ipl-logo

Beowulf As An Epic Hero Essay

589 Words3 Pages

In the poem Beowulf, by Seamus Heaney, does Beowulf show himself to be a true epic hero? Beowulf, king of the Geats, encounters and fights many different monsters and battles. Beowulf shows himself worthy of being an epic hero through his great battles. Beowulf fights with many creatures such as Brecca, a living sea monster. He shows his worthiness as an epic hero by showing his strength, wisdom and knowledge, and honor in battle. Beowulf puts his wisdom and knowledge as an epic hero to the test when he battles Grendel. When he and his men are fighting Grendel, they realize that no sword can penetrate him. When Heaney writes, “The monster’s whole body was in pain, a tremendous wound appeared on his shoulder. Sinews split and the bone lappings burst. Beowulf was granted the glory of winning; Grendel was driven …show more content…

When he is fighting Grendel, Beowulf uses his incredible strength and talent to get him in a tight hold and rip Grendel’s arm off. Heaney describes this incredible act done by Beowulf: The captain of evil discovered himself In a handgrip harder than anything He had ever encountered in any man On the face of the earth. Every bone in his body Quailed and recoiled, but he could not escape. He was desperate to flee to his den and hide With the devil’s litter, for in all his days He had never been clamped or cornered like this. (Heaney 749-56)
His supernatural strength had made Grendel fear him. Beowulf puts his strength and worthiness as an epic hero to the test. Beowulf reveals his true worthiness to be recognized as an epic hero. Through Beowulf’s courageous acts of heroism, he can be classified as an epic hero. When there is a difficult situation, Beowulf shows that he can find a way to create a solution. Throughout this story Beowulf shows that he respectfully follows the honor code. Beowulf proves that he is an epic hero through his honor, wisdom, and

Show More
Related

  • Greed In Beowulf

    304 Words  | 2 Pages

    It may prove difficult to only do things for the god of mankind rather than oneself. Nevertheless, Beowulf held tremendous bravery which contributes to his heroic persona. When Beowulf fights the antagonist Grendel he goes into battle with only “[his] hands alone to fight,” proving he is no coward (172-173). Throughout this epic, Beowulf continues

    Read More

  • Who Was Responsible For Beowulf's Downfall

    197 Words  | 1 Pages

    Beowulf is the epitome of the ideal Anglo-Saxon epic hero. The numerous amount of characteristics that he possesses benefit him in many ways, but eventually lead to his downfall. As depicted in Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney, the qualities found in Beowulf that were most admired by his society include inhuman strength, unreserved loyalty, and unending bravery. Beowulf was said to have inhuman strength amounting to “the strength of thirty in the grip of each hand” (380-381). Beowulf exposes this truth even further by dismembering the arm of Grendel, a devilish ogre brute, from his body.

    Read More

  • Beowulf Is A Hero Essay

    768 Words  | 4 Pages

    “A Hero is an ordinary person who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles”, quoted by Christopher Reeve. Beowulf however, tends to be an epic hero based on the definition of one. Beowulf was definitely a hero, not because of his super strength, smartness, or even his sword. But because when everyone backed down he was the one to step up & sacrifice his life to save others. “ Beowulf fights in various battles which shows his hero characteristics such as supernatural, bravery, and leadership.

    Read More

  • Beowulf Values Essay

    895 Words  | 4 Pages

    Anglo-Saxons have many values and codes of conduct. Some of those include how they honored courage over a long life, valued loyalty to the lord or king above all, etc. The story Beowulf talks about an Epic hero named Beowulf, the journey’s that he went on, and the monsters he killed to help out the people. This will be talked about and it will also be proven that Beowulf is a good example of a hero. In the poem Beowulf, there are a couple of reasons why Beowulf possesses the characteristics of an epic hero and they are how Beowulf acts in a supremely ethical way by modeling the values of his society, he is a courageous leader who performs tasks and accepts challenges, and he possesses superior physical strength.

    Read More

  • Comparing The Hero's Journey In The Lion King And Beowulf

    1044 Words  | 5 Pages

    The hero in the epic poem Beowulf is the main character, Beowulf. He demonstrates heroic qualities as soon as the readers are introduced to his character. Beowulf proves himself to be courageous and brave by voluntarily fighting the “undefeatable” monster, Grendel. He is greatly admired by both the Danes and Geats for his courageous acts. Although his motivation is altered to only benefit himself with the title of the greatest warrior, his plan to save the Danes is greatly appreciated by all in the land.

    Read More

  • The Qualities Of Beowulf As An Epic Hero

    687 Words  | 3 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Hero Analysis: Character Analysis Of Beowulf

    770 Words  | 4 Pages

    Beowulf was invincible in his strength. He battles terrifying monster and risks his life. He showcases his heroic stoicism through his super-human physical strength. Grendel was a horrendous monster that was the incarnation of maleficence. Beowulf’s men had tried to use their weapons to fight, but Grendel “ blunted every mortal man 's blade” (Line 485).

    Read More

  • Beowulf Epic Hero Essay

    415 Words  | 2 Pages

    An epic is a long narrative poem that revolves around an epic hero. The epic “Beowulf” by an unknown author is about Beowulf the epic hero of noble birth, and extraordinary strength. He goes on a quest to kill monsters for glory. The poem highlights his bravery, strength, and noble nature, which sets him apart as an epic hero.

    Read More

  • How Does Beowulf Show Loyalty

    556 Words  | 3 Pages

    His loyalty could be supernatural, relating to his unknown supernatural powers. Therefore, Beowulf tries to prove himself a hero through his three conflictual battles; the Battle with Grendel, the Battle with Grendel's mother, and the final battle with the Dragon. Beowulf proved himself a hero in the Battle with Grendel by showing immense strength. He was so confident in himself that he said, “Why would I let my sword go where my feet are afraid to,”(170); therefore, he was courageous enough to fight the powerful monster with his bare hands.

    Read More

  • Beowulf Is A Hero Essay

    626 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Good Vs. Evil In Beowulf Is An Epic Hero

    570 Words  | 3 Pages

    Beowulf is an epic hero because of his strength. His strength isn’t the same as an ordinary man, “He twisted in pain and the bleeding sinews deep in his shoulder snapped muscle and on split and broke” (lines 337-340). No ordinary man would be

    Read More

  • Is Beowulf An Epic Hero Or A Fool Essay

    486 Words  | 2 Pages

    I am old, now, but I will fight again, seek fame still, if the dragon hiding in his tower dares to face me” (2511-2515). In conclusion, Beowulf is an epic hero. Although he made risky decisions, he did them for his people. He possessed the qualities of a hero; bravery, loyalty and fearlessness.

    Read More

  • Why Is Beowulf An Epic Hero

    703 Words  | 3 Pages

    Given this evidence, it is clear that Beowulf deserves to be labeled as an epic hero. He consistently and evidently displayed multiple characteristics of an epic hero. Beowulf was always on a quest, continously risked his life for glory and the greater good of society, and had superior intelligence, strength, and courage which were the three most crucial reasons that created him to be

    Read More

  • Outline For Beowulf Research Paper

    976 Words  | 4 Pages

    This quote specifically explains the scene where Beowulf takes down the demon Grendel with his incredible strength. Imagery of Beowulf clamping down on Grendel's arm and wrestling him as he joint-locks the demon occurs. C. Beowulf also proves his strength even when there is no physical task to be accomplished. 1. Beowulf once said, "Well, friend Unferth, you have had your say about Breca and me.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Epic Hero In Beowulf

    2075 Words  | 9 Pages

    As has been noted, many of Beowulf 's characteristics are also shared by traditional epic heroes. He 's brave and never "cowers", defeats previously unbeatable monsters, comes from nobility, and has incredible superhuman strength. Beowulf can be compared to any other epic hero, and the similarities found between them will be never ending. However, there are other characteristics that the king of the Geats possesses which make him be very different from most epic heroes. First, there is the issue with Beowulf 's lack of a moral compass.

    Read More

More about Beowulf As An Epic Hero Essay

Open Document