Beowulf - An Epic Hero Essay

Epic heroes such as Beowulf are seen as god-like men who possess inhumane strength and agility, making them the ultimate fighters and the deadliest of enemies. Naturally, the heroes boast of their strength, usually by retelling a fearsome battle when he emerged as the victor. Beowulf proves to Hrothgar that he is strong enough to undertake the task of defeating Grendel when he recounts his famous quests and tests of strength (cm).

What does it mean to be a hero? Like anything else in this world, the definition of the word hero can be argued. Some may say that a hero can be passive, that is if he or she refrains from doing a certain action it makes them heroic. Others would argue that to be truly heroic the character must never turn tail and always face the obstacle head on even though he or she may die in the process. So is Beowulf a hero? Yes, Beowulf is a great epic hero, but his greatness comes only from his sword and not from his mind.

Beowulf, just like all Anglo-Saxon epic heros, was willing to put his own life in danger for the greater good. He displayed honor in his every act and gave people a sense of security. Although he may have been afraid of fighting Grendel, he did not

Beowulf ‘s confidence in his abilities and courage to carry out his mission exhibits how he could be considered an epic hero. When he first hears of the Danes’ plight with the monster Grendel, Beowulf wastes no time in “his plan to sail the swan’s road and seek out that king” who desperately needs assistance in his troubles (Heaney 201-202). He eagerly accepts his call to action, wasting no time in ensuring King Hrothgar of his “awesome strength” and exhibiting an unwavering self-assurance as he recalls how he “battled and bound five beasts” (Heaney 418-420). In these first encounters with the hero, it is evident that Beowulf’s defining characteristics include his courage and pride. There is no fear or reluctance in his attempt for glory,

“Beowulf” is a medieval heroic epic. The poem originated on the basis of ancient traditions related to pagan times. The poem represent an early example of precisely moral heroism, but not the one that is caused by the desire for fame and power. The main character of the poem, Beowulf, is capable of sacrificing himself and courage in the name of justice. He is a true hero by honoring his country and exerting his power and strength to protect others. His courage is shown by not hesitating to risk his own life to pursue the Dane’s enemies. By being self-assured, Beowulf is able to successfully defeat the fiends, Grendel and his infamous mother. At the time Beowulf is planning to pursue the vindictive dragon, the epic poem states, “I’ve never known fear, as a youth I fought in endless battles. I am old now, but I will fight again, seek fame still, If the dragon hiding in his tower dares to face me.” (ll. 2511-2515). He feels no fear, is confident in fighting the dragon alone, and has no qualms in risking his life to save others. He declares his bravery by saying, “When he comes to me I mean to stand, not run from his shooting flames, stand till fate decides which of us wins... No one else could do what I mean to, here, no man but me could hope to defeat this monster.” (ll. 2525-2534) In his actions, Beowulf’s bravery is clearly shown throughout the poem. As king, Beowulf is the

Beowulf was characterized as being brave because even when he knew he was about to die he

There are many types of heroes--some with superpowers, some who do amazing deeds, and some who are in our everyday lives. However, one of the best examples of a hero is Beowulf from Beowulf: a New Telling. Beowulf is a brave man who is willing to accept weaknesses and turn them into strengths. He aids Hrothgar, the king of the Danes, in defeating many monsters such as Grendel and Grendel’s Mother, which kill people and bring terror. Afterwards, he heads home and is crowned king after the king dies, and thus kills the Firedrake, which was destroying land in anger. Beowulf is a hero worthy of notice. In Robert Nye’s novel Beowulf: a New Telling, sacrifice and humility are heroic traits seen throughout the novel within Beowulf’s character.

Throughout the story, Beowulf embodies the characteristics of a hero. Beowulf is going to save people from a beast named Grendel using only his bare hands. He is heroic because he has unnatural strength, courage, and selfless. When describing what Beowulf will do to kill the monster the he says, “is so great that he needs no weapons and fears none. Nor will I” (line 168). Beowulf had faught many giants before and he is confidence and asks only one thing, that only him and his men fight the monster.

Throughout the story Beowulf displays many attributes of a hero. For example, he displays bravery, honor and strength in many situations throughout the entire story, proving to everyone why he is a hero. Although these aren’t all of the characteristics of a hero, these are the most important of a hero back in Beowulf’s time and these characteristics is what most people strived to have but only came to a select few.

Beowulf exhibits his bravery and courage when he travels to Denmark in aid of King Hrothgar to slay a beast named Grendel, when he jumps in a lake to kill Grendel’s Mother, and when he goes to slay the dragon when basically everyone else deserted him. He shows honor by fighting Grendel with no weapon when Grendel was unarmed. He proves his strength throughout his encounters by overcoming his enemies in battle even when he was pinned

In his brave and fantastic tale, Beowulf has shown many characteristics of a hero. He’s battled those that kill for their own pleasure, and rid the Dane’s of an intelligent and ruthless killer set on revenge. He has returned to his homeland to become the strong, undefeated King of Geats, where he proves that, when the dragon kills him, the undefeated can be defeated. Several of Beowulf’s traits, characteristics, and abilities, throughout his great story, are considered heroic.

One more characteristic of a hero that Beowulf displays is his fearlessness and bravery. When he hears of Grendel attacking, he comes to help Herot with no fear. He also shows this fearlessness when he drops his weapon in the fight with Grendel’s mom, “He tossed his sword aside, angry; the steel-edged blade lay where he’d dropped it”(line 487). Only a truly brave warrior would realize his weapon was useless, drop it, and then continue to fight. Beowulf is the definition of brave.

A long long time ago there was a young man named Beowulf who was a monster's worst nightmare. He would destroy all monsters and stop at nothing. One day he and his men were called about to come to defeat a monster that Hrothgar(the king of the danes) and his people were having problems with. Through this brilliant story Beowulf shows many attributes to being a real hero. He’s extremely courageous and fearless. He seems to show very little fear and worry when he fights these monsters.

Beowulf was one of a kind from birth, no other man could do anything to achieve the natural ability of Beowulf. “There was no one else like him alive. In his day, he was the mightiest man on earth, highborn and powerful” (Beowulf 196-198). Also, Beowulf had exceptional strength. This strength was unattainable that this made him so heroic because their was no other like him. “They declared, with the strength of thirty

He was brave because he went to Hrothgar’s kingdom and defeated Grendel, a monster from Hell, then after he killed Grendel’s mother, and then a dragon. He was so strong that he ripped off Grendel’s arm with no weapons or sword only with his bare hands. Beowulf used the sword that was on the wall and cut Grendel’s mother’s head off. When he defeated the dragon, he cut the dragon’s part where his flames come up through and then stuck his arm in and grabbed his heart and pulled it out. Beowulf had so much courage that he went to the king wanting to help them and kill the monster. Beowulf wanted a desire to achieve immortality by having gold and the kingdom, and by, also, slaying every monster that was in his path.