Beowulf: A Modern Day Epic Hero

The definition of an epic hero in the time of Beowulf is a character who is brave and noble, someone who shows loyalty and courage. A modern-day epic hero can easily be a normal person doing a good deed for someone. Although the definition of an epic hero has changed over time, Beowulf still fits the figure and characteristics of a modern-day epic hero by showing his bravery, loyalty, and courage to his people.

Bravery is a necessity to be able to conquer the world. It is a characteristic of both a fictional heroic character as well as a realistic modern-day hero. Beowulf, as an epic hero, is endlessly fighting for his people and in the end, gives up his life for them because of his bravery. In the time of Beowulf, and epic hero was super-human, one who was in it for their own glory and fame. Now, a modern-day epic hero can be ordinary people bestowing their time to help those in need. Instead of being

in it for the fame and glory, heroes today are in it for the good of others. Although the definition of an epic hero has changed, some characteristics still remain today. Beowulf expresses his bravery by fighting against monsters and dragons even when he was not capable of pursuing the deeds he could in his younger years. Beowulf shows his heroic bravery when defeating Grendel, the monster who could easily kill Beowulf in just seconds, with his two bare hands and a sword. Beowulf’s effectiveness as a modern-day epic hero is shown through his heroic bravery that he exercises within the epic poem Beowulf.
Loyalty is a very important aspect of becoming an epic hero. Beowulf’s effectiveness as a modern-day hero can be supported by his acts of loyalty. The Great warrior Beowulf demonstrations his loyalty to his people by never letting them down and always being the great hero that his people describe him to be. An epic hero’s loyalty today can be revealed by someone just keeping their word. When someone says they will do something and ends up doing it, this can be an example of an act of a modern-day hero. Even in friendships, loyalty is one of the crucial factors in order to maintain a healthy and secure friendship. Loyalty stands out as an fundamental quality in Beowulf. Because of his loyalty to his king along with his people, this helped Beowulf save them both from destruction. Beowulf’s value as a modern-day hero is exposed through his loyalty to his king, country, and his people.
It takes courage to fight a monster, the monster’s mother, and not to mention, a fire spiting dragon.

Courage, as an epic hero characteristic, underlines the story of Beowulf himself. The act of courage still exists today as a modern-day epic hero characteristic and Beowulf can still be deliberated as a hero of today’s society. A police officer, a firefighter, or a brain surgeon can be prime examples of modern-day heroes. Just as it took courage for Beowulf to conquest monsters and a dragon, it takes risky courage to compete with crime, fight fires, and position a patient’s life in their own hands. While Beowulf was not able to fight the way he used to in his younger years, his courage never failed him. Beowulf had the courage to fight a monster and a dragon with his two bare hands and a sword with no unwillingness. Beowulf was not afraid to fight these unrealistic characters as he knew that he had to do it for his country, king, and people who believed in him; Beowulf had courage. As an epic hero, Beowulf displayed his effectiveness as a modern-day hero with

courage.
An epic hero: brave and noble, loyal and courageous. Nevertheless, Beowulf was the epic hero of his time, he still fits the structure of a modern-day epic hero. Though the definition of an epic hero has changed over time, Beowulf’s qualities: bravery, loyalty, and courage still meets the qualifications of a modern-day hero.