The Heroic Characteristics Of Beowulf

After our class discussion comparing the heroic qualities of Bilbo, Beowulf, and Thorin, it made me to wonder—what about Wiglaf? Is he as much of a hero as the others? I began my research by checking out books from the library, Heroic Poetry in the Anglo-Saxon Period and A Beowulf Handbook, in search of a better understanding of what it means to be a hero in the Anglo-Saxon period, and to question if the lack of archetypical heroic qualities makes a character even more of hero. I was additionally interested to see comparisons of unlikely heroes in Tolkien’s writings to those in Anglo-Saxon poetry. Within my paper, I will explain why I perceive the theme of Beowulf is people, regardless of their status, have the ability to be a hero; they must decide. Wiglaf chooses to be a hero while the others did not. I begin my argument by first defining what it means to be a hero today as well as in Anglo-Saxon literature. From there, I show the importance of Beowulf being mortal and having human qualities, like families. 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