Beowulf is a heroic epic that displays the heroic code of the Anglo- Saxon religion. The heroic code is made of 6 values, Courage, Loyalty, Kinship, Treasure, Hospitality, and Vengeance. Christopher Tolkien summarizes the code in his quote, “Physical courage (and shear strength of body), pride and a fierce individualism which would brook no humiliation, and the duty (and pleasure) of revenge, were the chief features of the man of honour.” Beowulf is a hero the same as Siegmund in that he shows his own individualism and displays the heroic code in all aspects.
Beowulf shows a mass amount of individualism. An example of this would be how Beowulf hated being humiliated through his accusation of losing his contest to Breca. Beowulf was a man that would not be humiliated. He was fast on his feet to set Unferth straight about what had happened between him and Breca. “I remained near him for five long nights, until a flood swept us apart; The frozen sea surged around me,
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it grew dark, the wind turned bitter...A monster sized me, drew me swiftly to the bottom, swimming tightly with its claws tight to my flesh. But fate let me find its heart with my sword, hack myself free; I fought that beasts last battle…” This quote helps to impicture the response that Beowulf gave to Unferth after his accusation. The three main values of the heroic code in the story of Beowulf are Treasure, Courage, and Vengeance. Each of these values are displayed more than once in the poem. The first being courage, Beowulf showed nothing but courage in everything that he did. In the poem chapter 12 line 570 “He leaped into the lake, would not wait for anyone's answer…” This quote shows that Beowulf was fearless as to what was in the lake. Instead of waiting on his other members Beowulf decided to jump right in to face Grendel's mother. Beowulf showed great courage through the battles that he was in that lead to treasures. Beowulf was such an amazing warrior that in almost every battle that was won, he was given great treasure.
The heroic code shows that treasure is a reward for those who seek bravery and skill to win battles of courage. Beowulf went above and beyond what the code had asked of him. An example of his treasures can be found in chapter 23 verse 1020-1023, “ Haldane's son gave Beowulf a golden banner, a fitting flag to signal his victory, and gave him as well, a helmet, and a coat of mail, and an ancient sword…” . Beowulf was given these gifts as a show of praise for him defeating the mother of Grendel.
The final value is vengeance. Vengeance is a value that the pagan religion holds dear. In a way, vengeance is what fuels hero's to fight battles. In Beowulf, the vengeance that Beowulf had for Grendel fueled his fire to go after Grendel's mother. An example of this vengeance is chapter 12, verse 613, “ His anger doubled his strength.” . With the help of vengeance, Beowulf was able to defeat Grendel's
mother. In conclusion, the heroic code was shown in many other ways not just through the 3 points that were discussed. You can also find examples of Loyalty, Kinship and Hospitality throughout the poem. The three values that were not discussed coincide in a way that makes them one in the same. Examples of these values can be found in chapters one and two, while talking about the Mead Hall and the fellowship that went on before it was mangled by Grendel. The heroic code was a way for the warriors to be able to live a life of glory and praise. Without the glory, the hero's wouldn't be much hero's.
First of all, Beowulf came to help Hrothgar on his own free will. Hearing of the troubles that Hrothgar was having with a monster terrorizing Herot, his mead hall, Beowulf bravely offered his help not knowing what he was up against. When he arrived, Beowulf did not ask the king for either money nor fame. The only favor that he asked of Hrothgar was that he and his men were to fight the monster, Grendel. Coming away from one's homeland to help get rid of a man-eating monster and asking for nothing in return takes much courage and is an extremely brave deed.
direction is like trying to hit a cloud with a bow and arrow. A hero is also
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.
This demonstrates his boldness since he was the set out man toward the Geats. By picking the most grounded and boldest individuals, Beowulf mirrors that he himself more likely than not been considerably more valiant with a specific end goal to have the capacity to lead his honorable individuals. Thusly in picking the overcome men he did, not just did he demonstrate the amount more overcome he was, Beowulf additionally demonstrated that he was by a wide margin and epic saint. Beowulf had three huge phases of his life. The real battles changed his life until the end of time. Grendel, Grendel 's mother, and the mythical beast was the hardest adversaries, he ever needed to battle. The New York Times states "Beowulf" was an early love, and a sort of Rosetta Stone for his imaginative work. His investigation of the ballad, which he called "this most noteworthy of the surviving works of old English lovely workmanship," educated his reasoning about myth and dialect. I trust that Beowulf will never be overlooked in light of the fact that regardless it demonstrates the distinction amongst immaturity and senior
Epic heroes usually exemplify the character traits most admired in their societies, and Beowulf is no exception. "Beowulf" is set in the Anglo-Saxon society, a time when war was rampant among the many peoples trying to take over the different kingdoms of England. In this dangerous, violent time people lived in constant peril and jeopardy. These conditions only allowed people of great bravery to survive and men of outstanding courage were admired the populous. These warriors fought for their leader and tribe in return for treasure and protection. This relationship between the lord and his men was the basis of the Anglo-Saxon society. The epic poem "Beowulf" is a perfect example of how this system worked in these trying times.
The theme of selflessness is shown among the character Beowulf through his courageous spirit to help others in need. If you remember in the beginning of the epic poem, Beowulf travels “to the lands of the Danes” to help silence the feud
In conclusion, although Beowulf possessed many heroic qualities he would not be considered a hero in today’s world. A hero varies from culture to culture. The Anglo-Saxon appreciated different things in a person that what do not we appreciate today. Many things have changed a lot with time, the requisites for being considered a hero have also changed. Today we do not like to solve problems with war. Pride and honor are not as important as the willingness one has to help others. Beowulf is not feeling that contact with people he doesn’t identify with them because he believes himself better, a part of a hero´s cycle is to be identified with the community. To be part
In life, there are many motivations to make people do certain things. Money, love, and power are three of the most common motivations for people. According to the Anglo-Saxon code this is not the case for what motivates them. In the Old English epic poem Beowulf, there are many factors that motivate Beowulf to fight the three monsters. The first monster is Grendel who is followed by the second monster which is Grendel's mom. The final monster is a fearsome dragon who is out for revenge. In the epic poem Beowulf, the three things that motivate Beowulf to fight the monsters are duty, glory, and treasure.
Beowulf is selfish because he does not possess the simple trait of humility. The Barbaric Anglo-Saxons did not value traits like humility, generosity, kindness, or selflessness; and Beowulf proves that. Instead of a legacy of thinking of himself as less, Beowulf completely thrived off of himself as the greatest and most worthy on many occasions. When he introduces himself to the Danes, “in his far-off home Beowulf, Higlac’s follower and the strongest of the Geats-greater and stronger than anyone anywhere in this world (109-111).” After Grendel is viciously beheaded states, “Or between the seas, neither south nor north, was there a warrior worthier to rule over men (542-543).” The story of Beowulf is centered in Beowulf’s
Beowulf is a good example of a courageous and strong hero. He shows all of
“It doesn’t take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle,” Norman Schwarzkopf. In the epic poem, Beowulf, an epic hero from Geats travels far out of his way to help the Danes with their fight against the nasty Grendel. However, in the story Beowulf encounters three monsters that he takes into his own hands and defeats them all. In doing so, Beowulf is rewarded greatly and becomes king and is looked up to by all. In his last battle, Beowulf defeats the dragon but dies soon afterwards, he is given an honorable burial. This poem was told throughout the era of the Vikings and was later written down as the first actually hard copy of the story. It was Burton
Throughout the story, Beowulf fights three battles against frightening monsters. Beowulf, the prince of the Geats, was a well known warrior with extreme strength who makes a promise to protect his people under any circumstance. In the poem, his strength is tested, but he uses it to save many people in battles against: Grendel, Grendel 's mother, and a dragon. Before, during, and after each of these battles Beowulf shows many similarities and differences in his actions.
At the beginning of the novel, Beowulf represents a savage warrior, displaying mostly his strength and bravery by defeating Grendel and his mother. However, as Beowulf ages, he begins to change into a different kind of hero. After becoming King of the Geats, Beowulf matured and took on more of a leadership role in the community, as opposed to a warrior. Even though Beowulf was still a hero, he began to lead an army of geats and acted for the good of the people. In both cases however, Beowulf was respected by others for his admirable
Beowulf displayed great courage and honor throughout his journeys and battles; he was an epic hero. An epic hero is a person who is viewed as larger than life and possesses values of a certain society. From the time of Beowulf’s battle with Grendel to his brawl against the dragon, he has showed everyone what being an honorable hero looks like. His heroism is revealed through both youth as a young warrior and wisdom as a reliable king. He never backed down and didn’t give up when situations were tough. Beowulf had obligations to fulfill and went about every aspect of his life with courage and strength. He cared for his people and was willing to take on anyone that threatened them or his kingdom. He sincerely was the hero of his time.
The usual epic hero is most of the time on a mission. Beowulf was on a mission to help his people by getting rid of Grendel. He is determined to free the Danes from Grendel.The third characteristic of Beowulf is courage. There’s no way Beowulf would have accomplished anything without courage. “The Spear-Danes in days gone by and the kings who ruled them had courage and greatness. We have heard of those princes' heroic campaigns.” Beowulf stated here that he’s known for courage, “The man whose name was known for courage, the Geat leader, resolute in his helmet,answered in return: "We are retainers