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. In the beginning, Beowulf was introduced as a young and powerful warrior whose heroism is defined by his great strength. …show more content…
As the story progress, Beowulf became king of the Geats for 50 years when suddenly a dragon emerged from slumber began to burn down villages. However, Beowulf didn’t pay the slightest attention, but instead ignored what was happening. Finally, when the dragon burns down Beowulf’s throne room Beowulf decided that he needs to deal with the dragon. In Beowulf 's eyes, the lives of his citizens couldn’t even compare to his throne room. When Beowulf prepared to fight the dragon he said, “Now I am old, but as king of the people I shall pursue this fight for the glory of winning” (lines 2512-2514). Beowulf is telling us that he doesn’t value the lives of his citizen, but instead values glory and is willing to fight for it. In the end, Beowulf slays the dragon but paid his life as the price. In conclusion, Beowulf would be considered a great warrior, but not a hero. Although Beowulf accomplished many heroic deeds he never did any of them for the right reasons. Therefore, Beowulf is not a hero, but only a warrior who values renown and rewards. From all this, we know that the perception of a hero from Beowulf’s time differs from our perception today. As we feel that the intentions define a hero while in Beowulf’s time the reputation and accomplishments are what makes a
Throughout human history, societies have consistently envisioned venerated, robust figures whose character traits are constructed to create the ultimate individual to whom many admire: the classic hero. It is inherit that unique standards are sought due to humanity's yearn for safety, social change, and human satisfaction. A time period's societal standards greatly affect who a hero is; ideas of modern-day heroes are vastly different than in the past. Beowulf, the most noteworthy Anglo-Saxon hero, illustrates the distinction between past and present heroes. Despite the obvious differences, some values have not changed: courageousness, leadership, and strength.
“In Pennsylvania, there is talk of erecting a monument to the brave passengers aboard flight 93,” (Cannon 5). The original thought when someone hears hero is flying through the sky, stopping planes from crashing into the love of their life, or even killing villains with their lazar vision. But everyone knows that with a little bit of reality none of that is possible. The modern day hero is someone who may risk their life or maybe just their good day just to improve someone else’s bad day. Beowulf was a fictional hero but set the example of what we think when we hear the word hero.
In life there are people and there are other people who are extraordinary. These people risk their lives, are courageous, and go the extra mile for someone or something. These people are heroes. In the story Beowulf, Beowulf is a hero. He is considered a hero because he fits under each of these qualities.
Although this idea was not present during the conception of the Aeneid and Beowulf, their heroes can still be analyzed based on a modern perspective. Thus, we ask ourselves the following questions—which of them is the modern hero? To answer that, we should think about the definition of traditional heroes versus the modern heroes. When we think of traditional heroes, we see them as brave and noble warriors that
Although the main character of the story, Beowulf does not represent much as the protagonist. He is, in a sense, the perfectly good hero arc of a role-playing game. The beginning of the story begins with a young Beowulf just starting his journey into becoming a famed warrior king. He is shown putting immense value on impressive feats of courage and ambition and gradually at the end of the story he puts more emphasis on loyalty to his fellow men. The author of Beowulf wove slight Christian tones throughout the book and it is obvious Beowulf himself is meant to signify something heavenly or good.
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.
Beowulf possessed the poised demeanor necessary to defeat all evils by the arrogant swing of his sword. The commitment shown by lending his life to the welfare of his people was imperative in order to be called a flawless warrior. Beowulf embodied the determination that Anglo-Saxons saw as unmeasurably valuable. If nothing more than just fiction, Beowulf is the ideal hero of the people from who he originated. “They said that of all the kings upon the earth he was the man most gracious and fair-minded, kindest to his people and keenest to win fame.”
Both Beowulf and modern day heroes risk their life for the good of others and are held to a high regard. " Nor have I seen a mightier man-at-arms on this earth than the one standing here: unless I am mistaken, is truly noble. This is no mere hanger-on in a hero's armor”. Beowulf was a considered an epic hero because he did great deeds and was of high importance. While heroes today aren’t usually princes or royalty, they are usually held to high respect like
Life is a game, one which winning or losing both have the same end. We know not of where one goes when death calls our name. Although, if there is a realm in which heroes are taken, Beowulf will be one of the first in line at the gates. No glory or honor will ever match one of which was Beowulf’s. He was king for many years and always tried to keep his people safe from mighty creatures and beasts.
A hero is someone who spend his life on doing goods for other. In this epic Beowulf is the strongest hero. The person who never think of himself in his life, are the real heroes. He has all the qualities like strong, brave and smart but he also has many more qualities like loyal, trustworthiness. He is more than a hero in this epic.
In today’s society, anybody can be considered a hero. A hero is a selfless person who is admired for their courageous achievements. A mother, celebrity, or even a mailman can be a hero to someone. In Beowulf, the epic poem translated by Burton Raffel, Beowulf is recognized as a hero who craves too much glory. In today’s world, Beowulf is viewed as an irrelevant hero since he displays poor qualities of arrogance and selfishness.
Alexander Hamilton once said, “There is a certain Enthusiasm in liberty that makes Human nature rise above itself, in acts of bravery and heroism.” Beowulf is an epic poem in which the main character Beowulf did acts of service, but he fought for those who couldn’t fight. The overall theme of good versus evil in Beowulf had Beowulf dealing with challenges that no ordinary man would be able to handle unless they were a true epic hero. Throughout the poem Beowulf proves to be an epic hero by his strength, bravery, and sacrifice.
Today in the fiction of this modern world, the characteristics of a hero have not changed. Heroes in movies, TV shows, and literature all have these qualities. Beowulf's main goal was to seek glory and fame all the days of his life. Because of his heroic deeds Beowulf does not die, but lives on; not just in a tower above the sea, but in a poem that was sung for centuries around the
The epic poem of Beowulf as a whole had Beowulf ending his adventures, where he had his own beliefs become the very thing that punctured his fate at last. These morals had moved Beowulf through a beautiful time, of no fear and entering battles with the acceptance of a future that will happen to him. In spite of this though, Beowulf routine of trust only became something that was never modified, becoming something of a scale much lower than his opponents. A definition of a hero had been something Wiglaf mentions as Beowulf’s kinsman saying how “A warrior will sooner/ die than live a life of shame” ( 2890-2891) Beowulf showed the ideal version of a hero, as a warrior who chooses his final closure through a way of honor worth a grand prize or
While others bask in their cowardly ambiance, taking shelter is the first thought to cross their mind, Beowulf on the other hand makes true to his word and time after time again slays the terrifying monster. It was almost as if he wasn't afraid of death, and if he thought that maybe he would die he still fought. No matter the circumstance he makes the best out of it and comes out victorious. The integrity and selflessness that Beowulf shows is unmatched by any other. He unlike most other heroes isn't corrupted by the riches and glory that is presented to him.