Christopher Reeve (AKA the 1978 superman) said that, “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles”. Both Beowulf and Modern day heroes are similar in that way in that they fight for the common good of people. That quote from Christopher Reeves on what a modern day hero is, also applies to the epic hero qualities that Beowulf has. Similarly Beowulf and a modern day hero defeat an evil so that good can prevail. Some examples are, Beowulf Slaying Grendel and Grendel's mother to save the land of the Danes, and soldiers fighting enemies that threaten the lives of a country, and police officers putting criminals behind bars.
In today’s society, anybody can be considered a hero. A hero is a selfless person who is admired for their courageous achievements. A mother, celebrity, or even a mailman can be a hero to someone. In Beowulf, the epic poem translated by Burton Raffel, Beowulf is recognized as a hero who craves too much glory. In today’s world, Beowulf is viewed as an irrelevant hero since he displays poor qualities of arrogance and selfishness.
In terms of subjectivity, Beowulf has human flaws that can be said to have led to his downfall, but he is also the perfect hero who exhibits only the proper values of an Anglo-Saxon warrior. The scop who wrote this story depicted Beowulf in only a positive intended light, as this epic is meant to be the warrior?s story retold, highlighting their great feats and accomplishments. This being said, a hero to the Anglo-Saxons only had faults if they were unfaithful to their people or greedy, and Beowulf displays none of these qualities. Beowulf only acts in accordance to what he feels would be best for his people, his altruism exceeding those before him, and setting a precedent that no other could reach. While it is possible to interpret Beowulf as a hero with faults, he was not originally meant to be depicted that way.
What makes Beowulf an epic hero? Well, first, Beowulf is the Prince of the Geats, he's a strong warrior who is said to have the strength of 30 men in each hand. Beowulf also possesses the ability to breathe underwater, he is a great warrior in his lands and has earn glory by winning many fights. Although, having inhumane strength and winning many fights does not make you a hero; a hero is a person who can overcome adversities for the sake of others. With this in mind, Beowulf has many outstanding achievements that certainly makes him qualify as a hero.
Heroism is a concept brought up when we think about the leader in comics, movies, and pieces of literature. The translations of Beowulf and "The Seafarer", by Burton Raffel, show variations of hardships and heroism while making standards of what today's hero should be like. The hardships faced in Beowulf and "The Seafarer" are different from each other in text, but similar to what other heroes face in modern media. "Grendal came, hoping to kill anyone he could trap on this trip to high Herot" (Canto 11). Like superheroes in movies, Beowulf had a vicious opponent.
Beowulf demonstrated bravery in the face of opposition. He was also a selfless warrior, who fought for the greater good of his people. Achilles was also a brave warrior, but he fought for what he wanted. Making him more of a selfish person. Both of these heroes demonstrated cunning, and wisdom through battle.
The hero, Beowulf, was an amazing warrior with all the unusual values required by a hero. He was able to use his super-human physical strength and bravery to put his people before himself. He stumbled upon disturbing monsters and the wildest beasts, but he never feared death
Beowulf: The heroic traits development It is proven that people look up to others as heroes because it is in the human nature, but what makes a hero? The qualities of a hero consist of excellence and courage used for the greater good. In the story of Beowulf, that took place in the Anglo-Saxon Culture, Beowulf uses these heroic traits to save the Danes from a beast named Grendel, as it had been bothering the Danes for a long time. In the modern age, heroes like Malala Yousafzai are displaying the same traits that were displayed in the Anglo-Saxon culture by heroes like Beowulf, but as the times are changing, the qualities of a hero are manifested differently. Firstly, Beowulf used his physical excellence to help the Danes from the monsters haunting them.
For many centuries in a row he was considered to be an example of a person easily overcoming extremely difficult obstacles, inspiring the others, showing great courage, sacrificing his life for good and generally typifying all the traits of a hero. He lived in the era, when the monsters and rival armies were the major problems to worry about. It is his courage and physical strength that allowed Beowulf to successfully conquer the evil Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and a terrorizing dragon. Probably, all modern book heroes are likewise courageous, loyal, wise and self-sacrificing. Just call everyone you know to the memory: Batman, Ironman, Spiderman, Capitan America, Superman, etc.
I then go on to describe Beowulf’s heroic actions, such as his grand speeches and his epic, justly fights. Within these arguments, I explore Wiglaf displaying similar characteristics of a hero, even though he is not the traditional hero of Beowulf. We Are Capable of Being a Hero: Wiglaf in Beowulf Traditionally, Wiglaf is not the hero in Beowulf; the poem is not titled Wiglaf. Yet, he is the only warrior willing to fulfill his devotion to the leader, Beowulf, and