How Does Beowulf Show Heroism

Beowulf fought with great bravery and courage to protect others. He believed that the only way to immortality was to become historic. “But you have made yourself immortal by your glorious action." (Beowulf 246). Beowulf’s actions of killing Grendel and fighting his mother were events that will leave an everlasting impression.

He believed it was his fault the fire dragon had come and destroyed his people’s homes as Grendel once did. Beowulf believes The Geats and himself deserve revenge due to the burning of their homes and their luxurious hall. He would “leave this brief life, but would take the dragon with him, tear it from the heaped-up treasure it had guarded so long”(lines 42-44). 19) Before proceeding to his battle with the fire dragon, Beowulf prepared with his armour, his sword, and a shield. He did not need any of this equipment when battling Grendel and his mother, because he knew he had the strength to defeat them without full protection.

He must decide whether he wants to live or kill more of his people. Beowulf decides that he needs to do this for his people so he goes out and kills the dragon. Beowulf had died fighting which means that he will go to Valhalla and that is a place where you go if you have died in honor in combat. In the story of Beowulf he must die in honor so that he can go to Valhalla and he thinks that is more important than his own kingdom.

While reading Beowulf final scene, I really saw how heroic Beowulf really was. I mean he was heroic when he fought Grendel and his mother, but when he knew that he is about to die and still fought the dragon it kind of brought him to another level of being a hero. Throughout the entire story, I viewed Beowulf as kind of showy for all of his great heroic acts and wasn 't at all humble. Fighting the dragon showed that even till the very end, Beowulf would still fight and protect his people no matter what. Also, when he bought Grendel 's mother, he nearly dies, but he never gave up.

When Beowulf approaches Hrothgar and offers to kill Grendel, he is already a very very skillful warrior who has (accomplished or gained with effort) many feats, and he is a hero to the people. Later in life, Beowulf changes from a young warrior to a wise king who later dies in order to save the people of his kingdom from an (imaginary, huge, fire-breathing animal). The extreme danger of the job is illustrated through the fact that Hrothgar 's own men 's tries to kill Grendel have been useless/pointless.

He has also healed grievous wounds with the touch of his hand (Green 120). Healing another knight’s wound was also the last honorable deed Sir Launcelot would do for the Realm of Logres. The last miracle healing he would perform was on the knight Sir Urry (Green 342). Sir Launcelot was the most honorable knight because he healed the wounded and always fought in a fair battle.

He said, 'When he comes to me I mean to stand, not run from his shooting flames, stand till fate decides which of us wins.' (Website) So therefore, Beowulf is an epic hero for the things that he conquered. The power and pride he had in doing so.

The Anglo-Saxon time period is marked with trials of courageous men sacrificing themselves for the sake of others in battle. By defeating the egregiously violent monster Grendel, Beowulf not only becomes a true Anglo-Saxon due to his bravery, but he demonstrates the Anglo-Saxon value of fame. The poet displays Beowulf’s bravery through his actions and words throughout the epic story. When Beowulf encounters a fearsome dragon, the poet mentions that “He [Beowulf] had scant regard/for the dragon as a threat, no dread at all/of its courage or strength” (Beowulf 2347-2349).

Many heroes like Rostam’s king, Kavus, or Odysseus has shown numerous examples of being just. King Kavus has returned home from Mazanderan and has mended his ways of being an arrogant king. This was where he “with the sword of justice he smote the neck of sorrow, and in his heart there was no thought of death…the king grew powerful in his just ways and faith, and the hands of Ahriman were tied” (114). Kavus now has become a just king and became fair to his people. He traveled through his kingdom and gave gifts to everyone and made sure that his kingdom is stable.

“‘You have won the game.’ Rainsford did not smile. ‘I am still a beast at bay…’Get ready General Zaroff’” (20) He doesn’t kill Zaroff for any reason other than revenge. By beast at bay Rainsford is saying he doesn’t have anywhere to go, so he wants to fight Zaroff, until someone dies which is ironic because Rainsford states that he is against killing another human being when he first meets Zaroff at the beginning of the story.

This great epic shows us three different monsters Beowulf defeats, even at the expense of his own life. “I had a fixed purpose when I put to sea. As I sat in the boat with my band of men, I meant to perform to the uttermost what your people wanted or perish in the attempt, in the fiend’s clutches. And I shall fulfill that purpose, prove myself with a proud deed or meet my death here in the Mead Hall” (Beowulf 43). Beowulf gives a formal boast about how he will take down the demon to achieve justice.

The mother of Grendel had revenge and also made a promise to Beowulf and at the same time Beowulf is so easily tempted by the promises that offered to him. The people of cyld worship and thank him for being their hero until he becomes a king of kingdom of cyld. As the year past he still can fight and still role the kingdom proper and sustain. When the monster attack his kingdom which his son, the dragon try to ruin his kingdom, but because of his friend that help him to fight until the end he

Bravery and courage are interchangeable words used to describe the mind of a person who faces difficulty and pain without fear, according to Dictionary.com. Bravery is displayed all throughout the heroic tale of Beowulf, named after its protagonist Beowulf. Knowing that Grendel was a very dangerous character, Beowulf chose to offer up his services to halt the terror being caused by Grendel. No one had to seek him out; rather he came on his own accords simply for the good of these people living in King Hrothgar’s kingdom. He put himself in dangers way even though he no real tie to these people, and not asking about any sort of payment before going out on the hunt.

Beowulf was an amazing hero. His life was full of battles and epics that would take demy Gods to complete. Beowulf has conquered many tasks that would make many men see him as a God in the body of a man. Beowulf was a great tale told for a long time to inspire people that man can do great things, can be heros.

Beowulf is the epitome of the ideal Anglo-Saxon epic hero. The numerous amount of characteristics that he possesses benefit him in many ways, but eventually lead to his downfall. As depicted in Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney, the qualities found in Beowulf that were most admired by his society include inhuman strength, unreserved loyalty, and unending bravery. Beowulf was said to have inhuman strength amounting to “the strength of thirty in the grip of each hand” (380-381). Beowulf exposes this truth even further by dismembering the arm of Grendel, a devilish ogre brute, from his body.