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Sacrifice In Beowulf

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There are many types of heroes--some with superpowers, some who do amazing deeds, and some who are in our everyday lives. However, one of the best examples of a hero is Beowulf from Beowulf: a New Telling. Beowulf is a brave man who is willing to accept weaknesses and turn them into strengths. He aids Hrothgar, the king of the Danes, in defeating many monsters such as Grendel and Grendel’s Mother, which kill people and bring terror. Afterwards, he heads home and is crowned king after the king dies, and thus kills the Firedrake, which was destroying land in anger. Beowulf is a hero worthy of notice. In Robert Nye’s novel Beowulf: a New Telling, sacrifice and humility are heroic traits seen throughout the novel within Beowulf’s character. In …show more content…

In the beginning of the book, Beowulf tells the story of Breca, his friend, and their swimming competition after an accusation from Unferth saying he had drowned his friend. “‘[Breca] was a better swimmer than I.’ [Beowulf] was not given to boasting, and had offered his account simply as an answer to Unferth’s lie” (32). Beowulf demonstrates humility by telling the story truthfully and plainly, instead of taking the chance to defend himself and prove how he is greater than the rest of the soldiers. Most people would exaggerate their own adventures to make themselves seem greater than they actually are, so his humbleness is rare to find. Then, after defeating Grendel and Grendel’s Mother, he is hailed as a hero by all the Danes and by Hrothgar, the king of the Danes. Beowulf again demonstrates humility by saying to Hrothgar, “‘Please don’t think of me as some sort of saint. That would make me as monstrous as Grendel, although in the other direction.’” (76). Beowulf shows that he does not want fame or recognition, knowing it would not make him a good person, but instead one who would expect an easy life. He knows doing so will turn him into a person who is monstrous, but also considered a hero. Always humble, Beowulf demonstrates that humility is a heroic trait when Beowulf tells the story of Breca truthfully and when he asks not to be treated as a saint even after he defeats many

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