Essay On Beowulf's The Rise Of The Anti-Hero

In the Epic poem of Beowulf, there is more than one epic hero. Although hidden, this courageous follower soon shows his loyalty to his lord and leadership amongst his comrades. Out of the fourteen men Beowulf had chosen to assist him on his courageous journeys, only one was his true friend and follower. This young man was known as Wiglaf. Wiglaf, once a Swedish boy, was the son of Wexstan. Cousin to Beowulf, he always kept in mind the good thing he’d given him such as armor, gold and the great estates the Wexstans now owned. A good man from the start with good morals. This shaped him to be the follower he was and now the leader he is.

Once upon a time, there was a marvelous warrior that was a hero to so many and king to some. In the story of Beowulf, the hero, Beowulf, must follow and go through the hero’s journey. The hero’s journey has twelve stages, or three acts. The stages go in the order: 1) The Call to Adventure, 2) Assistance, 3) Departure, 4) Trials, 5) Approach to the Inmost Cave, 6) Crisis, 7) Treasure, 8) Result, 9) Return, 10) New Life, 11) Resolution, and 12) Status Quo (Winkler). Since Beowulf is facing three different monsters, there is not only the story’s significant journey, but also multiple inside it. There are three mini-hero journeys Beowulf’s main journey.

Heroes. They are here for us when we need them. Without fail, they come to our rescue and save us from our sinful desires and offer an escape from the sin filled world we live in. At least that is the hero we think of when it comes to modern-day thoughts on a hero. One thing is true about a hero, that they have distinct qualities that set them above normal people. Heroes can also be wavered and effected by the characteristics of the society they were created in. However, heroes are not real but are created, usually to give hope to people or to provide a boost of morale to people who are being oppressed in away. If the average American, who would be accustomed to Marvel heroes, were to look at the Anglo-Saxon hero, they may not even consider them a true hero by today’s standards. The Anglo-Saxon heroic code consisted of being able to

Anti-hero, anti-hero is a character that lacks characterists of a hero. It is the opposite of a hero but not a villian. The character has characteristics such as being selfish, insecurity, rebellious, and is very independent. The character can aslo be the outsider who does not fit-in, and has problems with authority & with rules, which we learned in class. That can really relate to luke. Luke is the anti-hero in Cool Hand Luke.

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.

Throughout life there will be many challenges that will present themselves some of them will be caused by someone else but others will be caused by yourself. Some people will call these people Foes or Anti-Heros. They can range from a monster called Grendel to just a teacher at your high school or just earning the high school diploma. The “Hero” will need to overcome the foe in whatever way they chose.

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.

A hero does not fight for fame and glory but for the greater good. A hero is someone who goes through adversity to help others in desperate times. A hero fights evil, and defends people. Beowulf should be considered a hero because he is a strong, brave warrior who defended his people and slayed evil monsters.

A hero's journey is a pattern of narrative identities that appears in many dramas, storytellings, myths, and psychological development. The journey consist of twelve different steps and in the story Beowulf we read about the magnificent and rough journey that Beowulf and this men accomplish. Many people question if Beowulf is considered a hero and if what he did was good. The journey that he embarked on, leads me to believe that Beowulf is a hero and always will be.

The definition of a true hero is very subjective as people have their own opinions on what makes someone a hero. Some people might consider someone who does the right thing a hero, for some it may be people who fight for their country. The characteristics of a hero might vary, but in the epic “Beowulf,” Beowulf is sought out to be the hero because of three main traits; his noble cause, code of honor, and his strength and courage. Each of these traits makes up the hero he is portrayed to be.

Beowulf was stunningly brave, courageous and put his abilities in the service of others. However, he was too conceited and obsessed about his reputation. Macbeth was a brave warrior, but his Achilles heel, his ambition, turned him into a tyrant. Macduff loved his country and did his best to save it from a tyrant, but at the same time didn’t exercise good judgment in safeguarding his family. Rather than judging people and their actions purely in black and white terms, we should recognize that human beings are complex creatures and have lots of shades of gray. Each person has positive and negative attributes. Heroism in one dimension doesn’t carry over to other dimensions. Therefore, there is no such thing as a perfect hero or an absolute monster. Under the right circumstances, each of us can be a hero and in some other circumstances behave like a

So what exactly is a hero? A hero to most is a person idealized for their courage and their outstanding achievements and qualities. Some may even consider Beowulf a hero due his never backing down and risking his own life for the safety of his people. He embodies all of the characteristics of an epic hero because of his bravery, honor, self-assurance and his acceptance of knowing that he could be killed at any point. He thrives as a hero by taking down a dragon, a vicious monster named Grendel and also Grendel’s mother.

The epic poem Beowulf is a classic tale of good versus evil. Good, as shown in the story, is any action that fights evil and defends the community and the people of it. The evil intent of Grendel, the story’s antagonist and cannibalistic murderer, who is depicted as a “fiend out of hell” (99), is strongly countered by the heroic actions of the stories main protagonist, Beowulf. The noble King Hrothgar is a role model for young Beowulf at the beginning of the epic, displaying acts of charity and wisdom throughout his life. As he ages, Beowulf defends his people with the same intent as the former king and displays the same heroism that is apparent in the United States military. Heorot, a dining hall that provides Hrothgar’s people place

A hero is a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements or noble qualities (Hero). A Villain is a person who has evil actions or motives to harm people (Villain). In my opinion, a hero is usually the person in the story that everyone likes or looks to for help and the villain is the misunderstood or worst person in a situation. As humans we can be portrayed as a hero or villain when diverse situations occur. In August Wilson’s play, “Fences” Troy Maxson’s past, present and future caused significant traits of being called a hero and a villain in segments throughout the play.

Superman, Gandalf, Jay Gatsby, and Harry Potter. All of these character have something in common, all of them are heroes. Heroes are common in many literary works. They help portray messages and feelings in ways the reader would understand. There are three main archetypes of heroes. “These heroic archetypes pop up all over Western Lit. They are: Stereotypical/Classical Heroes, Everyday/Everyman Heroes, and Anti/Un Heroes” (Bunting). Each type of hero is used for certain reasons; not all stories use the anti-hero and the classic hero is not always the way to go. There are many reasons why an author would choose to use a certain type hero in their work.