Modesty In Beowulf

Boasting today is viewed very differently than it was during the time of Beowulf. In Beowulf’s day, boasting was thought of as informative. A person during that time would often boast to tell people about their characteristics and qualifications. In Beowulf’s boast, he was notifying people that he had the ability and skills to defeat the beast, Grendel. During Beowulf’s time, boasting typically incorporated stories of ancestors and the intentions of the boaster. However, in today’s society, boasting is usually viewed as self-centered or egotistical. It is viewed differently today than in Beowulf’s time because boasting has changed. Today, many people boast to talk highly about themselves or imply that they are more important than others.

Normally, a hero is humble and refuses to admit how great and impactful he/she has been in his/her life, but not Beowulf. Beowulf has been striving since he was young to build his legacy and glory. Another way in which Beowulf stays constant in his quest to build his name is the fact that Beowulf fights Grendel without any weapons in order to show off to his companions and Hrothgar’s king. When it says, “fastened those claws/ In his fist till they cracked” shows, not only Beowulf’s incredible strength, but also his desire to flaunt to others and to Grendel (Lines 283-284). How great would one seem to defeat their dreaded enemy with only his bare hands? To conduct a feat this incredible would surely boost his image and legacy. Lastly, as Beowulf has grown old and before he fights his final death, he utters the words “I’ve never known fear, as a youth I fought/ In endless battles. I am old, now,/ But I will fight again, seek fame still,/ If the dragon hiding in his tower dares/ To face me,” (Lines 607-609). Even as an old and frail man, Beowulf would still fight in any battle, even if he is doomed to lose, to build his legacy even further. Also in that quote, Beowulf even admits that throughout his whole life, from young to old, he has only cared about fighting in battles, seeking fame, and defeating his enemies.

In every heroic tale, there lies a theme of balance in values. Every hero is said to possess a fatal flaw; whether they overcome this flaw or let it define who they are is up to them. In the epic poem Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney, it is not particularly hard for the reader to point out their perceived flaws of our hero: arrogance, pride, egotism. Yet, Beowulf stands tall in the poem as the perfect hero, adored and praised by all. Why is it that the modern day reader can so easily decide what makes a hero imperfect? Can a hero ever be perfect at all? Well, the difference is in the time period and the cultures. While it can be argued that Beowulf is perfect, or that Beowulf is flawed, the matter remains subjective depending

A typical hero is someone who is known to be very powerful and have unusual traits that no human being can withstand. They use their powers as an advantage to fight any crime and to protect humans from the bad. However, a hero can be characterized in two different ways; an epic hero or an Anglo-Saxon hero. A character name Beowulf can be characterized as an Anglo-Saxon hero more so than an epic hero because of his actions.

Beowulf’s honor and integrity can be questioned throughout the entirety of the epic poem, Beowulf. Whether or not his actions are inspired by his own pompous arrogance or confidence, one can argue that he is a hero nonetheless. Evidence and experience prove that Beowulf is more of a fearless hero than an excessively prideful man, and his hubris is more than justified due to the formidable duties he is able to execute.

Beowulf reveals an act of arrogance throughout the epic poem Beowulf; therefore, it makes him an irrelevant hero. Beowulf claimed “that he needs no weapons and fears none” when fighting the monster. Stating that he can defeat a monster with his bare hands makes Beowulf very boastful. This quality of boastfulness expresses Beowulf’s thoughts on heroism. He only did heroic deeds for his desire. Beowulf declares that he “drove five great giants into chains, [and] chased all of that race from the Earth.” He is immensely overbearing at that point because he is too proud of his achievements. Being excessively prideful does not exactly label Beowulf as a hero. Beowulf assumes all of the courageous acts he fulfills will make him

Beowulf possessed the trait of self-assurance, almost to the point of hubris. Beowulf quickly rose through the ranks and was entrusted by King Hrothgar simply by asserting himself as the leader and savior of the Danes. By being absurdly certain in his own abilities, Beowulf was cherished by those he

Beowulf is willing to risk his life by battling battles to protect the people. There are three main battles. The first battled Beowulf had to fight was against Grendel. The second battle, Beowulf had to fight was against Grendel's mother. The third battle, Beowulf fight was against a dragon. Tangible riches are things that are able to be touched or felt. Gold is an example of tangible riches. Intangible glory is something that is unable to be touched, but it is unable to be felt. Love is an example of intangible glory.

As has been noted, many of Beowulf 's characteristics are also shared by traditional epic heroes. He 's brave and never "cowers", defeats previously unbeatable monsters, comes from nobility, and has incredible superhuman strength. Beowulf can be compared to any other epic hero, and the similarities found between them will be never ending. However, there are other characteristics that the king of the Geats possesses which make him be very different from most epic heroes. First, there is the issue with Beowulf 's lack of a moral compass. Even when he saves countless lives, the hero never intends his quests to benefit anyone else than himself. This is constant throughout the book, and not even at his deathbed does Beowulf acknowledge something that is not about him or gold. He is often preoccupied by money and fame, but the wellbeing of other people is not in his vocabulary. For example, when a dragon begins to terrorize his kingdom, Beowulf 's first thought is not to protect his people. Instead, he says, "I 've never known fear, as a youth I fought in endless battles. I am old, now, but I will fight again, seek fame still, if the dragon hiding in his tower dares to face me." (52) To Beowulf, even as an older and supposedly wiser man, his main reason for fighting monsters continues to be to gain more fame. Other heroes, like Gilgamesh and Odysseus, usually do heroic deeds to help their kingdoms and men. For example, Gilgamesh kills the heavenly bull to avoid a famine from wrecking his kingdom, while Odysseus works to save his men throughout the story multiple times. Loyalty towards himself before anyone or anything else, is one of the qualities that separates Beowulf from other traditional heroes. Ironically in his efforts to gain fame and riches, Beowulf 's traits overlap with those of an epic hero. More important than Beowulf 's lack of morality though, is the warrior 's lack of growth throughout the story. Usually, in epic poems, the protagonists change

Over the course of history, the righteous identity of masculinity has been tainted by the stereotypical profile that is governed by machoism. These stereotypes eliminate any emotions, activities, and beliefs that exhibit weakness. These stereotypes cause men to seek unrelenting physical strength, a mind of iron, and isolation. However, these are only stereotypes; a man is something much more than attempting to live their life as a masquerade. A perfect example of a man following this mockery of masculinity is the title character hailing from the epic Beowulf. Beowulf is an overwhelmingly powerful individual who boasts of his valor, honor, and strength. In the epic, he takes on tremendous challenges that he brought upon himself through his vainglorious personality. In the epic, Beowulf fits all of the classic stereotypes associated with men in modern society; however, the topic regarding Beowulf’s masculinity is highly controversial. Stereotypical traits should not govern masculinity. Therefore, Beowulf is in fact not a real man; utilizing a poem written by Rudyard Kipling and a Ted talk presented by Connor Beaton, Beowulf's manhood will be unveiled and shattered in a new light.

Beowulf showed courage when he decided to fight Grendel with his bare hands, and stated that god would decide who the victor would be. Beowulf said this by saying “ That I alone with the help of my men, may purge all evil from this hall. ……..god must decide who will be given to death’s cold grip. Sir Gawain showed courage by following through with the challenge with the Green knight . This is shown in the poem where it says “As the end of the year approaches, Gawain leaves on his quest to find the Green Chapel and fulfill his pledge.” Now that I have given the two characteristics that I believe Gawain and Beowulf share that makes them heroes, I would like to name the other traits that they have individually starting with

It was a hero meant to give a morale boost to warriors, a hero meant to bring all the glory home to his family and his home country. This hero was meant to boast his accomplishments and do it in an honorable way. It was a hero meant to be hospitable and loyal to the very end. What better book and character to demonstrate this than Beowulf.Beowulf before the events leading up to his spotlight in his story had the dream job of any warrior In those times: Slaying monsters, winning races (except one), and gaining wealth and riches. Beowulf was living it up, he could boast like none other with long, powerful, but eloquent boasts. He was loyal to all of his comrades to the very end, and he ruled over his country for 50 years being hospitable. His actions brought back much glory for his country and his name. He fought and died honorably in the way an Anglo-Saxon hero should. Beowulf is the perfect Anglo-Saxon hero. The real question is how would Beowulf match up with other heroes from different time periods? How about modern times? Would they be drastically

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.

This Question can be interpreted in different ways. The answer could be yes because he saved

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.