The Epic Poem, Beowulf - Beowulf and Heroic Virtues

Beowulf and Heroic Virtues

Although the main character in Beowulf is Beowulf himself, I believe that the single section which most concisely illustrates the heroic values in this poem occurs on pages 61 through 64 of the text, and is illustrated not by Beowulf's actions, but by Wiglaf's. Although Wiglaf is by nationality Swedish, he identifies himself as Beowulf's kinsman when he says "I did begin to help my kinsman." (Chickering 64)

Wiglaf, in coming to Beowulf's aid in the fight against the dragon, typifies several important heroic virtues. The most obvious of these is the importance of the relationship between lord and thane. In trying to persuade the other thanes to assist Beowulf, Wiglaf says, "Now the day has come that our liege lord has need of the strength of good fighters. Let us go to him, help our war-chief while the grime terrible fire persists." (Chickering 61) In stating this, Wiglaf reminds the other thanes of the necessity of holding up their end of the bargain in the lord-thane relationship. Beowulf is a good lord, who protects his thanes and dispenses treasure to them, and it is their turn to support him in battle in his time of need.

When Wiglaf comes to aid Beowulf against the dragon, he also illustrates the importance of the kinship bond. Beowulf states that "Fate has swept away all my kinsmen" immediately before he dies. (Chickering 63) As one of Beowulf's last surviving kinsmen, Wiglaf's aid would be especially valuable to Beowulf. As the editors of The Norton Anthology of English Literature point out in the introduction to Beowulf in their introduction to this text, relationships between kinsmen were extremely important to this society. (Introduction 23)

Wiglaf also exemplifies the heroic virtue of courage. He give no thought to his own safety or to the odds against him when he fights the dragon, but goes to help his thane and kinsman. In the fight he conducts himself courageously; the author of the poem says that, in attacking the dragon, "he took no heed for that head" -- that is, the dragon's head, which breathed fire -- but that "that hand of the brave man was burned as he helped his kinsman." (Chickering 62).

Finally, Wiglaf's action demonstrates the heroic virtue of living up to a promise made. "I remember that time we drank mead, when we promised our lord in the beer-hall -- him who gave us these rings -- that we would repay him for the war-arms if a need like this befell him," says Wiglaf of an earlier promise made by the thanes.