Achilles, Beowulf, Gilgamesh, Samson and Heracles can all be characterized as heroes. However, each of these characters embodies different attributes that earn them the heroic distinction. This paper will seek to show that Beowulf is the “most” heroic figure based on his adherence to the heroic ethos. Also, the character of Gilgamesh will be used as a means of comparison to further showcase the heroic nature of Beowulf.
The heroic ethos is a set of values that prioritize and glorify the valor of an individual. The motivation of the hero is to garner fame and immortality in legend, resulting in feats of excellence. Characteristics of the heroic ethos include service to people in the upper level of the hierarchy (e.g. relationship between lord and thane), a special relationship to god (special does not necessarily mean positive as in the case of Heracles and Hera), greatness in warfare/slaying, loyal, courageous, indispensable, and (almost) invulnerable. For the hero, the highest good is glory and the highest evil is shame.
Beowulf, the son of Ecgtheow and Hygelac’s thane is introduced by Heaney as a valiant warrior. The reader immediately notices that Beowulf is well respected. The tone of the work suggests that even the narrator holds him in high esteem, “the man whose name was known for courage, the Geat Leader” (Heaney, 11) (the chapter is entitled “The Hero comes to Heorot”). Beowulf is introduced with grandeur. He is allowed to mention his own name and goes on to describe some of his feats, “They had seen me boltered in the blood of enemies, when I battled and bound five beasts, raided a troll nest and slaughtered sea – brutes” (Heaney, 13). Before actually seeing him in action, the reader is aware that Beowulf is a great warrior whose father is well respected. From the initial introduction, it is expected that Beowulf will be able to accomplish super human tasks.
Similarly, Gilgamesh is also given a grand introduction. He is described as, “the strongest one of all, the perfect, the terror” (Ferry, 4). However, the overall view of Gilgamesh is not as honorable as Beowulf. The people of Uruk are lamenting to the god Aruru: (Ferry, 5)
“Neither the father’s son nor the wife of the noble is safe in Uruk; neither the mother’s daughter nor the warrior’s bride is safe. The old men say:
Is this the shepherd of the people? Is t...
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...fraid of its magnitude. In Gilgamesh, the Gods are humanized. They succumb to desire (as seem with Ishtar when she is lusting after Gilgamesh) and revenge (the flood). In Gilgamesh, the Gods are directly involved in some of the action. In Beowulf, God is a verbal presence. In both Gilgamesh and Beowulf, the heroes had a relationship with God/Gods. However, as outlined above, these relationships were very different. Beowulf had a direct spiritual connection while Gilgamesh questions the actions and even opposes one of them (Ishtar).
Beowulf and Gilgamesh are both deemed heroes. According to heroic ethos, Beowulf proves to be the more valiant, law abiding one. He embodies the necessary characteristics of the Anglo – Saxon/Germanic hero (courage, loyalty, and greatness in warfare/battle). However, it can also be argued that Gilgamesh is a great hero because of his divergence from the classical heroic model. Many readers are able to connect more with Gilgamesh because of his “humanness”. In the end, he comes to understand that death is a part of life and that one can still live on forever through their accomplishments (for him, it would be through Uruk).
In Beowulf, the protagonist Beowulf is shown as a hero with extrodinary strength. This is not what makes him a hero. By definition, a hero is a man of exceptional quality. However this term does not do Beowulf justice. His self-imposed purpose in life is to help others, and eventually sacrifices his own life in doing so. Beowulf’s battle with the dragon serves as a critique of the notion that Beowulf is a hero. The Dragon section displays many of Beowulf’s heoric characteristics. Beowulf establishes himself as a hero by fighting the dragon, exemplifing strength and courage when fighting the dragon, and sacrificing himself so that others can live.
Gone with the Wind is a novel that is set during the civil war. During the second part, the protagonist Scarlett reads a letter that was sent by a confederate soldier named Ashley. The letter talks about his opinion on the war and the reason he fights. Ashley joined the war with the hopes of fighting for States’ Rights and preserving the old ways. However, once the fighting started he realized that the old ways are not going to come back, “And I belong in those old times. I do not belong in this mad present of killing and I fear I will not fit into any future, try though I may.” He is not happy about fighting in the war, and he does not have confidence
Beowulf is an epic poem telling the story of Beowulf, a legendary Geatish hero who later becomes king in the aforementioned epic poem. While the story in and of itself is quite interesting, for the purpose of this paper it is important to look at the character more so then his deeds, or rather why he did what he did.
Beowulf and Gilgamesh are similar; they both experience a hero’s journey. Beowulf hears of Grendel and how he harasses Hrothgar’s kingdom. Beowulf then travels to Hrothgar’s kingdom and says he will defeat the monster with his bare hands. "I have heard moreover that the monster scorns in his reckless way to use weapons; therefore, to heighten Hygelac's fame and gladden his heart, I hereby renounce sword and the shelter of the broad shield, the heavy war-board: hand-to-hand is how it will be, a life-and-death fight with the fiend" (Beowulf 433-440). Beowulf shows great strength and skill when he says this, there is no man that could defeat Grendel. This was shocking to some of Hrothgar’s men because Beowulf didn’t use any weapons. Beowulf tears Grendel’s arm from his body and Grendel flees to his mother. Grendel’s mother then attacks the hall and slaughters many men. Beowulf seeks out to kill Grendel’s mother. Unferth whom gives Beowulf his undefeated sword Hrunting accompanies him. Beowulf dives into the acidic lake and finds Grendel’s Mother. He strikes her with the sword and it shatters; he then sees a giant sword on the wall and grabs it. He strikes Grendel’s Mother and it takes her head clean off. He returns to Hrothgar and shows that he has killed Grendel’s Mother. Beowulf then returns to the land of the Geats. He becomes king after Queen Hygd’s son Heardred dies and successfully rules for 50 years. Then a Dragon harasses Beowulf’s hall where Beowulf challenges the Dragon to a duel. The Dragon bites Beowulf’s neck and
This process has not been easy and I have struggled to stay consistent with my healthy eating habits. Keeping my cravings under control has always been a challenge and my love of bread makes things a little harder. I also recognized that I am a stress eater. I had never paid attention to my eating patterns until I begin to keep a journal. This project has definitively helped me monitor and attain a better Healthier lifestyle.
In conclusion, although Beowulf possessed many heroic qualities he would not be considered a hero in today’s world. A hero varies from culture to culture. The Anglo-Saxon appreciated different things in a person that what do not we appreciate today. Many things have changed a lot with time, the requisites for being considered a hero have also changed. Today we do not like to solve problems with war. Pride and honor are not as important as the willingness one has to help others. Beowulf is not feeling that contact with people he doesn’t identify with them because he believes himself better, a part of a hero´s cycle is to be identified with the community. To be part
My fitness pal has been successfully in providing feedback for users to keep track of their calorie intake and fitness level. The app is very beneficial in behavior change for the user to record his or her food intake consumed and achieve weight loss. The app is definitely recommended for users who prefer to consume healthy foods and do exercise regularly to enhance a healthy lifestyle. A few years ago, my friend suffers from the cardiovascular disease and has tried several diets to help lose weight, but did not achieve a better outcome. She wanted to consult a nutritionist who can give tips on meal planning and exercising. She told her nutritionist that is ready to take 30-day workout challenge. During the action phase, she started participating in an exercise program while using the app. She does regularly exercise at least 3-4 times a week and keep track to see how many calories burned. After doing a 30-day workout, my friend (user) has lost ten pounds, which made her feel confident and energized. The app has motivated her to make smart healthy foods and continue fitness journey
Beowulf is a good example of a courageous and strong hero. He shows all of
Homelessness in the United States has been an important subject that the government needs to turn its attention to. There has been announced in the news that the number of the homeless people in many major cities in the United States has been increasing enormously. According to United States Interagency Council on Homelessness reported that there was an estimation of 83,170 individuals have experienced chronic homelessness on the streets of the United States’ streets and shelters on only a single night of January 2015, which is a small decrease of only 1% from the previous year (People Experiencing Chronic Homelessness, n.d.). The United States must consider this subject that most of the people underestimate it and not pay attention
At the beginning of the novel, Beowulf represents a savage warrior, displaying mostly his strength and bravery by defeating Grendel and his mother. However, as Beowulf ages, he begins to change into a different kind of hero. After becoming King of the Geats, Beowulf matured and took on more of a leadership role in the community, as opposed to a warrior. Even though Beowulf was still a hero, he began to lead an army of geats and acted for the good of the people. In both cases however, Beowulf was respected by others for his admirable
Beowulf displayed great courage and honor throughout his journeys and battles; he was an epic hero. An epic hero is a person who is viewed as larger than life and possesses values of a certain society. From the time of Beowulf’s battle with Grendel to his brawl against the dragon, he has showed everyone what being an honorable hero looks like. His heroism is revealed through both youth as a young warrior and wisdom as a reliable king. He never backed down and didn’t give up when situations were tough. Beowulf had obligations to fulfill and went about every aspect of his life with courage and strength. He cared for his people and was willing to take on anyone that threatened them or his kingdom. He sincerely was the hero of his time.
Homelessness is a vast predicament in America and around the world. It is severely overlooked as people don’t really think of homelessness as real world problem. However, there have been ways that people have tried to fix the problem. They have come up with homeless shelters, emergency shelters, food banks and soup kitchens. These solutions have limitations though, which will hopefully come to an end.
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Of all the many similarities of The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Odyssey, the sharing of the main character’s archetype can be considered to be the most significant similarity of the two epics. Odysseus, the main character of The Odyssey, and Gilgamesh, the main character of The Epic of Gilgamesh, both fall under the character archetype of a hero, the man in charge of saving the day. This sameness implies that the two characters had similar fates and characteristics; both had the distinct traits of a hero. Both Odysseus and Gilgamesh were kings, strong, brave, and blessed by the gods. In addition, they both angered a god and suffered from the consequences. In The Odyssey, Odysseus had to change his route to avoid Poseidon’s wrath. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh angered Ishtar which consequently led to Enkidu’s death as a punishment ( “The Epic of Gilgamesh” 29). Both Gilgamesh and Odysseus had elements of arrogance in their personalities, and it was their arrogance that backlashed and caused...