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The cultural influence of beowulf
Characteristics of an epic hero
Argumentative text essay
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Argument Essay: Beowulf, An Epic Example
Beowulf is a story packed with lots of action and adventure. What would you do if
you were face to face with a fire breathing dragon? I strongly believe that Beowulf is an
epic because of all of the examples of epic characteristics found in the story.
The epic if full of many examples of good vs evil. Good vs evil is a universal
theme. Grendel was a monstrous creature that terrorized many people and tore apart
many families and communities. He was an evil creature that had to be stopped.
Beowulf was the only man capable of defeating such a powerful monster, and so he
followed through with his promise and defeated evil. Beowulf represented good.
Beowulf also defeated a mighty, fire breathing dragon. These
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are just a few examples of good vs evil out of the story. Another characteristic to prove that Beowulf is an epic is a hero represents the cultural values of a race, nation, or religious group.
The fire breathing dragon was just
too much for the much older Beowulf at the end of the story. A warrior named Wiglaf
saw that his leader had been injured and stayed to help Beowulf while all of the other
warriors fled. Wiglaf valued honor and bravery and he stayed true to his leader. He did
not run away when things escalated to a much higher danger, but he stayed to help
Beowulf until the end.
The action takes place in a vast setting, and covers a wide geographic area is
another epic characteristic that is shown throughout Beowulf. Beowulf travels
throughout many areas fighting many creatures that are murderous villains. Beowulf
travels to Herot to defeat Grendel. After Grendel had been defeated, Beowulf travels to
Grendel’s mother’s lair deep in the bottom of the lake to battle and defeat this
treacherous monster. The fire breathing dragon was located in Geatland up high in a .
tower. The dragon was sadly Beowulf's last battle, but his memory still lingers.
As you can see, Beowulf was an epic because of all the epic characteristics
covered throughout Beowulf. The universal theme of good vs evil was present in
Beowulf as well as heros representing cultural values of a race, nation, or
religious group, and actions taking place in a vast setting, and covers a wide geographic area.
While fighting the Dragon Beowulf shows feats of strength and courage that define him as a hero. The classical hero displays a special quality that separates him from the rest of
in the cave. In the cave Unferth begs Grendel to take his life but Grendel
but then, due to a storm, he lost his way. While Beowulf was trying to return
Beowulf is the strongest of the Geats and he is willing to defend his people from any monster that comes in his way. He is also determined to prove his strength by defeating Beowulf and his mother by using only his bare hands. He has also killed a large number of many more monsters.
Beowulf is “the strongest of the Geats -- greater / and stronger than anyone anywhere in this world” (ll.110-111). Even though he is famous for his massive strength, Beowulf has other attributes that are noticeable other than his strength. These attributes, arrogance, bravery, and a strong love for his people are what make Beowulf become such a powerful, epic hero. Beowulf is arrogant. He constantly brags about his supreme strength. The “strongest man alive” lets people know that he is the most powerful person around by saying, “no strength is a match for mine” (l.267). Beowulf does not think that he could ever be destroyed by anything. He obviously never questiones how his fighting ability would be when he was around seventy. Since Beowulf is convinced that God is watching over him, his ego makes him act as if he is invincible, because of the idea that he has a guardian angel. But, as Beowulf gets older, wiser, and fights in more battles he should realize that there was a possibility that he can die. Beowulf also boasts about his many battles, and is proud of himself for winning all of them. One of these triumphs is the battle in the water when he meets up with nine sea monsters which he killeds, and fights with a monster that is digging its jaws into Beowulf’s flesh. Beowulf proclaims that “ I fought that beast’s last battle, / left it floating in the sea” (ll.290-291). This epic tale reads that while Beowulf is in battle with Grendel’s mother, all he cares was about the fame he would get for defeating her. Unferth thinks that Beowulf was arrogant, by saying, “ You’re Beowulf, are you the same / Boastful fool who fought a swimming / Match with Brecca” (ll.239-241). Yes, Beowulf is a boastful fool that loves the attention that his strength gives him. A strong man and an arrogant one, Beowulf is also brave. Even after all of the horror stories that he hears about Grendel, he still fights the cursed beast without any hesitation. When he battles with Grendel, he does it without the things that everyone else would use--weapons. This shows that Beowulf is not scared of anything in the world. He also must be brave to fight a sea monster after swimming in the ocean for days. He went straight into battle exhausted, from the strenuous journey across the ocean.
After she escapes, the warriors realize that she has managed to steal back Grendel's claw from where it has been hanging. The victim is one of Hrothgar's closest advisors, "the man he loved most of all men on earth." The king summons Beowulf and his men. There's a feeling of desperation in the air. We know Beowulf realizes that something is dreadfully wrong -- no doubt he can hear the uproar from the main hall- but he also knows that it's his job to convey confidence and self-control. At this moment, the young warrior seems wiser and more mature than the aging king.
Beowulf is a great tale but as a person, he isn’t that all that people make him out to be. In his older years his need for attention and glory ended up with the death of him. He fought the dragon alone and in return, ended up killing the dragon, but also sacrificed himself. Even as he died he asked for one thing, his people to build him a memorial near the sea so everyone could see the person that he was. His need for attention, lack of planning, and need for glory caused him to be just a prideful man, not a
“In my youth I engaged in many wars”, Beowulf boasts to his warriors, which is certainly true. Throughout his life, he faces many deadly foes, all of which he handily defeats, save one. His story focuses on the most challenging, as well as morally significant of foes, Grendel and the dragon. These creatures reveal much about society as well as Christian virtue at the time. Even after Grendel and the dragon are defeated physically, the two monsters pose a new threat to the hero on a higher plane. Beowulf is not only at risk of losing his life, but his humanity, virtue, and even spirituality.
Crossley-Holland, Kevin, trans. Beowulf The Fight at Finnsburh, edited by Heather O’Donoghue. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999.
Beowulf portrays the life a warrior turned king who demonstrates the qualities that not only the ideal king should have, but also the ideal warrior should exhibit. This allows the reader to notice how kings in the past were, and the power they possessed over the people of the area.
In this reimagining of the roles of good and evil, we see that there is a similar struggle in both stories. Beowulf mirrors it so closely, in fact, that careful consideration of the information plainly available can cause the lines of good and evil to blur perceptually. It is clear that the author of Beowulf had a deep understanding of the concepts of the Biblical creation story and took great care to recreate the struggle of good and evil in his epic.
Towards the end of Beowulf’s epic hero cycle and life as king, he had to take on one last monster, the Dragon. He commuted back to Geatland with his men. As he begins to fight the Dragon, his sword failed him, and Beowulf was left with no weapons. Then ten of the eleven men he brought fled in fear and Beowulf was left with only Wiglaf. They took on the Dragon together and successfully killed him only after being badly wounded in the neck. Beowulf then collapsed and passed on. This finished his cycle as hero and as
Beowulf is a very brave hero, he has fought and killed many creatures before, but this battle was different. He knew this battle was of great importance to everyone, and that made him that much more nervous. This creature was fierce and had been tormenting their village for as long as they could remember, so her death would be a huge victory for Beowulf and it would be an even bigger relief for the villagers. All of the people in the village were cheering for Beowulf as he walked away headed off to the greatest battle of his life.
of Beowulf is in vast scope covering great lands and far off places , and the
Beowulf’s first accomplishment as an epic hero was his battle with Grendel. Grendel was a huge beast, a descendent of Cain, who ruthlessly murdered innocent Danes because he felt pity for himself. Upon hearing of the Dane’s problem, Beowulf set off to help the Danish without having been called upon. Even though Beowulf had men backing him, He drew battle with Grendel alone and without armor or weapons. Yet, Beowulf emerged victorious with the arm of Grendel as his trophy. Beowulf then went on to kill Grendel’s vengeful mother and a huge fire-breathing dragon who thought it had been done wrong by the Geats. Alas, the killing of the dragon would be Beowulf’s last great battle for the dragon took Beowulf’s life in the struggle for his own.