Heroic Qualities In Beowulf

“A hero is someone who given his life to something bigger than oneself.” (Campbell) Beowulf is the Anglo Saxons. Beowulf most courageous warrior ever. He goes on quest and journeys and chose his path of being a hero and to kill monsters who ever tries to hurt Beowulf people. He keep his promises what the people ask him to do he will do it and serve his people. Beowulf is an epic hero because he is significant and glorified, risk deaths and he is ethical.

In the epic poem, Beowulf, the central character Beowulf demonstrates qualities of a hero, such as bravery, loyalty, and strength. Throughout the text, Beowulf is acknowledged for his heroic deeds and great defeats. He takes on challenges and sacrifices himself to protect his people. In traditional oral poetry, a theme is “a group of ideas regularly used in telling a tale in a formulaic style of a traditional song” (Lord, Singer,68). The theme of battle between Beowulf and Grendel shows Beowulf’s courage, as he relies on God and puts his life on the line to defeat Grendel for the greater good.

Beowulf not only says he is stronger than everyone else but that he can kill Grendel with or without a sword. Therefore Beowulf then shows his true colors of how he is not a hero by depriving people of their lives. Beowulf is an immensely heroic person he has definitely set the foundation for all heroes today. If not for Beowulf then Grendel and his mother would have terrorized everyone and killed multiple people. Beowulf loyal and courageous enough to go up against two beasts that no one has ever beaten in the past.

Essay The significance of the heroic code of comitatus in Beowulf is that any warrior that is willing to put their life on the line for their king is heroic and honored. Comitatus means that a warrior is willing to put their own life on the line for their king, and if their king dies the warriors must go and avenge their king. No matter the cost they must go back and do what they can to avenge their king and if they don’t, they can no longer serve as warriors for the next king. The cowardly warriors that left the dragon fight were more than likely shunned and banished from their kingdom. They had supported their king to go in and slay Grendel the monster, but once their king was defeated they fled like cowards.

Whiles Epic heroes are strong skillful people, they still get themselves in situations that could end them. This is where God or the gods intervene to help the hero accomplish his quest. While Beowulf was fighting Grendel’s mother, and close to defeat, “he saw, hanging on the wall, a heavy/ sword”(lines 530-531). At the moment Beowulf begins to become phlegmatic and he needs to get through. God/the gods have given him the sword he need to be triumphant.

He is the archetypal hero. And not only does he fight for good, but he represents it as well. For Beowulf to signify good there must be a contrasting evil to complete the balance. Beowulf, who comes to help the Danes fight the dreaded Grendal. Beowulf is a classic epic hero and is honored by being passed down in the story.

A significant amount of being a hero involves physically fighting. One could say since Achilleus is fighting and presenting a hope of victory for the Argives then he is portrayed as more heroic. However, hero’s are praised for their selflessness in battle and their good hearts, not acting on anger and revenge. Patroklos sets a good example of a hero, with such empathy for his countrymen he says, “… such grief has fallen upon the Achaians. For all those who were before the bravest in battle are lying up among the ships with arrow or spear wounds” (XVI 22), and then pleading with Achilleus to let him go into battle.

The monster kills only Esher, Hrothgar’s closest advisor and friend, and removes his body and her son’s body parts. Once the king got a hold of this knowledge they ran to Beowulf and asked him for help in finding and killing the mother of Grendel. Before his departure Unerth, “Lent him a famous weapon, a fine, / Hilted old sword named Hrunting” showing his honor he has for Beowulf as he goes to fight another monster(64). Beowulf ventures into the mother’s underwater lair to defeat Grendel's mother, the sword Unerth gives Beowulf does not function down there. Using a magical sword he finds in the giants’ hideaway Beowulf kills her with it.

He was devastated, but even more angry, so he sought to avenge his friend and honor his name. On the other hand, Beowulf, has little emotion in his decisions to fight. He looks at the greater need of his people, not what he wants or what might happen to him. He shows this when he volunteers to battle Grendel. Grendel had not done anything to Beowulf personally, but to his people.

Loyalty was one of the most important qualities a man could have in Beowulf's time period. Loyalty was displayed in Beowulf's character quite clearly, starting with his decision to help the Danes. He was willing to put his own life on the line for the sole benefit of others. This loyalty was first shown when Beowulf went with his men to fight a monster so he could help his father repay his debt. Beowulf’s father Ecgtheow had started a rivalry.

These characteristics make Beowulf a hero. Beowulf’s traits help make Beowulf the epic hero of this myth. Beowulf’s bravery helps him defeat the mystical creatures. When Beowulf fights Grendel’s mother, it seems like all hope is lost before he kills her with the magical sword. Even though the odds were not in his favor, he never gave up.

He was loved, committed, and fearless. It 's a story about being courageous and facing your fear head on even if the outcome was bad. Although, he probably did not expect to go down in history and for people to be hearing about him for thousands of years after what did he expect. The King even loved Beowulf as a son. How many kings really loved their own sons to give them everything they had?

One time, Ender told his army, “Nobody ever beat Dragon Army, either. This be your big chance to lose?” then the text added, “Ender’s taunting question was the answer to their complaints,” (192). This pushed the army to the limit because they knew that he was counting on them to win and not give up so effortlessly. This also showed leadership because it gave them confidence to keep fighting and win.