Beowulf the Epic Hero - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 784 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2019/05/08 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: Beowulf Essay Did you like this example? Â  Beowulf is the perfect hero, and he shows almost all traits that any hero would have. The epic poem ?Beowulf comes from the Anglo-Saxon times and in this tale they put forth their idea of a hero. Beowulf shows the traits that most any hero shows, such as Beowulf made a name for himself through heroic deeds, he has courage when everyone else is desperate and infested with fear, and lastly his fearless behavior that leads to victory is all under Gods blessing. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Beowulf the Epic Hero" essay for you Create order Beowulf also has charming abilities when it comes to speaking or influencing others, like how he woes the king when he first arrives to the land of the Danes. Considering all of Beowulfs traits and all other epic heroes traits, it can be safely said that Beowulf is a true epic hero. Beowulf has a set in stone fate that his shown through his heroic deeds that he first explains to king Hrothgar when he arrives to the Land of the Danes. According to the text Beowulf enters the Herot and addresses the king, and he states such reasons for his visit to the Land of the Danes. Beowulf continues on speaking of the wise men in his village suggested he come because they have seen him come back from most difficult missions, like killing a family of giants or slaying water monsters. Beowulf then makes a name for himself when he slays Grendel by ripping his arm from its socket and letting the monster bleed out off in the forest. These acts of great heroic deeds makes all around him see Beowulf as a hero and thereby name Beowulf the hero of this epic poem. Upon further reading, I know that once Grendel is slain his mother comes to the great hall full of sorrowful, motherly rage. Grendels mother unleashes her wrath upon those sleeping in the great hall and Beowulf isnt there to save them. Once again, the Danes knew great sorrow and Grendels mother had escaped back to her lair under the frozen lake thats filled with sea monsters. However, Beowulf hears of the news and tracks Grendels mother to the lake. Along with him ride king Hrothgar and his men; once they fight a monster at the waters edge Hrothgar and his men go no further. Beowulf then enters this underworld alone in pursuit of the lair (Episode 6-7). Only the true heroes will go into an unknown world of dangers alone to accomplish a victory for the greater good. For example, Orpheus enters the underworld to retrieve his love Eurydice, Theseus heads down to the Hades underworld to retrieve the hades wife, and lastly Hercules travels down to fight Cerberus. Even though Beowulf doesnt enter Hades form of the underworld, he does still travel to the ?underworld of Grendels mother. Based on the text, the author tells us that though each of Beowulfs encounters with evil he had the blessing of God to help him in victory. Beowulf states himself when speaking to Hrothgar that when he fights Grendel he will let God decide who shall be taken by death (Episode 3). Now usually we see heroes that were born from a god and even though Beowulf was not he still has the blessing of God, like the heroes when see in other stories. We also see gods blessing when Beowulf is battling Grendels mother and the sword she swings at him does not go through his armor the author states Holy God, who brought about war victory (Episode 7). Unfortunately, Beowulf does not make it through his fight with the Dragon; however the dragon is defeated. Through each battle Beowulf acknowledges God for his victories giving the inference that he has consent of the Gods to win against all hardships, like others that we acknowledge as heroes in other stories. Beowulf is an epic poem from the Angelo-Saxon time period and shows hero characteristic that match with all other heros seen in stories throughout time. Beowulf holds the true hero traits of making a name for himself through task that are too much for a common man to handle, he has courage when all are sorrowful and infested with fear, he also acknowledges God for all his victories giving the influence that has accomplishes all with the blessing of God. In reading and understanding other heroic tales its hard to say that Beowulf himself is not a hero; depriving Beowulf the title of a hero means to deprive heroes all across literature with the hero title. More plainly put, if Beowulf is not a hero then its hard to say who actually is a hero because Beowulf set the stage for all heroes that come after him. Beowulf the Epic Hero - Free Essay Example Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 820 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2019/05/18 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: Beowulf Essay Did you like this example? An epic hero is a brave and noble character in an epic poem. The character is admired for great achievements or affected by grand events. Beowulf displays an epic hero by being an unmatched warrior who was victorious among all men, a battler of supernatural foes, and he had capabilities of no ordinary mortal man. He was a brave warrior and a fierce leader in this epic poem. Beowulf was a prince and a warrior who was a hero among his people of Herot. Beowulf throughout the poem is an unmatched warrior who battles fierce monsters that no ordinary man could claim victory over. Beowulfs first battle was against Grendel, the monster from the swampland who wanted nothing but gruesome destruction against Beowulf and his people. The battle was over, Beowulf had been granted new glory: Grendel escaped, but wounded as he was could flee to his den, his miserable hole at the bottom of the marsh, only to die, to wait for the end (340-344, 43). Beowulf had purged herot clean and he was happy. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Beowulf the Epic Hero" essay for you Create order The Danes boasted as they praised the man from across the sea who would serve the Danes the way Beowulf did. Now, with that nights fierce work; the Danes had been served as hed boasted hed serve them; Beowulf, a prince of the Geats, had killed Grendel, ended the grief, the sorrow, the suffering forced on Hrothgars helpless people by a bloodthirsty fiend (350-355, 43). Beowulf would never give up or show mercy during a fight as he would stand strong and brave above any single man. Then Beowulf rose, still brave, still strong, and with his shield at his side, and a mail shirt on his breast, strode calmly, confidently, toward the tower, under the rocky cliffs: no coward could have walked there (633-636, 53). Beowulf was a god among men, who would never be outdone and would never face defeat. Beowulf spends much time in the poem battling supernatural foes like Grendel, Grendels mother, and the Fierce Dragon in its castle. Out from the marsh, from the foot of the misty hills and bogs, bearing Gods hatred, Grendel came, hoping to kill anyone he could trap on this trip to high Herot. He moved quickly through the cloudy night, up from his swampland (233-238, 40). Beowulfs next battle was against Grendels mother, the hideous monster from the fiery lake, where he was dragged to battle her. And all at once the greedy she-wolf whod ruled those waters for half a hundred years discovers him, saw that a creature from above had come to explore the bottom of her wet world. Shed welcomed him in her claws (454-458, 47). Beowulf would leave her lair victorious, taking with him the monsters head and the jeweled sword. Finally, it came time for Beowulf the battle the mighty Dragon who would become Beowulfs toughest test. Quickly, the dragon came at him, encouraged as Beowulf fell back; its breath flared, and he suffered, wrapped around in swirling flames (687-690, 54). Beowulf is a tremendous warrior and a brave prince, but he was no ordinary man this Beowulf, he was more of a god than a man. Compared to his people of Herot, Beowulf had supernatural capabilities. His mind was flooded with fear-but nothing could take his talonsand himself from that tight hard grip. Grendels one thought was to run from Beowulf, flee back to his marsh and hide there (276-279, 41). Grendel had defeated Grendel, leaving him to flee and die alone. Grendels mother lived under a fiery lake and for Beowulf this was not a tough task. He leaped into the lake, would not wait for anyones answer; the heaving water covered him over. For hours he sank through the waves; at last he saw the mud of the bottom (450-453, 47). Beowulf would then be dragged to the battle-hall, where he would defeat the monster. Beowulf faced a tougher task defeating Grendels mother. He grabbed the sword, which hung along the wall and began his battle. Then he saw, hanging on the wall, a heavy sword, hammered by giants, strong and blessed with their magic, the best of all weapons but so massive that no ordinary could lift its carved and decorated length, he drew it from its scabbard, broke the chain on its hilt, and then, savage, now, angry and desperate, lifted it high over his head and struck with all the strength he had left, caught her in the neck and cut it through, broke bones and all, her body fell to the floor, lifeless (513-524, 49). Beowulf had slain Grendels mother. Beowulf is an unordinary man who is a fierce defender in battle. He who served his people by defeating the harmful monsters had gave his life for his people. Unmatched in battle, Beowulf time and time again used his supernatural capabilities to protect his home. Beowulf was a fierce warrior who battled many supernatural foes. Beowulf is an epic hero.