Beowulf Epic Hero Essay

The epic poem Beowulf is famous for many reasons. Among the top reasons is that it is a perfect example of the Hero’s Journey, a story structure that is common in many other well-known stories across the globe. It follows a series of plot points to create an interesting and suspenseful journey that the readers take. The poem follows these plot points almost exactly. Another reason it is famous is because the hero of the story, Beowulf, exemplifies all the characteristics of an ideal hero and king.

What would you truly call an epic hero? Do you think Beowulf is in epic hero, or maybe he’s not an epic hero to you? Threw this paper I will give you examples of why Beowulf would be considered an epic here in my standards. If you don’t think my opinion isn’t strong enough well that’s you. Let’s start out what’s an epic hero?

What characteristics do heroes have? A great representation of a hero is Beowulf written by Burton Raffel. The story of, Beowulf is a hero that goes to kingdoms while they are in distress and helps them by facing hideous monsters. Heroes are people who meet certain characteristics and are willing to help people for good. A hero is supposed to make people feel safe, and have hope that there will be help.

Beowulf's pagan warrior culture perceives fame as a way of leaving an eternal memory of an individual's actions. It’s something that will continue one's memory even after death. Beowulf believes that it will be a way of praising him for his deeds. From his compassion to courage, and his bravery and honor, all of Beowulf’s actions come together to prove he is an epic

Beowulf was invincible in his strength. He battles terrifying monster and risks his life. He showcases his heroic stoicism through his super-human physical strength. Grendel was a horrendous monster that was the incarnation of maleficence. Beowulf’s men had tried to use their weapons to fight, but Grendel “ blunted every mortal man 's blade” (Line 485).

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.

Gandhi was once quoted “An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind.” What if that was the only way to end mass murders. Part of the action in Beowulf holds a stance for the few exceptions in the world. If a man commit murder and officials cannot stop him by force and the only way to stop him is by murder, then is that not two wrongs? If the sacrifice of man can be stopped with a wrong, then what is so wrong with that.

A Hero's Journey thru Life Throughout life there will be many challenges that will present themselves some of them will be caused by someone else but others will be caused by yourself. Some people will call these people Foes or Anti-Heros. They can range from a monster called Grendel to just a teacher at your high school or just earning the high school diploma. The “Hero” will need to overcome the foe in whatever way they chose. For a high school student there are many foes that one might need to overcome, one of them is graduating high school.

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.

A hero does not fight for fame and glory but for the greater good. A hero is someone who goes through adversity to help others in desperate times. A hero fights evil, and defends people. Beowulf should be considered a hero because he is a strong, brave warrior who defended his people and slayed evil monsters. Beowulf proves himself to be a strong, brave warrior by killing Grendel the monster.

The definition of a true hero is very subjective as people have their own opinions on what makes someone a hero. Some people might consider someone who does the right thing a hero, for some it may be people who fight for their country. The characteristics of a hero might vary, but in the epic “Beowulf,” Beowulf is sought out to be the hero because of three main traits; his noble cause, code of honor, and his strength and courage. Each of these traits makes up the hero he is portrayed to be. One of the first qualities described in the epic is the act of a noble cause.

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.

Near the end of his life as a king, Beowulf found that his citizens were being terrorized by a dragon. Although he was old and grizzled, the king took it on in battle. He showed tremendous courage even when knowing the odds were not in his favor. Previously, during his time in Denmark, Beowulf killed Grendel’s mother with the sword made for a giant. This showed his superhuman strength because as an ordinary human being Beowulf was able to handle and control the giant’s sword.

Beowulf is an archetypal character within a legendary piece of text. He embodies the conglomerate of many Anglo Saxon values expressed throughout his heroic journey. Contrived by the mighty Northern Anglo Saxons, Beowulf is the manifestation of the Anglo Saxon ideals. This work of art helps us identify and analyze Beowulf’s ideals in a way that lets us deduce the values of the Anglo Saxon society. Examination of this poem lets us familiarize ourselves about a society obsessed with religion, vengeance and war-lust beings.

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.