Winston Churchill. George Washington. Nelson Mandela. There is a common factor between these people, and that factor is leadership. These are people that were some of the most exemplary leaders in history. In the epic of Beowulf, a similar persona is depicted. Just like Churchill, Washington and Mandela, Beowulf is a prime depiction of what a leader should be, as he displays qualities of courage and unselfishness throughout this English epic. “The man whose name was known for courage” (line 340). The fact that people associated Beowulf’s name with courage shows just how courageous he is. His acts of bravery pervade the poem. He willingly fights three monstrous creatures. Beowulf does not even carry weapons with him in his battle against Grendel; he only relies on his faith. By audaciously fighting a ferocious beast without ammunition, Beowulf gains respect and protects Hrothgar’s kingdom and demonstrates the need for courage among true …show more content…
Beowulf displays this trait throughout the epic. He even loses a swimming race in order to protect his friend Breca from dangerous waters. However, one of the most notable sacrificial acts is when Beowulf goes into battle with the fire-breathing dragon knowing he will not emerge alive. The epic states, “The fabled warrior in his war-shirt and helmet trusted in his own strength entirely and went under the crag” (line 2539). He essentially walks into his death, but he does so for his people. He wants to purge his kingdom. The only way to do this is to sacrifice himself in battle, which shows an incredibly devoted leader. He ends his own life, a life that he loves, for his people. Leaders need to have a devotion so great that they are willing to do anything to help their followers. Otherwise, they would not have a following or reverence from the people. By being sacrificial, Beowulf gains respect and his message of not quitting when it comes to doing what is righteous lives
Though one real and one fiction, Beowulf and Alexander Hamilton both can be viewed as ‘heroes’ through their abilities to embody the values of their time, such as generosity, dedication, and bravery. Anglo-Saxon values varied widely, but Beowulf very clearly demonstrated generosity throughout the epic. He willingly goes to the Land of the Danes to fight the monster that plagued them, a very brave and generous action. When facing the potential for death before fighting Grendel’s mother, Beowulf asked that, “If the combat kills me, take care/of my young company; my comrade
“A hero is a man who is afraid to run away.” Although some people claim their parents or their teachers are their heroes, they are wrong. As opposed to a hero being someone that cares for others, it is someone who is brave, loyal, and strong that refuses to run away from danger. Their bravery draws them towards danger. Their loyalty provides a reason for them to fight. Their superb strength allows them to carry out their insightful plan to conquer their villains.
What characteristics does a person with Leadership hold? Dr. Tom Loughman, and Dr. John Finley in “Beowulf and the Teaching of Leadership” give their claims and opinions on what kind of leader is Beowulf. After reading the article I noticed Tom Loughman and John Finley used films and books to compare and relate them to heroism along with Beowulf. Each paragraph in the article gives more information on Beowulf and how he portrays as a leader. For example the authors used the conger and kanungo’s (1994)
Beowulf, written in the Anglo-Saxon period England between 700 and 1000 A.D, is a poem about a heroic warrior, Beowulf. Beowulf shows his leadership in many different ways throughout the poem. Beowulf’s leadership is that of a hero. He comes into the poem with a purpose, which is very evident to the reader. He is relied on by the people of Geatland for protection throughout the poem.
Beowulf is a story about a hero who is willing to put his own life on the line to protect others. In modern society, we continue to look up to leaders who embody these same qualities, whether they are political figures, community activists, or emergency responders. The story of Beowulf serves as a reminder of the power of leadership and the impact that one person can have on the lives of others. The poem also highlights the importance of loyalty and honor.
Beowulf is fighting for glory and to make a name for himself, but he is also fighting for the people that Grendel terrorizes. Beowulf is fulfilling his responsibility to the other
Beowulf is a poem that based in the 10th and 11th century that revolved around the idea of good vs evil. The poem is named after Beowulf who is a supernatural hero that slays any evil that crosses his path but is a real sweetheart when it comes to other people or the king. Beowulf is to be considered an epic poem because the hero in the story creates acts of being courageous and even superhuman in some cases, reflecting timeless values such as courage and honor, and the poem reflects unforgettable values with honor and courage. Typically in an epic poem, one will see a character or “the hero” who has outstanding courage and commit superhuman deeds and show values to other people in that era. “Then he drew himself up beside his shield./The fabled warrior in his warshirt and helmet/trusted in his own strength entirely/
Beowulf values confidence, bravery, and fame all in which sculpt his overall image. These principles help him overcome monsters and myths most men fear. Beowulf seems to never lose these traits, thus causing him to be a courageous soldier for battle. Beowulf’s close minded ideals about himself makes him an example of a static figure. Beowulf in the story never seems to forget
Shortly after he extinguishes the first monster, he then faced with an even more difficult task of killing that monster’s mother. When he gets to the Grendel’s mother’s hideout, “he leaped into the lake, would not wait for anyone’s” (570) This furthermore proves to us Beowulf’s bravery. He
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.
Beowulf embodies many universal societal heroic values that are signified in the modern world like courage, bravery, and strength. In the poem, Beowulf displays courage. “Now, I mean to be a match for Grendel, settle the outcome in single combat” (Heaney 425-426). This quote shows courage because he’s telling them that he can fight Grendel and wants to weather he wins or loses.
This proves that he is strong and brave because no one else could kill Grendel let alone face him. Beowulf kills Grendel with his bare hands and without armor on. Other warriors could not even kill him with a sword and armor. “Beowulf’s intention to fight Grendel with only his strength proves that he carries the characteristics of a true hero”(Hailey).
Sacrifice is one of the greatest reverence of a hero. Beowulf story introduce a realization that hero always stay the same and up to the end we can still regard with wonder those hero's sacrifices. He sacrifice his own LIFE, quarrel without a sword, ruin everything with his splitting arm and defeat those protagonist. Hero can face all dilemmas but not to escape death. Since, end is a pleasure for a hero and to death by protecting his kingdom is a great privilege as an emulative man.
For the first time ever, Beowulf needs assistance in battle. He is King, which means that his responsibility toward his people has become much greater. He must ensure that they are protected from all forces of evil. It is evident that his motivation in battle has changed. When he was younger, he just wanted to pursue glory.
A leader is a type of person that everyone can look up to, who will be there when someone needs help, and someone that everyone desires to be. Although every leader is different in some aspects, there are common characteristics that leaders distribute. Among the various characteristics the characters hold in Beowulf, a few great qualities illuminate through, these being generosity, bravery, and most of all loyalty. Beowulf and Hrothgar portray to be a strong leader through the story exerting these qualities. A leader should have a sense of bravery to take risks and actions.