Beowulf : An Anglo Saxon Epic Hero

What do Achilles, King Arthur, Harry Potter, and Beowulf all have in common? They all demonstrate the qualities of epic heroes. Beowulf represents several characteristics of an epic hero and demonstrates the values of the Anglo-Saxons. He is the main character of his story, he has a main goal, he travels and fights with a group of people, and he accomplishes many valorous deeds; the values of the Anglo-Saxons are also shown through the actions of Beowulf, such as courage, loyalty, and fame. For example, when Beowulf heard a cry for help in a far off land, he answered. He fought larger than life monsters, and won. His exceptional strength proves his epic courage and heroism.

In the movie and book Beowulf, Beowulf represents a hero. Beowulf is like our modern day heroes, firefighters, policemen, military men, doctors and EMT’s. All of these men do the same thing as Beowulf did in the movie. The fight the villains and protect the innocent. Beowulf had super strength to help him defeat the villains and protect the innocent. "I have heard moreover that the monster scorns in his reckless way to use weapons; therefore, to heighten Hygelac 's fame and gladden his heart, I hereby renounce sword and the shelter of the broad shield, the heavy war-board: hand-to-hand is how it will be, a life-and-death fight with the fiend." (433-440) Although Grendel was a worthy opponent, he was still no match for Beowulf’s strength to kill the unbeatable monster.

An epic hero is a brave and noble character in an epic poem, admired for great achievements or affected by grand events. The epic hero of a story embarks on a quest in search of fame and glory, and encounters challenges throughout their journey. No matter the adversity, the epic hero maintains bravery and courage, never backing down. However, what the epic hero does not know is that the “real reason for a quest is always self-knowledge” (Foster 3). In the epic Beowulf, Anonymous employes the affection of a king, bravery in battle, an eternal quest and a lasting legacy to show Beowulf as an epic hero.

Beowulf took it upon himself and accepted the task of killing Grendel “Heard how Grendel filled nights with horror/And quickly commanded a boat fitted out” (line 111-112). Beowulf heard how Grendel was killing kings Hrothgar men and knew no one could stop him but him and if he did he would be remember forever by them. Beowulf leaves his home to help people he does not even no “The young warrior Beowulf, a nobleman from the land of the Geats, travels to the kingdom of the Danes, where he saves the people of King Hrothgar by slaying the monster Grendel and his mother”. He comes to a land of sacred people and kills not just one beats but two he will forever be remember by them. Even after years Beowulf will still put his life on the line for the fame “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” (line 625-628).

As the Martian Manhunter once said, “The future is worth it. All the pain. All the tears. The future is worth the fight”. This modern day superhero mentality, that fighting the good fight is worth it because it is the right thing to do is seen everywhere today. Movies, comic books, and videos games come out yearly featuring superheroes who fight for justice using their superhuman abilities. They possess characteristics such as bravery, strength, a stong moral compass, and loyalty. Interestingly, these modern day superhero traits can be traced all the way back to the Anglo-Saxons were the first hero ever, Beowulf lived. It is Beowulf who not only exemplifies modern day hero traits, but he more importantly shows the ideals of an Anglo-Saxon hero. Without a doubt, Beowulf demonstrates the traits of an Anglo-Saxon hero.

One of the major fights that make Beowulf an epic hero is the fight with Grendel. Grendel is a monster spawned out of slime. He terrorizes and kills the Danes every night for 12 years with their attempt of fighting back. Beowulf hears about Grendel and decides to take matters in his own hand. He chose fifteen warriors to go and battle with him. On the way he meets a king named Hrothgar. Beowulf introduces himself and they go to the hall to meet the other warriors. During the night, Beowulf stays up and waits for Grendel to come out. Grendel comes out and kills a male then Beowulf wrestles him and puts up a good fight. Grendel notices Beowulf strength and starts to panic. “Grendel knew at once that nowhere on earth Had he met a man whose hands were harder; His mind was flooded with fear- but nothing could take his talons and himself from that tight Hard grip.” ("Beowulf." : A

When we read the Beowulf poem we have the figure of a strong, protective hero who has no fear of adversity. These qualities are the ones that a hero should have in Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian society in medieval times. These qualities can be seen in Beowulf, main character of the literary work that bears his name. Beowulf arrives in the presence of King Hrothgar, who needs help with a monster named Grendel whom devouring men overnight in the Hall Heorot. This terrifying fact needs a hero who has the courage, the strength to fight the monster and Beowulf thinks he has all those attributes to be able to finish with Grendel. When Beowulf comes before King Hrothgar, he explains who he is. He tells about his lineage

Beowulf was a brave, strong, well respected, and had a stance that was viewed as a warrior by many. As Beowulf conquered many other creatures, he was determine to face Grendel as he heard that the monster was feared and he terrorized the people of Hrothgar. Than he took the best of Geats and was determined to conquer the monster because he was a protecter of the hall.

Beowulf is a Geatish hero who fights the monster Grendel, Grendel's mother, and a fire-breathing dragon. Beowulf's boasts and encounters reveal him to be the strongest, warrior around. Beowulf increase his reputation by fighting monsters and dragons. This was important to him because he wanted to protect his people. “Beowulf, a prince of the Geats, had killed Grendel, Ended the grief” (Raffel,49 829-831). Beowulf had killed this monster name Grendel that no one could ever defeat except him and the people from the Geats were thanking Beowulf for defeating this monster. Little by little he was gaining reputation to his name by defeating stronger opponents. When he kills Grendel’s mom he gains more reputation from the people and it was important to him because he wants to be the strongest warrior/king. Beowulf always wants to fight alone because

In Beowulf’s fights against Grendel and his mother, Beowulf's intentions are noble and he i[s successful in defeating his enemies. For Beowulf, his strength represents more than his physical prowess; it also represents his capability in protecting the people around him and defending the weaker citizens. For example, when Beowulf fights Grendel, he is not only defeating a devil like monster, he is sacrificing his life for people that he barely has any connection to. When Beowulf expresses his fearlessness towards death proclaiming that he “shall fulfil that purpose /

Beowulf lived and died a warrior and true hero. He exhibited true strength, courage, bravery, and loyalty. He fought numerous monsters and came out victorious every time. He was rewarded handsomely whether it be treasure, or women. Beowulf was never scared, and never second guessed himself. He conquered every monster that faced him and showed them why he is an epic hero.

Beowulf is an exceptional hero. Beowulf is born into a period where “fame and wealth is shaped by the sword” (Beowulf 24). The “boastful fool” had no problem ignoring advice from the wise when taking on the “fiercest of all demons” (507). His arrogance was justified because he had a history of defeating great beasts. Beowulf saved the people by ripping off the arm of Grendel and celebrated by hanging the limb above the mead hall. It wasn't until Beowulf’s friend died that the reader sees an inkling of human emotion. A dragon ambushes Beowulf's kingdom and his debilitating his all of his townspeople. Rather than send warriors to fight the legendary beast, Beowulf goes himself to fight the beast. Taking sword and shield, he associates with

Nobody tried to stop him, which clearly shows that nobody would dare challenge him, as he is mightier than anybody else. He also shows bravery when deciding to help Hrothgar by “like the leader he was, enlisting men, / the best he could find; with fourteen others / the warrior boarded the boat as captain,” (206-208). By choosing the mightiest and bravest men, Beowulf reflects himself as a brave man to lead his noble people. Beowulf was very persistent in choosing the brave men he did, which not only proved how much braver he was, but proved that he was an epic hero. Before Beowulf faced Grendel, “He began to remove his iron breast-mail, / took off the helmet and handed his attendant / the patterned sword,” (671-673). In doing this action, Beowulf decided that using a weapon or protection of any kind would make the battle too easy. After this action of bravery, he boasts, “When it comes to fighting, I count myself / as dangerous any day as Grendel” (677-678). Beowulf appears to be more daring and heroic after these reckless and impressive

Originating in the Anglo-Saxon period, the epic poem Beowulf portrays a legendary hero. Beowulf established the earlier form of heroism, and was then later introduced in to the English culture. Praised and admired by many people, Beowulf possesses several distinct traits that allow him to be defined perfectly as an ideal Anglo-Saxon hero; his eagerness to seek glory and fame, rather than richness and treasures, his loyalty and graceful attitude not only to his rulers but also to his followers, and his contradictory beliefs of faith and fate

Only because Beowulf displayed no fear and used no weapon was he able to destroy this wicked force of destruction. The hero, Beowulf, is glorified more for his virtue than for his strength in defeating the monster. For those who displayed no virtue, despite their valor, the consequence was quite different. Ecgtheow’s son, who displayed no bravery, for example, "had been despised for a long while, for the Geats saw no spark of bravery in him" (75). The true hero of the middle ages managed to maintain a balance between his personal glory and maintaining the good of his people. As we see in later stories of this period, like the Arthur stories, this is a very delicate balance. Beowulf became a folklore hero because he maintained this balance well. He displayed personal heroism while at the same time keeping his priorities towards the safety of his people. Beowulf’s first attack on the monster Grendel displayed many qualities that were significant in a hero of that time. First of all, Beowulf was not called upon to save the Danes from Grendel. Instead, he came on his own accord, out of duty and principle. He took responsibility upon himself in a situation that required none. The individualistic society did not require that an person remain part of the tribe, but rather encouraged them to seek adventure while doing good. Beowulf recognized his physical strengths and he utilized them for personal gain and