Beowulf: The Characteristics Of An Epic Hero

Beowulf The Epic Hero What defines an epic hero? Beowulf is anything but a normal human being, he poses extremely large amount of strength and great leadership techniques. When Beowulf set his mind on a task in battle he never gave in to evil. It all began as a quest to defeat Grendel. Beowulf also possesses superhuman strength and is the smartest of any warrior.

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.

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

What characteristics do heroes have? A great representation of a hero is Beowulf written by Burton Raffel. The story of, Beowulf is a hero that goes to kingdoms while they are in distress and helps them by facing hideous monsters. Heroes are people who meet certain characteristics and are willing to help people for good. A hero is supposed to make people feel safe, and have hope that there will be help. Many characteristics can define a hero. Beowulf's characteristics are his honor, courage, dependability, and teamwork. These are some traits that most heroes have.

Beowulf Beowulf is a story of a hero who seems to defy false hope. A hero is a person of distinguished courage who has admirable qualities/abilities, which are exemplified through their acts. Beowulf illustrates the idea that humans can exceed the norm and combat with human evil and fears. There are three virtues that Beowulf personified: loyalty, courage and faith. Loyalty was one of the most important qualities a man could have in Beowulf's time period.

Some examples of these traits include: invisibility, elasticity, mind-reading, flying, extreme strength, spider-like attributes, etc. These modern-day characteristics have been formulated through comics and other contemporary stories, where heroic characters have been more commonly labeled as “superheroes” because of their superhuman features. Therefore, we have been introduced to these heroes through popular stories, television shows, and movies such as: Spider-Man, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, etc. All in all, heroes like Beowulf and Sir Gawain were labeled as such because of their mental, emotional, and physical strength. However, heroes today are considered one more so because of their physical strength and unique

Throughout the history of mankind there have been many books and stories written which preview a hero doing dangerous, epic deeds for the good of others. The same is true in the story of Beowulf, titled Beowulf. Beowulf was written by the Anglo Saxons by an unknown author. In the book Beowulf, Beowulf follows the role of the archetypal hero and fulfills it by going on epic quests to help, and save kingdoms. This is shown whenever Beowulf sets out to fight Grendel, an awful beast who is terrorizing Hrothgar’s kingdom. This is also shown whenever Beowulf ventures out to slay Grendel’s mother. And ultimately whenever Beowulf goes to fight the dragon in his final showdown. All of these pertain to Beowulf fulfilling the role of the hero in Beowulf.

Beowulf proves to be an archetypal hero in the book called Beowulf through a tremendous display of bravery, courage, leadership, and pride. The booke say that Beowulf “quickly commanded a boat fitted out, now when help was needed” (lns. 113-116). This is proclaiming that he would go to the famous king after hearing how Grendel had massacred the Danes. Beowulf seems as if he is eagerly waiting for a challenge when he stumble upon the news from Denmark. He does not hesitate but knows right away the he has to help the Danes immediately in their time of distressed. Also, after arriving in denmark and being challenged by someone by the name of Unferth, and that Beowulf put Unferth in his place by saying “No tales of you, Unferth, telling of such

A brave and noble character in an epic poem, admired for great achievements or affected by grand events. Commonly epic heroes have superior strength, have strong love for their people, are fearless of death, and are very ethical people. The epic poem Beowulf describes a heroic man of the Anglo-Saxon times. The hero, Beowulf, is almost invincible person with all the unseeming traits required of an epic hero. Beowulf is a perfect example of an epic hero who is a representative of his time because of his superhuman strength, his strong love for the people, his fearless of death, and his will to travel great distances for people he doesn’t know. Beowulf is unlike any other epic hero in the manner in which he fights. He does need an army to help

Jamila Bethea English 4 Joyner December 2015 Beowulf’s Heroic Qualities In the Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf, Beowulf is not only a warrior, but he is also an epic hero. An epic hero is someone who is admired for his/her hard work.

Beowulf is a poem that based in the 10th and 11th century that revolved around the idea of good vs evil. The poem is named after Beowulf who is a supernatural hero that slays any evil that crosses his path but is a real sweetheart when it comes to other people or the king. Beowulf is to be considered an epic poem because the hero in the story creates acts of being courageous and even superhuman in some cases, reflecting timeless values such as courage and honor, and the poem reflects unforgettable values with honor and courage. Typically in an epic poem, one will see a character or “the hero” who has outstanding courage and commit superhuman deeds and show values to other people in that era. “Then he drew himself up beside his shield./The fabled warrior in his warshirt and helmet/trusted in his own strength entirely/

“Beowulf” is an epic poem that happened to be set in Scandinavia even though it was written in England. This medieval poem consists of 3,182 lines, it is even said from archaeological discoveries that this story, is oldest surviving Anglo-Saxon manuscript (also considered one of the most important) may be true. Beowulf, the protagonist in the story is known as the bravest and the strongest warrior. In his time, only to later be named as a kind, gentle and generous king. For instance: “Crying that no better king had ever / Lived, no prince so mild, no man / So open to his people, so deserving of praise” (lines 895-897). Though seen as a great warrior, and perhaps even a great king(which he may be) does it actually make Beowulf a hero?

“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.

In ancient times the idea of someone risking their life to save someone else’s is astonishing. From modern times to tales in ancient epics, the idea of a hero has been passed down through generations. Throughout the story, the characteristics of Beowulf make him a hero. A hero exhibits strength, bravery, honor, and is able to complete tasks with divine intervention; Beowulf embodies

The Perfect Hero In every heroic tale, there lies a theme of balance in values. Every hero is said to possess a fatal flaw; whether they overcome this flaw or let it define who they are is up to them. In the epic poem Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney, it is not particularly hard for the reader to point out their perceived flaws of our hero: arrogance, pride, egotism. Yet, Beowulf stands tall in the poem as the perfect hero, adored and praised by all.