Beowulf As An Archetypal Hero

Beowulf: A Well-Designed Hero with Exceptional Qualities How do Beowulf’s events correlate to Beowulf as a character? Beowulf exhibits characteristics of a hero in many ways. Some include his bravery, courage, skill, and quest. For example, Beowulf defeated Grendel by tearing his opponent’s arm off under gruesome circumstance (791-823).

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.

Joshua Cline Jeana Link World Literature 4th Period 3 February 2023 Beowulf, the Tale of an Imperfect Hero “Experience is the teacher of all things,” -Julius Caesar. The protagonist in this Anglo-Saxon heroic poem, Beowulf, lives this quote. King Hrothgar contracts Beowulf to fight different monsters such as: Grendel, Grendel’s Mom, and a Dragon across his lifetime. Every battle that he wins, he learns to be a better fighter. Although, in doing so, he fuels his ego and confidence in only needing himself..

Beowulf: The Modern Hero Benjamin Disaraeli once said, “The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example.” This rings true for heroes from all periods of time, especially for those form the historical time of the epic hero Beowulf. This invincible Anglo­Saxon’s definition of heroism is often dismissed due to his arrogance, yet it is still quite relevant. Despite the conventional thoughts of many, Beowulf remains a relevant example of a hero in modern society due to his unquenchable thirst to be the savior to those weaker than he and his uninhibited arrogance and obscene vanity.

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).

The hero in the epic poem Beowulf is the main character, Beowulf. He demonstrates heroic qualities as soon as the readers are introduced to his character. Beowulf proves himself to be courageous and brave by voluntarily fighting the “undefeatable” monster, Grendel. He is greatly admired by both the Danes and Geats for his courageous acts. Although his motivation is altered to only benefit himself with the title of the greatest warrior, his plan to save the Danes is greatly appreciated by all in the land.

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.

“Dripping with my enemies blood, I drove five great giants into chains chased all of that race from the earth.” An epic hero is someone who possess qualities such as bravery, strength, and superhuman. Beowulf’s willingness and sacrifice of himself to save others is why I must really say he is and epic hero. Some people could be heroes but still not have it in them to want to slay dragons and fight monster, But that was no challenge for Beowulf.

Beowulf ended the suffering of the people he was trying to protect. He displays absolute courage and bravery on the battlefield. Moreover, he shows no fear or any sign of weakness, as he is determined to defeat the enemy. His physical strength is seen when he abandons his sword and faces the enemy barehanded. He does not want to appear weak by hiding behind a shield or sword that will protect him.

Beowulf’s bravery became an example for all of the warriors who would follow after him in Herot and even in other lands as his story spread all

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.

So every elder and experienced councilman/ among my people supported my resolve / to come here to you’” (Heaney 409-417). This first example suggests that Beowulf and his men come to Denmark to fight and help the people because he has heard about the terrible things Grendel has done, and thus starts the

Christopher Reeves once said, “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” Although Beowulf was human, he was not an ordinary individual, hero, or king, for he was a man who displayed superhuman qualities in his efforts to protect the Danish and Geatish people. Beowulf, who was established Geatish warrior that spent his life in battle, showed these extraordinary characteristics that made him an epic hero, one who possesses superhuman, almost god-like qualities. Being constantly on a quest, risking his life for glory and the greater good of society, and being superiorly intelligent, courageous and strong are the three most important reasons why Beowulf deserves such a notable

The Perfect Hero 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.

Beowulf is one of the oldest and most well-known epic stories throughout the world. The main character in this story is Beowulf himself. Beowulf is a true and epic hero, who ultimately loses his life while trying to protect the he cared for. Beowulf was a man of great strength, which allowed him to defeat monster and make him the hero that he was. He did not have this strength on his own accord, but was assisted with some divine intervention.