Beowulf Boasting Essay

This paper will revolve around the epic hero trait of boasting, and how it is exhibited in three of the epic heroes covered in this unit. An epic itself is a story, usually of ancient culture, that narrates the deeds and adventures of one or more heroic or legendary figures. This essay will compare the heroic trait of boasting across three heroes and come to a conclusion about their differences and heroism in general. It’s been known that some epic heroes are known to boast about their strength, powers, or their other heroic traits. Even though boasting can help improve a hero’s reputation, it is much less important than the true heroic acts that they commit.

Beowulf himself is shown to be quite strong and powerful throughout his story. Among his feats are defeating Grendel by ripping his arm off with just his sheer strength, and using a giant sword to defeat Grendel’s mother. Considering this, it’s expected that Beowulf would boast about such strength. As an example, Beowulf narrates some of the deeds that he’d previously done when introducing himself to Hrothgar; “I drove five great giants into chains, chased all of that race from the earth. I swam in the blackness of night, hunting monsters out of the ocean, and killing them one by one; death was my errand and the fate they had earned.”(232-238) With this quote, Beowulf is stating that because he has done these

After he crows that “no living man may hinder me”, Eowyn, who was disguised as “Dernhelm”, reveals herself: “But no living man am I! You look upon a woman. Eowyn I am, Eomund’s daughter.” Eowyn states that even though she is a female, she is about to prove that she can be as strong as any male hero could be. “For living or dark undead, I will smite you; if you touch him.” Eowyn’s boasting is slightly different from Beowulf, as she does not boast about any deeds that she had previously done