Why Beowulf Is Not A Hero

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The story of “Beowulf” is one of the oldest epic poems that represents a hero back in the days. Beowulf is a character in the story that has all the qualities of an Anglo-Saxon hero. He is strong, fearless, brave, and courageous, which are typical characteristics for a hero but are these qualities considered him as a hero by the standards of modern day? This Anglo-Saxon poem does have “heroic” characteristics like bravery and honor but it is not a true representation of an actual hero. Although Beowulf is idolized throughout the poem as a hero figure, he shows an egocentric nature to seeking glory for himself and not giving credit to those who aid him by his side. Beowulf in my opinion, is not a hero for one main reason. His actions are motivated by his pride and egocentric personality. The battle between Grendel and Beowulf shows Beowulf's desire for pride and not letting his men help him defeat the demon. For instance, Beowulf fought Grendel with his bare hands one on one while his men watched. The reasons …show more content…

The reason why Beowulf battles the dragon is because he knows that there is a reward if he defeats the dragon. His motivation is the money and status, not the safety of the people. In the story he stated “But I will fight again, seek fame still, if the dragon hiding in his tower dares to face me” Although Beowulf is a great fighter, he puts his reputation first when fighting the dragon and makes him feel like an almighty figure. Overall, Beowulf does leave a legacy behind due to his heroic acts like risking his life to fight the monsters and having special nonhuman powers. The people praise Beowulf for helping them and gets highly recognized for his achievements, which was his goal all along. When it comes down to it, his pride takes over his mindset to become a “legacy”. He does heroic acts not by the willingness of his heart but getting a reward in

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