Explanatory Assessment: What traits make a person heroic? What does it truly mean to be a hero? You can be a hero by doing and showing multiple different things. For example, Beowulf was considered heroic by his people. First, he displayed his immense strength and fearlessness in battle; Second, Beowulf showed his unwavering bravery. He willingly put himself in dangerous situations to defend others, even when the odds were against him. Lastly, he showed his loyalty to his people and his kingdom. He was willing to sacrifice his own life for the greater good. These traits of strength, bravery, and loyalty made Beowulf a heroic figure in the eyes of Anglo-Saxons. Soldiers are often regarded as heroes due to their exceptional traits and actions. When …show more content…
They willingly leave their families and loved ones behind, dedicating themselves to serving their country and protecting their fellow citizens. Their bravery is a testament to their heroic nature. Resilience is yet another essential trait that makes a soldier heroic. Soldiers endure rigorous training and face challenging circumstances in the line of duty. They persevere through physical and mental hardships, showing remarkable strength and determination. Their ability to bounce back from setbacks and keep pushing forward is a true mark of heroism. They are incredibly resilient because they face tough challenges head-on, adapt to difficult situations quickly, and never give up. Loyalty plays a significant role in defining a heroic soldier. Soldiers exhibit unwavering loyalty to their comrades, their unit, and their fellow soldiers, relying on each other for support and protection. It’s like a bond that holds them together through thick and thin. Soldiers rely on each other’s backs, no matter what. Loyalty creates a strong sense of unity and support within a military unit, making them a formidable
In the poem Beowulf, the protagonist is portrayed as a heroic figure who strives to spread his name and glory out across the land in order to be remembered. Although his acts may not entirely be for the right reasons, Beowulf does express his heroic qualities of bravery, arrogance, and brute force.
Beowulf clearly showed that he was truly a hero because he had wisdom and fortitude. There are many types of heroes and Beowulf may not be a hero like Superman or Spiderman, but there is no doubt that Beowulf was a hero beyond compare. Many of the above examples heroism were closely related, this is because a true hero needs to be able to have the wisdom to know what to do and fortitude to do it.
Beowulf 's courage originates from his certainty that he can overcome creatures utilizing distinctive techniques. Hailey W. Odessa states Goodness, unwaveringness, civility, equity, and courage all portrays the attributes a perfect saint would have. At that point she says in the lyric Beowulf, there is one character that conveys all and a greater amount of these expressed attributes, and that character is without a doubt the hero known as Beowulf. We as a whole need to comprehend life is an exceptional voyage. Beowulf 's life changed when he got more seasoned. The main question is the thing that makes somebody a saint? Components of being a legend are appeared all through Anglo-Saxon fundamental qualities. A standout amongst the most prestigious
All in all, heroism is a vague word that could be defined as many of things. Such as bravery, courage, honesty, morality, trusts...etc. If Beowulf was defined as a hero then the knight should be defined as one also seeing as he gave the old women the choice to be old and good or pretty and bad. Or if the Author of The Art of Courtly love cannot be heroic and then write in a way of being heroic how can one decide what heroism is. All three of these studies show different forms and fashions of heroic people, feelings, and attitudes. Overall heroism is and always will be based on personal opinion, what one person defines as a hero can be completely different from what another person sees it as.
Although the epic poem Beowulf, is centered around Beowulf’s physical fights with Grendel and Grendel’s mother. It is also centered on Beowulf’s ability to be a good king. Throughout his life, Beowulf’s strength decreases as his bravery increases. This made his life more admirable in the end of the poem. He changed from being hidden behind his men to standing against a dragon with only one other man.
In Beowulf the poem, Beowulf is considered to be an epic hero, he is different than just a regular hero. At the time, except for the King, warriors were the most honored and respected. Throughout this poem the author expresses that Beowulf is a true epic hero. What makes an epic hero? An epic hero must undertake a quest to achieve something tremendous value to his nation, must be super-human, and protects his people and their ideals. Beowulf is one of the greatest warriors of all time to protect his nation and people, he is a perfect candidate of an epic hero.
There are many things to take into consideration when characterizing a person as a hero. Heros are typically seen as people who accomplish brave deeds and fulfill noble tasks for the greater good of things. In the epic poem Beowulf by an anonymous Anglo-Saxon poet a hero is revealed. What makes Beowulf a hero is his unbelievable strength and power. He does not get discouraged or let anything stear him away from what he feels needs to be done for the safety of others. In his battles with the monster Grendel, Grendel’s mother and the dragon Beowulf exhibits his strength and will to fight. Beowulf, is loyal to his people and his king. What I feel is the most important quality of Beowulf, though, is his willingness to risk his life for the good
Every epic Hero has its certain heroic characteristics. The poem Beowulf, written in old English by an anonymous writer still holds fame for describing Heroism. The character Beowulf possesses those characteristics and is known to be one of the greatest heroes of the Anglo-Saxon time. Beowulf was from Geatland and went on quest to Denmark to fight battles for the Danes. He was a mighty man who had tremendous amount of bravery, and throughout his adventure he proves to have all the concepts of an epic hero. Several qualities define Heroism, none of them to be simple, safe, or fun. Beowulf lived by those qualities risking all and saving many in his adventurous epic. The characteristics of an epic hero consist of a person
There has only been one hero in Anglo-Saxon history, only one man can meet every requirement one needs to be classified as hero. Only one man's honor, loyalty, courage, generosity, and wisdom, fits the true definition of a hero. That man is Beowulf. With these leading traits, Beowulf's rise to heroism was not just by chance. He filled each of the five characteristics perfectly, as if it was his destiny to be admired.
Throughout history, there have always been heroes. Those strong-willed, brave individuals who perform courageous acts for fame and glory are prevalent in most cultures.. Societies have these heroes as standards of their cultures’ moral codes. Every society has their own definition of these codes are, so a unifying definition of hero can be hard to achieve. However, Philip Zimbardo says “Simply put, then, the key to heroism is a concern for other people in need—a concern to defend a moral cause, knowing there is a personal risk, done without expectation of reward.” With this basic definition, I will be examining various epic heroes I’ve studied throughout the course of my senior year for characteristics. From the copious amounts of studying, I’ve deduced that Achilles, Odysseus, Aeneas, Socrates, Gilgamesh, Beowulf, and Arthur all have characteristics that make them heroic.
This should not even be a question because it is so obvious that Beowulf is an epic poem. All of the characteristics of an epic poem is in Beowulf. In an epic poem the hero should be from a noble birth and of great and historical importance, also the hero traits reflect qualities important to the society that he is from and performs courageous deeds, even superhuman that reflects the values of the era. All of this is in Beowulf epic poem and there is much more that prove that Beowulf is an epic poem.
Generations of literature attempt to answer the long waiting question: What makes a hero? Seamus Heaney’s translation of the classic epic poem Beowulf is often referred to when defining a hero however, this is not an appropriate comparison. Character Beowulf wields the strength of thirty men but lacks the strength of an honest hero. The great warrior faces many horrible problems through out the epic however the one problem that Beowulf faces and is ultimately defeated by is his own selfish pride. Warrior Beowulf’s sickening dependency on honor, glory, and pride withholds the tittle of Hero from the strong fighter.
Veronica Kellie Courtney Roberts English 101 20606 04 April 2024 Unveiling the Depths of Heroism and Humanity in Beowulf. In a world where we love to view our heroes as perfect, Beowulf is an epic reflection of what humanity believes heroes are. In the Epic Beowulf, a hero from the land of the Geats sets off to fight against a monster called Grendel in aid of King Hrothgar.
A hero is someone that helps others no matter what the situation. There are many qualities that a hero must posses such as bravery, courage, strength, intelligence and honor. These qualities alone are not enough to make a hero. They must also be pure at heart, fight for the good of mankind and only fight when it is to protect the people and not out of revenge. Beowulf is everything a hero should be, but contains a few qualities that a hero should not posses. When Beowulf sailed with his men to Herot he had one goal, to rid the hall of Grendal. Beowulf was under no obligation to destroy Grendal and never asked for anything in return for his services. A true hero would never ask for money or anything of value. He put his life at risk to save the people of Herot, who he didn’t even know, out of his own good nature Great strength has been a trait that has been identified with heroes in many stories and legends. Than he saw hanging on the wall, a heavy Sword, hammered by giants, strong And blessed with their magic, the best of all weapons But so massive that no ordinary man could lift... (II. 1557-1560) Beowulf possessed great strength that separated him from other men. Being able to use a sword that no ordinary man was able to carry gives the feeling that Beowulf is something more than a human being. It makes him special and causes him to stand out from all other men. Fame is something that makes a hero more noted. Beowulfs popularity had spread all over the world. He never let this go to his head and he never thought that he was better than everyone else because of it. “Your fame is everywhere, my friend,/Reaches to the ends of the earth, and you hold it in your heart wisely...” (II.1704-1706). A hero should not be foolish or full of himself. Unferth said: You’re Beowulf, are you- the same Boastful fool who fought a swimming Match with Brecca, both of you daring and young and proud,exploring the deepest Seas, risking your lives for no reason But the danger? (II. 506-511) A hero should not have to prove to himself or to anyone else that he is brave, fearless or courageous. If he is pure a heart and his intentions are good then he can be considered a true hero.
When I think of a hero I immediately think of someone who is strong, intelligent, handsome, and daring. Upon closer examination, many different qualities than these become apparent. Courage, honesty, bravery, selflessness, and the will to try are just a few of the overlooked qualities of a hero. The definition of heroism changes with the context and time. Heroes of the past are not necessarily heroes of present time and vise versa.