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Jeremy Bentham on utilitarianism
Jeremy Bentham on utilitarianism
Characteristics of hero
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Beowulf demonstrates his hero trait within his actions he takes making a connection to the idea of Bentham. The main focus of Bentham’s utilitarian idea is, before making a decision being able to calculate pleasure and pain for others not just yourself. Similarly Beowulf focuses on the greater pleasure when he goes to battle against Grendel and Grendel’s mother. The hero trait that Beowulf shares with Jeremy Bentham’s utilitarian idea; is the thought of the happiness of others before making any decision or taking any action. The principle of Bentham is based on the happiness of others, which brings a connection to Beowulf’s succeeding action demonstrating Beowulf’s heroism. Bentham’s idea of making an action or taking a decision focus on …show more content…
Beowulf knows that he has the strength to stop this monstrous creature from killing more people, so he does what is best for others and battles the dragon. Beowulf told his people that he should risk his life once again for them, “I risked my life often when I was young. Now I am old, but as king of the people I shall pursue this fight… Men-at-arms, remains here on the barrow, safe in your armor… This fight is not yours, nor it is up to any man except me…” (2511-2534). Beowulf knows that he had the ability to defeat the dragon but was not sure if he would end up alive or not. Even though he was not sure of his life he still did not back down from confronting the dragon because he knows that is was for the best of others. Beowulf calculated the happiness and the pain of others in order to make his decision; he knows that by killing the dragon he will reduce the amount of pain of others. Reason why this action makes Beowulf a hero is because Beowulf sacrifices his life to reduce the amount of pain the dragon was causing to others; Beowulf follows Bentham’s utilitarian idea by calculating his decisions between happiness and …show more content…
According to Winston, Bentham believed that the pleasure of other not only should be considered in every human decision but also in political decisions. Winston stated about Bentham that, “He thought that every political decision should be made on the same calculation, that is, to maximize the net product of pleasure over pain.” (Winston). Political decisions should be calculated, making sure the outcome is more pleasure than pain for others. Bentham’s political idea connects to Beowulf acceptance to be king for the Geats. Hygd’s husband who was the king of the Geats passed away; according to the Anglo-Saxon tradition the son should be king. Hygd realizes that her son is too young and does not have the experience to be able to be a king, so she offers the throne to Beowulf. Beowulf accepts Hygd’s offer of him being the king for the Geats because he knows that is the best decision for the Geats which will bring them pleasure and reduce pain of suffering. Beowulf decision to accepting to be king brought the best to the Geats because he ruled them as good as any wise king would do. In Beowulf it states that “He ruled it well for fifty winters, grew old and wise as warden of the land...” (2208-22009). Beowulf took the throne and made sure he did not let the Geats down; instead he became a good king to them. Beowulf ruled the Geats well not for the benefit of him instead he ruled it
In Beowulf, the protagonist Beowulf is shown as a hero with extrodinary strength. This is not what makes him a hero. By definition, a hero is a man of exceptional quality. However this term does not do Beowulf justice. His self-imposed purpose in life is to help others, and eventually sacrifices his own life in doing so. Beowulf’s battle with the dragon serves as a critique of the notion that Beowulf is a hero. The Dragon section displays many of Beowulf’s heoric characteristics. Beowulf establishes himself as a hero by fighting the dragon, exemplifing strength and courage when fighting the dragon, and sacrificing himself so that others can live.
Towards the end of the story, Beowulf travels to fight a dragon who is protecting a large treasure. He wants to prove to his kingdom that he is still the brave and strong man he used to be, but his main motivation is the treasure he will get after his victory. "And Beowulf uttered his final boast: 'I've never known fear, as a youth I fought In endless battles. I am old, now, But I will fight again, seek fame still, If the dragon hiding in his tower dares To face me'" (606-610). On the other side, the dragon has the same motivation. He is willing protect the treasure if it takes his life. This makes the fight one to the death. "When he comes to me I mean to stand, not to run from his shooting Flames, stand still till fate decides Which of us wins" (619-622). Beowulf feels that if he cannot have this victory, that this is the proper way to
Beowulf is an epic poem telling the story of Beowulf, a legendary Geatish hero who later becomes king in the aforementioned epic poem. While the story in and of itself is quite interesting, for the purpose of this paper it is important to look at the character more so then his deeds, or rather why he did what he did.
(P) Beowulf humbly gave everything to his people, and shared his wealth and wisdom to help his people prosper. His fatal flaw was more fatal than it was a flaw, and because of it he lost his life to protect those who were not willing protect him. (Q) Listening to the advice of others, rather than ruling alone, is what made Beowulf so great in the end. He may have been boastful when he was young but as he matured he became wise and humble. When Beowulf became king, he did not live through past actions, instead he continued to give his people reasons to serve him. (R) A lesson from this is that the past does not make the future, people can go from bad to good and from good to great if they take the help given, by those who want to see the great in
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. One of the first examples of respect and trust in the poem is when Beowulf arrives with the intention of fighting Grendel.
The Epic poem of Beowulf is a story of heroism, loyalty, ego, and fate. To be a great leader of men; a great king of the people, you must be respected and trusted. Loyalty is given to those who earn the respect and trust of their people. Beowulf was blessed with great physical strength, the pride and fearlessness of a warrior, and an equally strong command of the spoken word, which he used skillfully to his advantage. He gained the respect and trust of nearly everyone he came in contact with, largely because he possessed the characteristics of a true hero, but in the end it was his ego that sealed his fate. Although it could be said that Beowulf’s character was flawed by an enormous ego, fueled by thoughts of immortality, it is this very trait that made him an ideal hero and king.
In the poem Beowulf, the protagonist is portrayed as a heroic figure who strives to spread his name and glory out across the land in order to be remembered. Although his acts may not entirely be for the right reasons, Beowulf does express his heroic qualities of bravery, arrogance, and brute force.
...he dragon, which meant he knew he was leaving his nation weak and vulnerable to attacks from their many enemies. Was this selfish of Beowulf or did he really fight his final fight because he knew no one else could? The interpretation as to whether Beowulf is a hero or not will always be debated and it is truly just a matter of personal opinion.
People questioned if Beowulf acts of heroism can really be called heroic. He may have done it just to gain fame, or made it sound unrealistic so that people would see him as a god. A hero is someone who is isn’t afraid to dance with death if it means doing what is right, or protecting someone. Beowulf has shown to have this characteristic by his tales of adventures. For example “I drove five great giants into chains, chased All of that race from the earth. In the darkness of the night hunting monsters Out of the ocean, and killing them one By one” (154-158). Should acts of heroism that seem unrealistic be disregarded as a hero’s act?
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 his willingness to lay down his life to fulfill the Green Knight’s request of King Arthur’s men. Beowulf is known among the people as a selfless hero in their times of need. Not only did Beowulf have immense physical strength, but he also had a burning desire for his people’s safety. It is for this selflessness and concern for others that Beowulf is the better hero.
There are many traits that are possessed by those who seek heroism. Whether it is in real life or in fiction, every hero desires these character traits in the past, present, and future. IN my opinion, the two traits that are most prominent in the poem Beowulf are bravery and goodness.
Beowulf is a good example of a courageous and strong hero. He shows all of
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 Anglo-Saxon poem, Beowulf is brimming with feats of archetypal heroism. The titular character engages in feats of strength, slays monsters, and ultimately sacrifices his life for the common good. Yet, in the final third of the poem the author uses a digression to create a more rounded character that understands the importance of politics and social alliances. Beowulf’s speech to his lord and uncle Hygelac after his victories over the beast known as Grendel and his mother, illustrates this shift towards a more civic-minded character that places importance upon relations within tribal society over his own glory. The digression takes place as Beowulf moves from heroic youth toward aged leadership, and serves to portray Beowulf not only as