Beowulf Is Honorable

Honor and family are two values that are relevant in the history of cultures that motivate the actions of epic heroes in stories as well as the monsters.. The poems “Dream of the Rood” and Beowulf demonstrates these concepts while tying in the cultural importance of that time period, in this case the Anglo-Saxon culture during the Middle Ages. The meaning of honor is to fulfill one’s destiny to fight for the king and succeed in the rules set forth in the culture. Family is important because in Anglo-Saxon culture, warriors’ reputation is based on who their family was and their successes or failures. The definition that describes human and monsters would be humans have the capacity to feel empathy as well as respect the culture while monsters

The tale of Beowulf is one of the most established cases of what society sees as a hero. In spite of the fact that the story was composed in Anglo-Saxon circumstances, the accreditations one would require so to be considered by society a legend continue as before. The Anglo-Saxons believed that a hero was brave and bold, however modest and kind also. They likewise trusted that a legend was astute and noble, in which he would battle until death with a specific end goal to guard his people. Beowulf is portrayed as minding, humane, honorable, and understanding, which makes him appear as though he had each attribute of a genuine

Beowulf also displays great courage, for example, when he fought the dragon, he knew it was his last battle, but there was no hint of fear on his face and he fought like a warrior until the bitter end. These traits make someone a hero in today’s society. A hero that is willing to fight for what they believe in and lead people into the correct path. A hero that is willing to give their all and not give up when there is an immense obstacle up ahead. These two heroes might share different stories, but they share the same courage to fight and the honor to give their all.

The Greatest Hero BATMAN, saves many people on board when Joker wants to bomb the boats they’re in. SPIDER-MAN saves NYC when the Green Goblin came to attack. And BEOWULF, Beowulf risks HIS life to save his people. He is very similar to superheroes in today’s world but, Beowulf is to be considered the very first and greatest hero of them all. Beowulf exemplifies the characteristics of a Modern Day Hero.

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.

According to Dictionary.com, a hero is “a person noted for courageous acts or nobility of character” (Dictionary.com). Beowulf does many courageous acts in the book, such as killing Grendel and slaying the dragon. He also has “nobility of character,” as his reasons for doing these acts are purely selfless. He even knew that he was going to die before fighting the dragon, but he fought it anyway to protect his kingdom (Beowulf 165). The Britannica Dictionary defines a hero as “a person who is greatly admired” (Britannica.com).

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.”

Christopher Reeve (AKA the 1978 superman) said that, “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles”. Both Beowulf and Modern day heroes are similar in that way in that they fight for the common good of people. That quote from Christopher Reeves on what a modern day hero is, also applies to the epic hero qualities that Beowulf has. Similarly Beowulf and a modern day hero defeat an evil so that good can prevail. Some examples are, Beowulf Slaying Grendel and Grendel's mother to save the land of the Danes, and soldiers fighting enemies that threaten the lives of a country, and police officers putting criminals behind bars.

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.

Was Beowulf an honorable hero? Absolutely! He was an honorable hero. In this essay I will tell the reason for his titled name. The reasons that will be explained includes: the actions he did, the type of person he was and what he believed him, and his relentless fighting efforts towards every monster/creature around.

In the beginning, Beowulf was introduced as a young and powerful warrior whose heroism is defined by his great strength.

Beowulf: Epic Hero or Proud Fool? So what exactly is a hero? A hero to most is a person idealized for their courage and their outstanding achievements and qualities. Some may even consider Beowulf a hero due his never backing down and risking his own life for the safety of his people.

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.