To the Anglo-Saxons, a hero was both brave and mighty as well as audacious and arrogant. In Anglo Saxon society, warriors were assumed to be loyal to their leaders in battle, even if the battle appeared to be hopeless, because they earned great honor and riches from protecting their leader. These warriors were alleged to be just as fearless as their heroes, and always as loyal as a dove. In the epic poem Beowulf, created by Anglo-Saxon storytellers, the loyalty of Beowulf’s warriors varies depending on the levels of security they feel in fights; they are more loyal to their leader when they believe they can prevail, and their loyalty wanes when the predicted outcome of the battle appears unfavorable, contradicting the appetite for eternal …show more content…
glory and proving humankind is a selfish species. Beowulf’s men attempting to support him while he fights Grendel reflect how the warriors in Anglo-Saxon society were there to support their leader and protect him, even if it must be with their lives, emphasizing the drive for eternal glory through battle. When Beowulf engages with Grendel in battle , his men jump from their beds with their swords raised, “determined / To protect their prince if they could. Their courage / Was great” and was fueled by the compulsion to obtain eternal honor and glory (796-798). From earlier in the text, one can gather that to the warriors, “fame, and wealth is shaped with a sword” (25). After realizing how horrible and terrifying Grendel is to the Danes, the Geats’ motive for attacking the monster must be that they are attempting to build legacies and cause their names to be remembered and honored. Attacking the monster who has terrorized the Danes for twelve years for any other reason would be foolish, and in the battle, Beowulf is clearly defeating Grendel. The warriors attempt to capitalize off of this opportunity by striking Grendel, seeking praise and thanks from Beowulf for their assistance, thus inching closer to honor and fame. Because they are selfish and do not wish to die, only after Beowulf obviously has the upper hand against Grendel do the warriors attempt to help in his defeat, since they believe they will prevail. The decision of Beowulf’s men to flee from the battle signifies not only how mankind is selfish, but also how the Anglo-Saxon warriors are not loyal during unfavorable battles and contradict the ideal warriors who give their lives to earn eternal glory, not preserve their lives for personal rational.
After Beowulf gives his life to kill the dragon and his men run from the scene to preserve their own lives, they have their beliefs reinforced by Wiglaf, who tells them that “when the brave Geats here / How you bolted and ran none of your race / Will have anything left but their lives. And death / Would be better for them all, and for you, than the kind / Of life you can lead, branded with disgrace!” (2887-2891). Wiglaf brings to light how the warriors are supposed to be loyal to their leader regardless of how grim the situation looks, and that by abandoning this mindset, they now live lives branded with disgrace, and how in their quest for eternal glory, the more effective method would have been to give their lives to protect Beowulf. The only explanation for the reason the warriors fled is because they are afraid of death, and for that reason, they are selfish and preserve their own lives instead of sacrificing themselves to save their leader, Beowulf. Furthermore, Beowulf goes on to be burned on a pyre atop a mountain, and drown in gold and riches upon his death, whereas the cowering warriors are not mentioned again, which means that they do not go on to achieve their goal of eternal glory. Beowulf achieved this goal by sacrificing his life in battle for the greater good of his
community. The loyalty of Beowulf’s warriors varies depending on their confidence in winning the battles because of their selfish nature. Between their retreat from the dragon and their attempt at help only when Beowulf did not require it, it is evident that his men are selfish and are focused on preserving their own lives, rather than following the model for the ideal warriors that is created by the Anglo-Saxons. This selfishness exemplifies how the warriors prefer to attempt to promote themselves, rather than living a more courageous life and leaving the quest for eternal glory, such as Beowulf receives, in someone else’s hands.
direction is like trying to hit a cloud with a bow and arrow. A hero is also
The Anglo-Saxons prior to 1000AD were as a race fierce. They possessed great courage. Beowulf reflects their fierceness and courage in a variety of ways. Beowulf complains to Unferth in the Danish court: “Grendel would never have done such horrors … if you were so fierce as you suppose.” The hero, who had earlier killed nine sea monsters, opted to face Grendel in mortal combat WITHOUT sword or shield or the assistance of others: “but I shall seize my enemy in my hand grip and fight.” Later when the hero’s sword failed against Grendel’s Mother, he remained “resolute” and seized her by the shoulder and fought till victory came. Thus “Beowulf, fierce in war, received the cup from Wealhtheow.” Later, the hero went up against and killed Daghrefin, the Huga champion, without weapons: “Nor was my sword his death, but my hand grasp broke his bone-house, tore out his surging heart.” After fifty years of kingship, when the fire dragon molested his people, Beowulf, the old man, did not lose his fierceness; he was “ready to die … life from body parted … I am brave in mind.” In the final battle brave Wiglaf showed his own fierceness and advanced to help his lord who was englulfed in flames: “With him I will embrace the fire … he doesn’t deserve to suffer alone.”
In Beowulf, the essence left behind by a true hero is extremely important. In epics such as this one, leaders tend to have the determination and boldness of a hero. On the other hand, the main character, Beowulf, does not only display these certain traits. In this heroic poem, respect and trust come naturally. Honor and integrity are present throughout the poem. There are many moments in Beowulf that manifest the many traits that a person should have. This proves how important these attributes are to the characters and the Anglo-Saxon society. Although Beowulf has no known author, it embodies many of the beliefs and morals of the early Germanic society. The author of this epic poem uses many approaches in order to demonstrate that respect and trust are fundamental characteristics of a leader and 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
An epic is a long narrative poem on a serious subject. It usually is about
Every culture has many stories and poems to represent what they believe in, and what they look for in a hero. The heroes written in these stories and myths are brave, and are leaders. However, every hero comes with a flaw or two. The epic poem Beowulf by Seamus Heaney, has an extraordinary hero named Beowulf. Beowulf was a hero to the Anglo-Saxons which were fierce warriors who fought a lot. Beowulf fights many brutal monsters and threats in his days, but the most barbaric of them all is the inside threat within him. Beowulf had a big ego, and focused more on creating a name for himself than thinking about the real risks ahead. Two of his major battles that he faced along with his internal peril was against the dragon, and the beast Grendel.
What does it mean to be a hero? Like anything else in this world, the definition of the word hero can be argued. Some may say that a hero can be passive, that is if he or she refrains from doing a certain action it makes them heroic. Others would argue that to be truly heroic the character must never turn tail and always face the obstacle head on even though he or she may die in the process. So is Beowulf a hero? Yes, Beowulf is a great epic hero, but his greatness comes only from his sword and not from his mind.
...his last attempt strikes the dragon so hard, and the dragon meets Beowulf’s strike, resulting in the death of both of them. Although Beowulf is seconds away from eternal death, he greatly admires the extent of loyalty the brave warrior, Wiglaf, displays. As Beowulf comes to the realization that his kingdom will be left with no leader as a result of his defeat, he knows no better man to follow in his footsteps and rule with such loyalty and admiration as he himself did than the brave Wiglaf. Beowulf hands his kingdom off to Wiglaf who he knows will rule it well.
A hero is defined as a man distinguished courage or ability; someone who is admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities. When people are oppressed by an evil tyrant, a hero will rise above the circumstance, and conquer the evil that has harmed the people he wants to protect. The Anglo Saxon writer produced a great representation of a hero in Beowulf. If alive today, the protagonist Beowulf would be considered a hero. He possess attributes such as superhuman strength, unshakable bravery, and the willingness to not ever give up until the fight was won. Beowulf has the same attributes that many of the other heroes we have come to know have. The story Beowulf will paint a clear picture of what a hero should be like and show that Beowulf would be considered a hero if alive.
Beowulf, written between the 8th and 10th centuries, is an epic poem set in southern Sweden. The poem illustrates the Anglo-Saxon’s strong belief in the heroic code. The loyalty between the warrior and his king bound the culture together. The warrior was the ultimate hero who represented strength and courage. Beowulf, the hero in the poem, illustrates the Germanic principles of the heroic code. Through the battles and character interactions, Beowulf converges loyalty, strength, courage and forgiveness into the hero archetype.
Existence as an Angelo-Saxon warrior was rewarding, however at the same instant it was difficult. Warlords had a number of warriors obliged to serve them. Being a warrior had a worthwhile life, they spent their time shining armor, readying their sword and intimidating the other warriors. Being an Anglo- Saxon warrior was gratifying life because warriors got fame, glory, recognition, and treasure. The younger boys looked up to either their father that was a warrior or another warrior. They idolized these men because they received fame. The idea of jewels, clashing of metal hitting your foe painted great images in Angelo- Saxon boys. In their culture fame is the most important thing you can have. By reading Beowulf I realized that loyalty is sometimes more important to them than their religion.
In Beowulf’s younger years, he personified all of the best values of the heroic culture when saving another kingdom from their demons. Beowulf’s willingness to sacrifice his life in order to save strangers his father owed a debt to is quite selfless. His bravery comes into play when he remains unchanged in his resolve even after hearing of all the King’s men and subjects slain by the beast.
The epic poem of Beowulf and the tale of the great warrior has been one of the most revered texts of old Anglo-Saxon literature, and has maintained a self-sustaining relevance in today’s society as a result of the vast amounts of translations and reworks of the tale into movies, art, and literature. The epic poem dates back to the ninth century and was first translated off of an old frayed manuscript, leaving some portions of the epic to be left up to the reader of the absent text. The epic story was thought to originate from an oral background as traditional folk tale, yet this has been questioned for debate. On thing that is certain is the fact that Beowulf , is full of thematic elements of the decisions of good vs. evil , the intrinsic excitement of masculinity, and the morbid reminder of mortality, all of which have been analyzed among great scholars and writers throughout decades.
To me the perfect hero is someone who is loyal, has great strength, and has a sense of duty. Beowulf is an excellent example of these characteristics. He was a magnificent fighter, strong, and very loyal to all who came into his presence. Beowulf was always fair to both his friends and his enemies. He made a magnificent hero.
One of the praised mannerisms in the Anglo-Saxon Age was loyalty. Warriors are supposed to be loyal, but when Grendel attacks, “the only survivors were those who fled him”(37-38). The soldiers were awfully timorous of Grendel, that they fled the attack cite and turned the battle into every man for himself.