Throughout his long life of war and peace, Beowulf exemplifies different attributes of a hero. Three that he shows most are being charged with a quest, being tested to prove himself, and resurrection after reaching a low point. In the beginning
An epic hero is an individual who must evoke a sense of heroism through legendary and inspiring deeds (Merriam-Webster). These heroes of tragedy have the ability to determine their own fortune due to the amount of admired characteristics they possess. However, the ideals of an epic hero are constantly fluctuating due to the ever changing ideals of society. Although the characteristics of an epic hero are under constant modification, Beowulf is still an effective modern-day hero due to his acts of courage, compassion, and dedication in relation to his people. Courage can be defined as any individual possessing moral or mental strength in the face of physical pain or indescribable hardship (Personalitytutor).
To be considered an epic hero, one must not only exhibit acts of courage but also perform acts of being superhuman. Beowulf, known for his great feats of strength, is considered to be one of the greatest epic heros of all time. He posses all the qualifications necessary for him to be categorized as being an epic hero. What does it take to be an Epic hero? It's a name given to few.
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 is often caught bragging about himself and his great accomplishments.
Christopher Reeve (AKA the 1978 superman) said that, “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles”. Both Beowulf and Modern day heroes are similar in that way in that they fight for the common good of people. That quote from Christopher Reeves on what a modern day hero is, also applies to the epic hero qualities that Beowulf has. Similarly Beowulf and a modern day hero defeat an evil so that good can prevail. Some examples are, Beowulf Slaying Grendel and Grendel's mother to save the land of the Danes, and soldiers fighting enemies that threaten the lives of a country, and police officers putting criminals behind bars.
Beowulf shares the same traits with as many other heroes I know about. For example, Beowulf 's willpower can be compared with Henry Cavill 's Superman (Man of Steel). In Beowulf: "The Battle with the Dragon", Beowulf battled the dragon and he noticed that his weapons started to fail him and that he was weakened by his age. In spite of that, Beowulf 's willpower enabled him to continue fighting the dreadful beast. Eventually, after his ally Wiglaf provided Beowulf with some assistance, he was able to break through and deliver the killing blow to the dragon.
In today’s society, anybody can be considered a hero. A hero is a selfless person who is admired for their courageous achievements. A mother, celebrity, or even a mailman can be a hero to someone. In Beowulf, the epic poem translated by Burton Raffel, Beowulf is recognized as a hero who craves too much glory. In today’s world, Beowulf is viewed as an irrelevant hero since he displays poor qualities of arrogance and selfishness.
In the story Beowulf they make Beowulf out to be the hero. I believe that he is the hero because of his way that he presents himself when he gets to as his crewmen walked off the boat and they looked bad in clothes Beowulf looked very nice and very manly other than his crewmen looked bad and also he was a hero because he was the only one to come to and help the town. Defeating the monsters which was mother dragon and the last reason that he was considered a hero because after all the monsters he killed he decided to give all of the gold and supplies that he won from the battle with the monsters to all the people in herot and also he was reconized as a hero because he let God decide his Faith during the battle with the monsters.
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 major flaw Beowulf showed in the movie was that he slept with Grendel’s mother. I think that because Beowulf slept with someone it lessened his standing as a hero, in my mind. Another flaw that Beowulf showed was that he was arrogant in the movie. I can overlook the fact that a hero is not perfectly sculpted or good looking. I think to be a hero you cannot have personality flaws like being self-centered or conceited.
The story of Beowulf isn’t just any ordinary story, but a story that has been told for centuries. A story of a hero who’s legacy has been told for so long. Beowulf’s life shows the characteristics of a true epic hero. He showed bravery, he used his strength against his enemies and in the end gave the ultimate sacrifice for his people.
While a hero is told to be nearly perfect, Beowulf had one flaw, his pride; and this wasn't even a fatal flaw, it was just a flaw he had. A fatal flaw is to be expected in a epic with an ideal hero; for example, Odysseus and his arrogance caused his own death, but Beowulf did not
Christopher Reeves once said, “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” Although Beowulf was human, he was not an ordinary individual, hero, or king, for he was a man who displayed superhuman qualities in his efforts to protect the Danish and Geatish people. Beowulf, who was established Geatish warrior that spent his life in battle, showed these extraordinary characteristics that made him an epic hero, one who possesses superhuman, almost god-like qualities. Being constantly on a quest, risking his life for glory and the greater good of society, and being superiorly intelligent, courageous and strong are the three most important reasons why Beowulf deserves such a notable
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
Ironically in his efforts to gain fame and riches, Beowulf 's traits overlap with those of an epic hero. More important than Beowulf 's lack of morality though, is the warrior 's lack of growth throughout the story. Usually, in epic poems, the protagonists change
