Modern Heroes: Dante Vs. Beowulf

977 Words2 Pages

Erika Mercado
Essay 2

Modern Heroes: Dante vs Beowulf A modern hero is a good-hearted person with these attributes: bravery, strong, and contributes to saving the lives of his homelands. Beowulf demonstrates the characteristics of a modern hero: a leader, fearless, and generous. Beowulf is a young hero whose character exerts powerful strength in battles. Dante the Pilgrim does not display hero attributes in The Inferno. Dante displays the opposite of modern hero attributes: he was a scared, weak, lost, hypocrite, and a follower as he ventured through hell. Dante the pilgrim is displayed as a simple human being who is just like everyone else who sins. Therefore, Beowulf is considered a modern hero and Dante the pilgrim is not.

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Beowulf was born to lead and not follow. Beowulf’s character from youth to old seeks out battles with all his devotion to win as a great leader would do. “I risked my life often when I was young. Now I am old, but as king of the people I shall pursue this fight for the glory of winning, if the evil one will only abandon his earth-fort and face me in the open” (Beowulf 2011-15). Beowulf claimed his right as a king to his people and battled against the dragon to protect his people. A king is a leader and never a follower. In beginning of The Inferno, Dante had gone astray of his path. He then comes across Virgil who becomes his leader and guidance throughout hell. Virgil spoke, “Therefore, for your own good, I think it well you follow me and I will be your guide and lead you forth through the eternal place” (Canto I.105-07). Virgil recommends Dante follow him because he knows Dante is misplaced and will need his help. All in all, the two main characters, Beowulf who was a natural born leader and Dante the pilgrim who was dependent on Virgil to lead the way in The …show more content…

The people admired and worshipped him as their hero. The people grieved for Beowulf’s death and paid their respects at his memorial. They mourned for him and stated, “All the kings upon earth he was the man most gracious and fair-minded, kindest to his people and keenest to win fame” (Beowulf 3180-82). Beowulf proved himself to be a great generous king who moved the hearts of his people and of the readers. Dante’s emotions were all over the place and left the readers mainly to feel his pity for the sinners. Dante continues to go on throughout The Inferno and meets with Francesca telling her, “you suffer here melts me to tears of pity and pain” (Canto V.113-14) Dante is so overwhelmed in pity he fainted at times. Virgil keeps having to scold Dante, he tells him to stop those feelings of pity towards the sinners. Dante’s character was confused and full of sadness. Concluding, that Dante’s character does not have any admirable qualities. Beowulf did not display mixed emotions such as

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