beowulf was a true hero.

Heroes are often portrayed as being perfect and not similar to humans. This is not actually the case in which every hero has some kind of weakness or flaw. This is the reason that one feels connected to heros. In Robert Nye's Beowulf: A New Telling, the theme is that even heroes are not perfect. This applies to Beowulf because although he saves the Danes from Grendel, he still has imperfections. One thing that Beowulf does to make himself a hero is he uses his weaknesses as an advantage. Beowulf is not the largest man and does not have great eyesight, but he uses cunning to defeat even the most difficult enemy. Furthermore, Beowulf specifically applies to the theme of how even heroes are not perfect.