Beowulf: A True Hero

The poets within Beowulf sing about tales of heroes and their heroic deeds. The sing about these deeds, even if some of them have failed. They sing their songs to King Hrothgar, his subjects, Beowulf, and his men. The poets sang to share these stories, back then stories were always passed down orally through

Beowulf is a very strong man. In order to fight and defeat Grendel he must show how strong he is. Beowulf states, “The truth is this: when the going was heavy in those high waves, I was the strongest swimmer of all." (532-534) This quote shows how Beowulf believes that he should always show his strength even when he does not have a heroic act to be accomplished; therefore, even if there is not a demon or dragon to fight, he wants to show his strength in different ways.

Heroes. They are here for us when we need them. Without fail, they come to our rescue and save us from our sinful desires and offer an escape from the sin filled world we live in. At least that is the hero we think of when it comes to modern-day thoughts on a hero. One thing is true about a hero, that they have distinct qualities that set them above normal people.

The protagonist of the epic poem "Beowulf," Beowulf, is a model of the traditional epic hero archetype. He exhibits many of the conventional characteristics of this archetype throughout the poem in his different heroic deeds. But at the same time, the traits of contemporary heroes have evolved over time, and Beowulf may be viewed in a different light than those we cherish and adore now. Strength and combat prowess are two of the essential qualities of an epic hero. Beowulf is known for his tremendous strength and fighting prowess, both of which are displayed throughout the epic.

Beowulf actions, and mindset shows that he is an epic hero. (11.749-756), this quote shows his supernatural strength and bravery. “When the going was heavy in the high waves, I was the strongest swimmer of them all.” This quote shows that swimming for hours isn’t something just any male or female could do, it takes a lot of body strength and fatigue. (11.529-534), in these lines, “ I have heard moreover that the monster scorns in his reckless way to use weapons; therefore..

Beowulf is an Anglo-Saxon epic that was told by scops, or story tellers, in the 6th century. The epic is about how Beowulf, a brave hero, fights evil monsters that are harming the people of Herot. Because Beowulf was written so long ago, specifically in medieval times, he is considered a hero. Some people would disagree that he is a true hero based on the reasons why he fights. Yet, no matter what motives are behind his actions, Beowulf is still a true hero because of his constant show of courage, combativeness, and loyalty.

An epic hero is an individual who must evoke a sense of heroism through legendary and inspiring deeds (Merriam-Webster). These heroes of tragedy have the ability to determine their own fortune due to the amount of admired characteristics they possess. However, the ideals of an epic hero are constantly fluctuating due to the ever changing ideals of society. Although the characteristics of an epic hero are under constant modification, Beowulf is still an effective modern-day hero due to his acts of courage, compassion, and dedication in relation to his people. Courage can be defined as any individual possessing moral or mental strength in the face of physical pain or indescribable hardship (Personalitytutor).

To be considered an epic hero, one must not only exhibit acts of courage but also perform acts of being superhuman. Beowulf, known for his great feats of strength, is considered to be one of the greatest epic heros of all time. He posses all the qualifications necessary for him to be categorized as being an epic hero. What does it take to be an Epic hero? It's a name given to few.

In the epic poem “Beowulf” the character Beowulf is the foundation for all of our modern heroes, but was he really a great hero? A hero is classified as a person who is admired for their bravery, achievements, or nobility. Although Beowulf displays all these qualities, there are several reasons he is not a hero, mainly him being egotistical and arrogant. This is why Beowulf is not a heroic person. Beowulf is often caught bragging about himself and his great accomplishments.

Throughout the history of mankind there have been many books and stories written which preview a hero doing dangerous, epic deeds for the good of others. The same is true in the story of Beowulf, titled Beowulf. Beowulf was written by the Anglo Saxons by an unknown author. In the book Beowulf, Beowulf follows the role of the archetypal hero and fulfills it by going on epic quests to help, and save kingdoms. This is shown whenever Beowulf sets out to fight Grendel, an awful beast who is terrorizing Hrothgar’s kingdom.

Throughout the poem, Beowulf fights three different monsters and in each of these situations he chooses to begin the fight without their help. He enters into combat with his men by his side, but when the actual fighting begins he defeats the monsters with very little help from them. Beowulf’s strength and physical prowess was unlike any other man in comparison to his height and incredible grip. Furthermore, Beowulf can be categorized as an outcast based on his personality traits. The main character is set apart from the other warriors because of his courage and humility.

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.

Once upon a time, there was a marvelous warrior that was a hero to so many and king to some. In the story of Beowulf, the hero, Beowulf, must follow and go through the hero’s journey. The hero’s journey has twelve stages, or three acts. The stages go in the order: 1) The Call to Adventure, 2) Assistance, 3) Departure, 4) Trials, 5) Approach to the Inmost Cave, 6) Crisis, 7) Treasure, 8) Result, 9) Return, 10) New Life, 11) Resolution, and 12) Status Quo (Winkler). Since Beowulf is facing three different monsters, there is not only the story’s significant journey, but also multiple inside it.

Near the end of his life as a king, Beowulf found that his citizens were being terrorized by a dragon. Although he was old and grizzled, the king took it on in battle. He showed tremendous courage even when knowing the odds were not in his favor. Previously, during his time in Denmark, Beowulf killed Grendel’s mother with the sword made for a giant. This showed his superhuman strength because as an ordinary human being Beowulf was able to handle and control the giant’s sword.

Every culture, every time period, will find a flaw in every hero: Beowulf is no exception. To an Anglo-Saxon of the time period, Beowulf is the perfect hero, without a doubt. He is a shining example for his people to live by. A life lead by ambition and driven by the desire to protect, Beowulf?s story is one to be acknowledged.