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beowulf character essay
beowulf character essay
critically analyse the character Beowulf from the epic poem Beowulf
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In Beowulf the poem, Beowulf is considered to be an epic hero, he is different than just a regular hero. At the time, except for the King, warriors were the most honored and respected. Throughout this poem the author expresses that Beowulf is a true epic hero. What makes an epic hero? An epic hero must undertake a quest to achieve something tremendous value to his nation, must be super-human, and protects his people and their ideals. Beowulf is one of the greatest warriors of all time to protect his nation and people, he is a perfect candidate of an epic hero.
An epic hero puts what is best for others before his or her own needs. There are many different forms of heroism, and all shares the same quality, self-sacrifice. With Beowulf, he sacrifices his life to come fight for a country that isn’t even his. Beowulf is an epic hero because he puts himself in harm's way, fearless, for the benefit of others.
Beowulf's first heroic accomplishment is his defense against the monster Grendel. Heorot is not even Beowulf’s own hall, but he is willing to risk his own life to protect its peopl...
From the Lord of the Rings to Star Wars, Beowulf has been turned to as a source of inspiration. Whether referencing specific scenes of becoming entangled with sea-monsters or simply turning to Grendel as a character model, those in the arts turn to Beowulf over any other story. This is not without good reason; as people referenced it and turned to it more, Beowulf stood the test of time above all other stories as the quintessential epic tale and continues to to this day. And what is an epic tale without its titular epic hero? As his story stands as the epic piece, Beowulf stands as the greatest example of an epic hero, featuring all of the main qualities, including (but not limited to) such qualities as a god-like, world-renowned position among the people, and a bravery of a near insidious kind, such that it even becomes his third trait as well, as his obligatory personal hamartia.
Many epics have been written and forgotten. Yet, the epic of Beowulf has stayed as one of the premiere examples of a heroic epic. This brings an inevitable question to mind. Why is Beowulf considered a hero?
In this poem, Beowulf exhibits the trait of bravery by defeating the monster, Grendel. This monster was a very powerful monster that plagued the town of Herot. “He slipped through the door… Snatched up thirty men, smashed them/ Unknowing in their beds and ran out with their bodies/ The blood dripping behind him, back/ To his liar, delighted with his night’s slaughter. (11)”
There are many things to take into consideration when characterizing a person as a hero. Heros are typically seen as people who accomplish brave deeds and fulfill noble tasks for the greater good of things. In the epic poem Beowulf by an anonymous Anglo-Saxon poet a hero is revealed. What makes Beowulf a hero is his unbelievable strength and power. He does not get discouraged or let anything stear him away from what he feels needs to be done for the safety of others. In his battles with the monster Grendel, Grendel’s mother and the dragon Beowulf exhibits his strength and will to fight. Beowulf, is loyal to his people and his king. What I feel is the most important quality of Beowulf, though, is his willingness to risk his life for the good
Beowulf is considered to be an epic hero. Beowulf fell into every one of the categories which defines a epic hero. He was the main, central character, larger than life figure, he came from noble or semi divine birth, he went against
An epic hero is admired for their monumental achievements. In all ways of there lives they live to be an epic hero . Each possess the same characteristics which allow them to be considered an epic hero. Both Characters possess a otherworldly amount of courage, bravery and an overwhelming drive to defeat the supernatural beings in their life, in Achilles case it was his avenging his brother's death and for Beowulf it was protecting the villagers of Heorot from the evil Grendel.
The definition of an epic hero is a hero who possesses qualities that mortals lack. They have unwavering bravery, extreme intelligence, strength, fine-tuned skills, and a passionate drive (Jankowski, Why Beowulf Is an Epic Hero). Beowulf displays his bravery numerous times throughout the poem, from the very beginning when he elected to help Hrothgar with Grendel all the way to the very end when he fought the dragon to defend Geatland. Beowulf’s intelligence comes out while he’s in battle. While his opponents were all monsters who were angry and greedy, Beowulf was calm and wise. On line 737 is describes him to be “eagerly watching” as Grendel approaches, sizing him up because he knows of Grendel’s lack of intelligence (Heaney, Beowulf). The other traits, such as his skills and strength are showcased during his battle with Grendel at Heorot. The two were battling and Beowulf ends up ripping his arm off to defeat him (Heaney, Beowulf). The other side to an epic hero is their vulnerability. Each one, despite their countless strengths, contains some sort of weakness or downfall (Jankowski, Why Beowulf Is an Epic Hero). Unfortunately, Beowulf’s flaw lies in his old age. Throughout his 50 years of being king, he lost a lot of his youthful strength and skill, which wasn’t a serious problem for him until the dragon was provoked and began causing havoc to the Geats. He volunteered to fight the dragon one-on-one just like an epic hero
The clear definition of a hero is often open to interpretation and has never been clearly defined. In the translation of the epic poem Beowulf by Seamus Heaney, it is often debated whether the main character Beowulf is actually a hero or not. Beowulf displays hero-like characteristics through his bravery, loyalty, brute strength, confidence and protective nature. He is a crystal clear example of an Anglo-Saxon hero in his time period. In the present day he should be considered a hero as well. He displays heroism through his fights with Grendel, Grendel’s mother and the dragon while managing to protect his people and eventually sacrifice himself.
Beowulf is an epic hero for many reasons. A few of Beowulf’s characteristics that make him an epic hero are strength, honor, and the ability to rule justly. Beowulf is also an epic hero because, he defeated Grendel, Grendel’s mother and helped defeated the dragon. Last but not least Beowulf is a hero because he is brave/ bold. These are just a few examples of many possessions that Beowulf contains that make him one epic hero.
Beowulf possesses several distinct traits that allow him to be defined as an ideal epic hero and Anglo-Saxon hero. He is courageous, loyal, wise, and physically powerful. Beowulf puts himself through difficult situations just to keep his people safe from evil. He battles Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon for his people, though he does it for honor as well. Beowulf shows honor in all of his acts, but he is constantly seeking fame and glory through all of his accomplishments. Beowulf has the perfect qualities and characteristics it takes to be an epic
Many individuals fail to correctly describe a hero. When young, they are taught that heroes have superpowers and are powerful. In the epic poem, Beowulf, Burton Raffel contradicts this belief. He translates the characteristics that make Beowulf an epic hero. Beowulf fits the definition of an epic hero because of his courageous deeds that reflect the values of his era, his character traits that reflect important ideals of his society, and his journey leaving his homeland to live with others.
In Beowulf, the protagonist Beowulf is shown as a hero with extrodinary strength. This is not what makes him a hero. By definition, a hero is a man of exceptional quality. However this term does not do Beowulf justice. His self-imposed purpose in life is to help others, and eventually sacrifices his own life in doing so. Beowulf’s battle with the dragon serves as a critique of the notion that Beowulf is a hero. The Dragon section displays many of Beowulf’s heoric characteristics. Beowulf establishes himself as a hero by fighting the dragon, exemplifing strength and courage when fighting the dragon, and sacrificing himself so that others can live.
Beowulf displayed great courage and honor throughout his journeys and battles; he was an epic hero. An epic hero is a person who is viewed as larger than life and possesses values of a certain society. From the time of Beowulf’s battle with Grendel to his brawl against the dragon, he has showed everyone what being an honorable hero looks like. His heroism is revealed through both youth as a young warrior and wisdom as a reliable king. He never backed down and didn’t give up when situations were tough. Beowulf had obligations to fulfill and went about every aspect of his life with courage and strength. He cared for his people and was willing to take on anyone that threatened them or his kingdom. He sincerely was the hero of his time.
An epic is a long poem, usually derived from ancient oral stories, describing the adventures and deeds of a legendary hero. Typically, most epics follow a pattern or hold certain characteristics. These characteristics are; a hero, a quest, valorous deeds, divine intervention, and great events. The hero is usually the protagonist which is sent on a quest. As the heroes proceed on their quest, they will exhibit valorous deeds or actions that show their magnificent abilities. Epics also intertwine great events to set the theme of the story. Some of these events develop from myths or cultural aspects. Lastly, the hero must undergo divine intervention, or the help from a person or supernatural force. One of the most well known Anglo-Saxon epics is Beowulf. The story of Beowulf contains all of these characteristics, along with the values of the Anglo-Saxons.
Beowulf also contains an epic hero. The title of the poem has been named after our epic hero, Beowulf. In definition, an epic hero is someone that does larger than life deeds and is stronger and smarter than any normal man; and Beowulf fits this description as if the mold were made for him. He has the strength of thirty men and uses it as a major weapon against evil. This can be seen through Beowulf’s battles with Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon.