Loyalty In Beowulf: The Epic Beliefs Of The Anglo-Saxon Culture

Page 2 of 3 ZOOM Anderson 1Nathan AndersonMrs. OrfanedesEnglish 4 Honors NCVPS8 February 2018Is Beowulf a Hero?Beowulf is the main character and epic hero of one of the oldest pieces of literature recorded in the English language. In order to be held at such high esteem his traits as a hero are strong and represent what the poets of the time idealized in a hero. Beowulf’s qualities, those being his brawn, faith, and courageousness, exemplify why Beowulf is considered to be one of the best heroes to date.

Sir Lancelot was one of the most strongest most heroic medieval knights in the round table. King Arthur trusted Lancelot because he was known to never lose a fight, joust, or battle. Sir Lancelot was one of the most popular medieval knights in King Arthur’s court, and he was also very popular with the ladies. Lancelot was determined to fight his hardest for his king (King Arthur) and his loyalty and determination helped him to be chosen for a spot at the round table. Sir Lancelot , one of the most well known medieval knights fought for his; romance with Guinevere, his sword the Arondignt, and pushed for his quest of the Holy Grail.

Medieval Being loyal was a crucial trait of a hero in the medieval era, especially to those higher in power than them, such as their king or lord. In Beowulf, Beowulf and his crew are loyal to their King and Queen by fighting for them. The King praises the heros by saying “It is most fitting you do Queen Wealtheon. To the best of friends, who come in our greatest need”(6). The King tells the Queen that she should praise them as they have come when they needed them most.

If weapons were useless he 'd use his hands, the strength in his fingers. So fame comes to the men who mean to win it and care about nothing else!” (505-509). Lastly, Beowulf demonstrates braveness when he encounters with the dragon. He doesn’t give up just like the rest of the superheroes, ““Then Beowulf rose, still brave, still strong, and with his shield at his side, and a mail shirt on his breast, strode calmly, confidently, toward the tower, under the rocky cliffs: no coward could have walked there!”

We fail to acknowledge, however, that every person is on a hero’s journey. The ones who become truly heroic are those people who listen to their soul’s calling and pursue it despite obstacles or fears. A hero fights

What he is most noted for is how important he finds glory to be. When he requests to fight Grendel for Hrothgar he states he will fight without a sword, as Grendel fears none and fights using his claws. Beowulf fears that if he points his sword to a creature that uses none would be disgraceful and will not bring glory. “But Beowulf longed only for fame, leaped back into battle” line 486, this shows that even as Beowulf is faced with a fight that may be his last, his need for glory

Although both kings have had an impact in this poem, Beowulf is the more successful king. The king of the Geats is a truly noble and courageous leader. He showes true bravery to be a great role model to his and Hrothgar’s people. “O flower of warriors, beware of that trap.

In the epic tale, Beowulf, a hero emerges and goes on to become a beloved leader. What makes Beowulf, the main protagonist of this epic, such a leader? Based on the article, Beowulf and the Teaching of Leadership, by Tom Laughman and John Finlay, I postulate that Beowulf is a charismatic leader. According to the authors, Beowulf fits into the Conger and Kanungo’s Charismatic Leader Model (p 159).

Beowulf is one of the oldest and most well-known epic stories throughout the world. The main character in this story is Beowulf himself. Beowulf is a true and epic hero, who ultimately loses his life while trying to protect the he cared for. Beowulf was a man of great strength, which allowed him to defeat monster and make him the hero that he was. He did not have this strength on his own accord, but was assisted with some divine intervention.

Beowulf was invincible in his strength. He battles terrifying monster and risks his life. He showcases his heroic stoicism through his super-human physical strength. Grendel was a horrendous monster that was the incarnation of maleficence. Beowulf’s men had tried to use their weapons to fight, but Grendel “ blunted every mortal man 's blade” (Line 485).

It would be an important heritage to women of the later era (29). Topic: Obedience For Puritan wives obedience and to be under the authority of man was essential. All agreed that it was essential to martial satisfaction and should exist regardless of the husband’s comportment (Saxton 29).

There are people in this world who achieve great things in their lifetime. They fight for their beliefs with every ounce of strength they possess. They are admired by others because they exhibit the characteristics of great leaders. Traits such as courage, intellegance, and charisma are qualities that allowed them to shape history and achive their goal in life. Courage can be displayed in anyone but Suleiman was a man in particular wgi ysed gus courage to be known as one of the greatest rulers in history.

Since the beginning of time, heroes in society have constantly changed. As society changed their perception of people, modern-day heroes such as Superman and Batman differ much from the heroes of Anglo-Saxon times like Beowulf. Characteristics of monsters within this time interval has also changed with society’s views. The element of fear affects our perception in distinguishing a hero from a monster.

In the writings of English literature both attributes and imperfections reflect the heroes values in culture. Along the hero's journey they gain knowledge from wrong to right, where the reader also follows along the quest of reinforcing proper cultural values. In the Late Middle Ages for instance, their honorable deeds and religious beliefs, pagan and Christianity, were highly practiced as an importance to their lives. In Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight both reflect these beliefs of the Anglo-Saxons and Middle-English while others stand in firm contrast, which can be viewed clearly through an archetypal study of the heroes in Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

An Anglo-Saxon Hero Over centuries, there has been a lot over different kind of superheroes that have been created. One of these heroes have been called Beowulf. Although Beowulf doesn’t show much of a Modern Day hero, he shows characteristics of an Anglo-Saxon hero. Beowulf shows Anglo-Saxon characteristics by showing us that he has bravery/courage, that he has loyalty to his lord/Lord, and that he had strength.