Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Beowulf character essay
Theme of heroism in beowulf
Beowulf character essay
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Beowulf character essay
A Tragic Hero A tragic hero is someone who sacrifices their money and time for someone or something they believe in but a tragic hero is someone who sacrifices his life for what he or she believes. Soldiers who die in battle, polices who die on the call of duty, and civilians who sacrifice their life to save another is a form of a tragic hero. Achilles, Hector, Beowulf, and Hamlet are all an example of a Tragic Hero. A hero is someone who must suffer more than he deserves, must be physically or spiritually wounded by his experiences, must have a weakness, and a tragic hero must face with a very serious decision that he has to make. Hector decision makes him a true tragic hero. Hector Makes many decision throughout his time in …show more content…
Every decision Beowulf makes decided people's lives. When Beowulf is with the Danes he tells how he chooses to forfeit the swimming contest to slaying the sea monsters risking his life. After Beowulf kills Grendel he decides to find Grendel’s remains but he finds more than what he bargains. Beowulf finds Grendel’s mom who tries to kill Beowulf but he kills Grendel’s mom and finds Grendel's remains. Then Beowulf goes home with lots of fame and becomes king. Then when Beowulf is having the time of his life someone bothers a dragon causing Beowulf to decide to face the dragon and to fight him but unlike him decided to face Grendel bare hand he faces the dragon with a weapon because the dragon has fire which is a weapon. The dragon fatality wounds Beowulf and it takes Wiglaf and Beowulf to finally kill the dragon but unfortunately Beowulf dies. Beowulf, Achilles, Hector, and Hamlet all have suffered more than they …show more content…
He has to slay giant sea monster in order to save Beowulf’s friend and in order to win the race. Then Beowulf has to go across the sea to save Denmark in order to save his own people. Grendel has to deal with jealous ruler who has done nothing to stop Grendel. Beowulf has to stay at the mead-hall and he loses some of his men. Beowulf fights Grendel barehanded to make it a fair match but Grendel had sharp claws. Then after the fight Grendel went running away missing an arm back to the swamp. Beowulf could have left but he decides to stay and find Grendel. Beowulf has to go to swamp no animal dear not enter and go to the bottom while Beowulf is forced to hold his or he will die of suffocation, there Beowulf encounters Grendel’s mom where he has to fight her. Beowulf breaks his only weapon since Grendel’s mom cannot be harmed by mortal weapons. Luckily Beowulf finds a holy sword which he uses to fight Grendel’s mom that cuts her and tears her into peace. Beowulf then finds Grendel dead and then he has to swim all the way back to the top of the swamp. Many years pass and Beowulf should have lived in peace but someone awakens a dragon and causes Beowulf too go face the dragon. He tells all the men to stay back. Beowulf fights the dragon causing Beowulf to get seriously injured and he would have died alone if it was not for Wiglaf who came and helped slay the dragon. Beowulf suffered because all the fame he got
Beowulf’s fight against the dragon shows Beowulf as a hero. Although Beowulf had previously defeated two other foes, he stands fast and fights his most formidable foe yet, the dragon. Dragons were notoriously difficult to kill, and the poem states that it was a great man, who could kill a dragon, even if it meant losing one's life. While others cower away Beowulf fights the dragon. Beowulf defeats the dragon but loses his life in the same instance. Like the classical hero Beowulf loses his special status in death. Beowulf sought no compensation for his services; the mere satisfaction of helping others was pay enough. Like his two previous battles Beowulf fights for those who could not fight for themselves.
Beowulf’s courage earns him the respect and admiration of the people around him, contributing to his obtainment of Löf and therefore immortality. This bravery is displayed by his agreement to fight the monsters which afflict his land: a demon named Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and a dragon. Wiglaf, one of
During Beowulf's youth, he is considered to be a great warrior, portrayed by his strength, courage, and bravery. Beowulf begins his legacy in Denmark with an evil monster, Grendel. Grendel is ruining King Hrothgar's kingdom and is ritually tormenting him. The monster breaks into the castle and eats as many of Hrothgar's men as he can hold each night. King Hrothgar calls Beowulf for help because the king has tried everything else. Beowulf arrives with a ship of his warriors to help King Hrothgar in stopping Grendel. King Hrothgar accepts Beowulf's pledge to kill Grendel. Beowulf pledges to face Grendel with, "no weapons, therefore, for either this night; unarmed he shall face me if face me he dares" (47). When Beowulf meets Grendel he fights barehanded and rips his arm off. Beowulf comes back with Grendel's arm. It is hung in the battle hall as a trophy of Beowulf's bravery, courage, and victory over the monster. Beowulf's defeat of Grendel certifies his reputation for bravery and establishes him as a full hero.
For a hero, every fight has a challenge and carries significance. In movies, there is always the antagonist that comes to destroy, for example: earth, and then there is the protagonist that saves the day. During the fight, both the protagonist and the antagonist have challenges that they have to overcome. It is always harder for the protagonist, and in the end is the result of the fight and its significance to the story. In the epic poem Beowulf, the same guideline is followed. It is about the battles and glory that Beowulf has in his life. It plays out three major battles between Beowulf - the good, and the monsters - the evil. These monsters – Grendel, Grendel’s Mother, and the Dragon, all have similarities
Dictionary.com defines a tragic hero as a great or virtuous character in a dramatic tragedy who is destined for downfall (“Tragic Hero”). Aristotle defined a tragic hero as a literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to his own destruction (“English IV Class Discussion”, 2016). A tragic hero must be physically or spiritually wounded by his experiences, often resulting in his death; intelligent so he may learn from his mistakes; have a weakness, usually it is pride; and be faced with a very serious decision that he must make (“Tragic hero as defined by Aristotle”). Achilles, Hector, Beowulf, and Hamlet all exhibit these characteristics and, as a result, can be seen as prime examples of tragic heroes.
The reader first experiences Beowulf’s heroism when he encounters and then kills Grendel. Grendel was a constant threat to the survival of the Danish people because he was using them as food. One night Beowulf awakes to find Grendel over his bed. Rather than trying to escape, Beowulf not only faces Grendel but also pursues him when he tries to escape. Like any other hero Beowulf purses the danger until it is conquered.
The tragic hero is a type of character that many people know. It is a type of character many have seen in films or plays throughout history. Many students in high school will read plays and watch movies with tragic heroes. But many of these high schoolers may never learn what a tragic hero is. Comparing and contrasting tragic heroes such as Dimmesdale to Frome, and Chillingworth to Hamlet along with the definition of a tragic hero will aid in revealing the true nature of tragic heroes as a whole.
The story of Beowulf revolves around three major battles, all similar and differing in certain ways, with differing motivations and outcomes. The poem opens with the explanation of Grendel, a terrible monster who had been terrorizing the Danes for 12 years, killing 30 men at a time. Upon hearing of the destruction wrought by the monster, he decides to leave Geatland to visit the king Hrothgar to aid in Grendel’s defeat. He is successful, however, his victory triggers the fury of another monster: Grendel’s mother. He is able to defeat her as well with the help of a magical sword, and in return for his victory, he ascends the throne of King Hygelac upon his passing. Fifty years later, when Beowulf is much older, he is faced with the battle that results in his demise. An agitated dragon wreaks havoc in a fury from having a golden goblet stolen from him. Fully armored, he engages in a battle with the dragon. He manages to strike him down, but not without retribution. He dies from the
Beowulf is a hero in the eyes of his fellow men through his amazing physical strength and courage. He fought in many battles and won all besides his last. Beowulf was powerful enough to kill the monster Grendel, who had been terrorizing the Danes for twelve years, with his bare hands. When the two battled off Beowulf grabbed Grendal’s arm and ripped it off at the shoulder. Beowulf then fought Grendel's ...
“...And you, you better run because I’m going to destroy you for what you’ve taken from me.”-Samantha Young. In Beowulf translated by Burton Raffel. The main characters are Beowulf , Grendel Unferth and the Danish King Hrothgar. Grendel is a monstrous creature that has been watching Herot for Twelve years. Grendel was always referred to as a monster. Beowulf goes to Herot. To see Hrothgar and talk to him. Then Unferth challenges Beowulf to kill and Grendel. Grendel’s mother gets very upset that Beowulf murders her son Grendel. Beowulf defeats Grendel’s mother and learns the scene with Grendel’s head so that he can have it as a trophy. The last battle was with a dragon with the help of Wiglaf. Beowulf gets hurt and the last thing that he asks Wiglaf to get him a treasure. Lastly, when dies the Geats build a tower in honor of Beowulf, Beowulf had always asked for one. Beowulf is simply all about revenge for example Grendel and
A tragic hero is a person who has helped change a friend for their good but dies while in the process or has to kill the person for their good. A tragic hero is a person who has kept a watch on someone then dies or gets hurt while keeping them safe or trying to change them. In Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare he uses Brutus as a tragic hero.Brutus is a tragic hero because he does everything for the better of Rome, he doesn’t abuse power, and being friends with Caesar at a young age then killing him. In the whole play Brutus believes that everything has to be for the better of Rome to be a tragic hero. A tragic hero to Brutus is someone that commits their whole life to bettering Rome and their people.
In literature, a tragic hero is a virtuous character who is destined for downfall, suffering or defeat. Most tragic heroes are prominent social figures, which makes their fall even harder. These tragic heros may also have a tragic flaw. Brutus is a prime example of a tragic hero.
A tragic hero is a character who commits an action or makes a mistake, which eventually leads to their defeat. He/She has heroic abilities, but are doomed to face long lasting consequences due to their own character flaw. In Othello, Shakespeare portrays Othello as a tragic hero because he has a noble stature, heroic qualities, his flaws, and his acceptance.
To begin, here is some history and background information on Beowulf. Beowulf was written in the Anglo Saxon time period. These people had a different outlook on life and how you should act. They had much respect for anyone that was older than you. They felt before you die, you needed to have some kind of glory for others to remember you by. If you had something good, people would forever remember you, like a last name that will last forever if you are lucky. Beowulf is the nephew of King Hygelac in the land of the Geats. He has never been to Denmark, or the land of the Danes. When Beowulf hears about the monster, Grendel, in the land of the Danes, he feels an obligation to go and defend these people. However, why? He doesn’t know these people. They do not even know he exists, he is a nobody. So why would he risk his life to save people that don’t even live in his land? Well isn’t this the million dollar question. In this essay I will be discussing why Beowulf traveled across the ocean to fight Grendel, Grendel’s Mother and the dragon.
Beowulf’s first accomplishment as an epic hero was his battle with Grendel. Grendel was a huge beast, a descendent of Cain, who ruthlessly murdered innocent Danes because he felt pity for himself. Upon hearing of the Dane’s problem, Beowulf set off to help the Danish without having been called upon. Even though Beowulf had men backing him, He drew battle with Grendel alone and without armor or weapons. Yet, Beowulf emerged victorious with the arm of Grendel as his trophy. Beowulf then went on to kill Grendel’s vengeful mother and a huge fire-breathing dragon who thought it had been done wrong by the Geats. Alas, the killing of the dragon would be Beowulf’s last great battle for the dragon took Beowulf’s life in the struggle for his own.