Beowulf: A Hero Analysis

A hero is defined as a person, who is admired or idealized for courageousness, outstanding qualities and notifiable achievements.Today, who many consider role models is hardly that at all. Whatever it is, be it social media, pressure for acceptance from peers or simply ignorance, who we consider to be our heroes has changed drastically over time.

While reading the epic Beowulf, which was based in the Anglo-Saxon time period, and also studying The Odyssey we learned that, to the people of the time, a hero was someone who was strong, brave, (most likely a man) and loyal to his king, brethren and family. I’d describe this as the “traditional” idea of a hero. But today, for many, a hero doesn’t have to be, brave, strong or noble in the slightest extent. For some, a hero could be a anyone from of overpaid reality TV stars to talented athletes or even celebrities with no real talent at all. We as a society have moved far away from the truly great

Incredible. All these examples are technically heros, super heroes in fact, who save babies from burning buildings or protect entire cities, but they aren’t real heroes. They are made up personas created by someone with a eccentric imagination and creativity. Which might be enough for a toddler but how can you aspire to be someone whose achievements are nothing more than storylines and bravery is completely made up? To aim to achieve the same things Spider Man has seems silly to me since his achievements are made up. However, some children might tell you that their hero is their mother or father. Personally, I find that answer much more real. Sometimes moms and dads really do act like heroes, especially if you consider a hero someone who puts others needs and safety before their own, many moms and dads do that every day for their