Theme Of Hubris In Beowulf

What are the qualities of a great leader? Confidence is typically one of the most common answers to this question, but when can confidence hurt instead of help? Hubris is defined as “extreme pride and arrogance shown by a character in a position of power that ultimately brings about his downfall.” It is a popular literary device used for characters who use their power to justify their own overestimation of their abilities to the point that they lose touch with reality. A character who exhibits hubris will go through any means possible to not lose their power in society. In the epic poem Beowulf, as well as in the play Macbeth, the protagonists gain the status of king through murder which makes them appear to be invincible because they are so

However, in his time, this was an acceptable, and even notable means to becoming a hero. Once he became king he, like Macbeth, felt he was invincible which is why he decided he had to be the one to fight the Drake. Even early on in his heroic career when he goes to fight Grendel’s mother his hubris blinded him to the truth. Prior to their battle, “Beowulf got ready, donned his war-gear, indifferent to death” (27). Because Beowulf was able to succeed in doing what no one before him could, defeating Grendel and his mother, his pride grew immensely throughout his life. The hubris came to its peak when it came time to fight back against the drake that had been terrorizing his

Leaders in position of power like the King’s have to discover and maintain a fine balance between confidence and overconfidence. That fine line quite literally can be the difference between life or death. The issue of overconfidence in positions of power is directly reflected in the current politics in the United States. While it may not be life or death for the people in power, it does toe the line of keeping or losing their power. As well as, their decisions can very well be life or death for the people they are supposed to be protecting and ruling over. A leader must be able to have confidence without letting it prevent him from seeing the realities of ruling. Only then can they have a long, prosperous, and successful career in