What factors build up a hero? Is it strength? Is it wisdom? Or is it the courage to face death when others run away from terror? Beowulf, an epic story, describes the adventure of a marvelous king in Northern Europe, feared by the evil, who devoted his life to banish the claws of evil grasping on his people during the dark ages. In short, Beowulf was an epic hero because he confronted supernatural beings, held a personal power power, and presented the glorification of the heroic ideal. First of all, in the story, Beowulf was depicted as the final hope of humanity, who stood against any beings that harm the peace and harmony of his people. Grendel, a murderous creature banished by God, was wiping out Herot before Beowulf came upon and stopped
When most people think of a hero, they picture a typically strong man with courageous actions and noble qualities. As people read Beowulf, they will begin to realize that Beowulf is the exact figure of what a hero should be. From defeating Grendel to helping the kingdom, Beowulf continues to show his heroic acts. If it weren’t for him, Grendel would have destroyed the kingdom. Beowulf’s strength, courage, and nobility proves that he is a hero.
The way we treat ourselves is extraordinary compared to the utilization of figures past. We, humans, are a populous society of affable tributes that are of importance. That we look up to the people that give us safety, as well that show respect and pride. These people are the idols that portray heroism; the general populous agrees that a hero is selfless. One such example is in an epic poem Beowulf.
Beowulf the Epic Hero Beowulf is a thrilling, daring, and exhilarating epic poem of the past written by an anonymous author in a single manuscript passed down through many generations. Being the protagonist of the poem, Beowulf is also a noble role model. He shows the true qualities of an Anglo-Saxon epic hero through various acts of courage, strength, and loyalty. Beowulf proves himself to be an Anglo-Saxon epic hero by being courageous.
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.
Heroism is bravery, honor, courage, and daring. People who are believed to be a heroe usually serve as someone who defeated or made an impact on someone or something. Throughout the epic, Beowulf shows heroism by going to willingly defeat Grendel. This was Beowulf's choice to go, "there was no one else like him alive. In his day, he was the mightiest man on eart, highborn and powerful" (196-198).
Beowulf’s Courage Makes an Epic Hero A good example of an epic hero is from the epic poem Beowulf, written by Seamus Heaney, focusing on the titular character Beowulf because he is known for his courage which is used to create more characteristics that an epic hero should have. The best place to start is with an example of Beowulf valuing his courage, where Jones reminds the reader “Beowulf himself speaks to this importance of courage when arguing with Unferth” (Jones 3). Another good example is in the packet The Middle Ages: The Epic Hero, where Jones states that an epic hero “has 12 main characteristics, including being strong, courageous, and self-sacrificing” (Jones 2).
Hero; a person of notable bravery and courage, respected for valiant deeds and gallant qualities. The idea behind heroism can be traced back to the beginnings of time, with heroes such as Achilles who embodied courage. The warrior people known as the Anglo-Saxons; Germanic tribes from Denmark as well as northern Germany , extremely valued the concept of heroes. Despite being converted to Christianity around 597 CE, the Anglo-Saxons treasured heroic ideals such as bravery, modesty, and valor; and were very interested in traditional heroes . Heroes were not their only value, these people also heavily cherished community, family, and retained high moral standards.
The Evolution of Heroism Heroism is an abstract concept. It 's something that has evolved for 1000 's of years. The Iliad, Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight perfectly show how human concepts of heroism, character and religious themes have developed to present day understandings and views on heroism. The Iliad is the oldest of the three stories.
The Webster's definition of a hero is “A person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities”, this also happens to be one of the qualifications of being an epic hero. There are many things that can be used to compare and contrast Beowulf as an epic hero and a modern day hero, but you’ll find that the human idea of a hero was primarily the same in 700 CE as it is now although the job descriptions of hero’s have changed. In today’s time a person is usually considered a hero if they help the public good, like a police officer, soldier, firefighter and so on. In Beowulf’s time a person was considered a hero if they were a great warrior. When looking at the characteristics of what makes Beowulf an epic hero and the characteristics
Not all heroes wear capes. Well, in novels and movies, they tend to. From the start, heros have always been someone who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. In poems such as Beowulf, which date back to the 10th century, implement the hero’s model in its purest form. The main character, Beowulf, is the stereotypical hero that comes from a far away land to defeat the monstrous antagonist Grendel, and defend the impotent villagers.
According to old British literature, Beowulf is one the earliest and longest epic poems. An epic hero is defined as a larger than life hero who embodies the values of a particular culture. Epic heroes are people that are known to have superior strength, have strong love for their people, are fearless of death, and are extremely honorable. In the poem, the hero Beowulf, is a seemingly invincible person with all of the extraordinary traits required of an epic hero. Beowulf is a perfect example of an epic hero who is an ideal figure because of his characteristics of his time.
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.
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. His masculinity and loyalty further develops the theme of Beowulf being an epic hero. He showed his honor and helped the Danes when no one else could by traveling from his homeland to battle the vicious monster Grendel, who terrorized the Danes.
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
"Hear me! We've heard of Danish heroes, ancient kings and the glory they cut for themselves, swinging mighty swords." These verses were words sung over and over, by singing poets all over ancient Europe. They were sung in the presence of kings and warriors. They are the beginning lines of the epic Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf, an ancient tale of monsters, dragons, kings, warriors, battles, life, death, and the virtues of a hero.