Beowulf: The Embodiment of a Hero

According to the definition, hero is a person who is admired for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. Beowulf exemplifies the traits of a perfect hero, as he shows qualities such as: loyalty, courage and faith or gratitude. He is said to be reluctant to back down from battle, is unstoppable from obstacles, and ready to risk his own life in order to fight for his ideals. He’s the main character of the plot and the prince of Geats; also characterized as the “prince of goodness”(676).

During all three acts, the main character achieves to defeat three different monsters. The presence of an outstanding hero, such as this one, is crucial in making a poem an epic poem. An epic poem is, as definition, a long narrative poem in

Except from being an epic poem, however, Beowulf can also be categorized as Old English poetry. Old English poetry often features a distinctive set of rhetorical devices.

(12-17)”

This quote is a proof that whenever any great men manage to achieve heroic feats, the narrator will always attribute their prowess to God’s favor.

The narrator is also seen to place events into a Biblical context, casting Grendel and Grendel’s Mother as the kin of Cain. Although there are no official and direct references to Jesus in the text of the work, the Old Testament and its principles are indeed largely pointed out.

In conclusion, Beowulf is an epic poem that has a plot which centers around the heroic acts of the main character. It has a unique structure and wide use of rhetorical and literary devices, that make the poem memorable. The employment of these devices and other specific elements prove it pertains to Old English poetry. The poem also introduces Christian beliefs and values throughout the text. The interlocking of Anglo-Saxon ideas and Christian values was probably a