Modern Heroes In Beowulf And Simone Biles

Heroes: Classical vs. Modern

POW, BAM, KAPOW a nefarious villain lying on the floor as the blood gushes from his internal wounds. As the villain awaits his death, the hero, the savior stands above all threats as he witnesses the malefactor’s defeat. This gruesome scene could be found in any superhero show: The flash, Arrow, DC Legends of Tomorrow, Super Woman, and Lucifer. Those heroes all have supernatural powers, which allow them to aid other people in the time of need. However, real Heroes exist behind the TV screen. Heroes come in many shapes and sizes, examples of these heroes are Beowulf and Simone Biles. Although Beowulf and Simone Biles come from different times, they both share the heroic characteristics of the three S’s: selflessness,

success, and strength.
Beowulf and Simone Biles share the heroic characteristic of selflessness.

Beowulf showed selflessness throughout his life, such as when he met king Hrothgar for the first time. Beowulf introduced himself than explained his rationale for the visit. “I alone….may purge all evil,” Beowulf exclaimed. The warrior placed aside all of his fears and risked his life to help the Danes kill Grendel (Beowulf 431-432). Grendel’s strength was unmatchable; he ruled Herot for 12 years and slaughtered every warrior who challenged him. Knowing how powerful Grendel was, Beowulf was not afraid to challenge Grendel, because he knew that his act of selflessness could bring peace to an entire Kingdom who suffered Grendel’s wrath. Simone Biles demonstrates the heroic trait of selflessness in an interview in which she explains how “it makes [her] happy and honored that she [is able] to inspire [other girls]” (5 Reasons). Beowulf and Simone Biles inspire other individuals in their time eras to succeed and try their best even when it is risking their own life, whether it is for wining a gold medal or saving a

kingdom.
Another heroic characteristic that both Beowulf and Simone Biles share is success. Beowulf was a very successful individual, who defeated all of his enemies and kept his legacy alive. According to the poem Beowulf, he was showered with many gifts from Hrothgar because he killed both Grendel and Grendel’s mother after Grendel’s rule over Herot for about “12 winters” (Beowulf 62). Another heroic success that Beowulf had was when he became the king of the Geats, Beowulf insured that his kingdom under his rule lived in “peace and prosperity.” Beowulf’s heroic success was the effect of his contributions to society. Simone Biles also had the heroic characteristic of success. The breaking point for the gold medalist success was when she was at the age of 16. She was the first African-American Women to win the “all around world championship” three times in a consistent order (Fincher). She also broke records as she participated in the 2016 Rio Olympics; Biles had won four gold medals and one bronze medal at the age of 19. As her determination and sweetness was represented on the screen, Biles is seen as an American hero for representing her country in the Olympics.
The last trait that Beowulf and Simone Biles have in common is strength.

Beowulf’s supernatural strength allowed him to defeat all three vicious monsters: Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and a dragon. The first obstacle Beowulf stumbles upon would be the ferocious Grendel. Beowulf’s will and passion to save the Danes allowed him to single-handedly kill the “guardian of crime,” by detaching Grendel’s hand (Beowulf 273). Yet, another battle Beowulf begun was with Grendel’s mother. Grendel’s mother rage over her son’s death caused her to attack Herot. Because of Grendel’s mother witty moves and powerful strength, Beowulf had a difficult time defeating her. However, Beowulf defeated Grendel’s mother as he “struck [the sword] with all [his] strength” through her neck (Beowulf 521). Beowulf’s strength was the key factor for his victory over Grendel’s mother. The final battle that Beowulf faced was with an outraged dragon. Although Beowulf was at an old age, his strength did not lessen. Beowulf heroism was perceived by his physical strength, which helped him protect the Geats and the Danes. Simone Biles is a hero because of the emotional strength. According to an ESPN reporter, Biles went through a harsh childhood. Their grandfather adopted Simone and her sister when she was about three years old. This transition had a huge effect on Simone because at that time she started to have an actual family who loved and took care of her. Another emotional strength Simone Biles had undergone was

in Belgium. Biles received a racist comment from Italian Gymnast Carlotta Ferito, who stated “we should paint our skin black” to win the gold; after Simone won the all around gold medal in 2013 in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championship (E:60). However, Simone Biles shook of these racist comments and continued to thrive. She is a hero because she found the strength to overcome her past and discrimination.
Although they share similar heroic characteristics, their major difference is in their time eras. Beowulf was a noble warrior and king during the Anglo-Saxons period while, Simone Biles is a 21st century athlete. There were different challenges that each person had to face in each time period. Beowulf had to confront monsters and harsh battles, while Biles is still facing discrimination and intense routines. Beowulf defended and protected the neighboring countries from unknown creatures and invaders. However, the gymnast brought home the gold for her country in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Although Beowulf and Simone Biles come from different eras, they both share the heroic characteristics of selflessness, success, and strength. Beowulf and Biles selflessness was bestowed in helping and inspiring other individuals in their realm. The other heroic quality both of them shared was success. Last and not least, Beowulf and Biles both share the heroic trait of strength. Beowulf challenged his physical strength while Simone Biles challenged her emotional strength. Both Simone Biles and Beowulf present great heroics, who overcame there challenges in their society, and who inspired others to follow their footsteps.