Beowulf was the hero from the first story known to be written in English. He went to another country to assist them in killing a monster named Grendel, who routinely terrorized them. Today’s heroes are changing the world at this very moment. Beowulf and heroes of today are both looked up to and admired, but their differences in method, impact, and purposes are mostly due to the time period they live in. Heroes who lived long ago, and heroes who live now will have some obvious distinction in methods. Beowulf was known as a warrior; “the strongest of the Geats.” He became famous for defeating a monster named Grendel, who terrified Dane. HE used his sheer strength and skill to get rid of Grendel, earning the Danish people’s respect. Heroes that live in modern times are known for developing new life-saving medicine or doing commendable undertakings that have never occurred in …show more content…
In Beowulf’s case, he heard that Dane was in trouble and he wanted to lend a hand. “Now when help was needed,” according to line 8. But like many heroes in mythology, he was also seeking glory and respect. “He was happy, Now, with that night’s fierce work; the Danes had been served as he’d boasted he’d serve them.” He had been very confident that he would defeat Grendel and living up to his claim earned him the glory and respect he wanted. Heroes that inspire people today do what they do for money sometimes. They may make a fortune doing their profession and not realize others are watching them. Many of today’s heroes hope their impact on the world get people to think about what they can do to make the world a preferable place. Oprah Winfrey, an exceptionally wealthy and influential woman in society, publishes monthly magazines. In these magazines, she gives people advice, life hacks, and tips she hopes will make their lives easier-going. In many cases, they are humbled and flattered when they learn they are people’s role
How does Beowulf's heroic acts compare to today's heroes. The definition of a hero is someone who goes above and beyond the call of duty, someone who cares for others more than himself, and someone who courageous actions that could get them killed in order to save someone.In regards to Beowulf, I believe that he fits those needs.
The Importance of Beowulf in Modern America By Jennifer Carley Modern culture and literature include many stories of great heroes and fictional adventures. Many people grow up reading about these great adventures and looking up to the heroes of the stories. Heroes are great roll models because they are portrayed as courageous and trustworthy individuals, two very admirable qualities. Despite numerous cultural and technological advancements, life in modern America continues to bear resemblance to the Anglo-Saxon world of the hero Beowulf. The poem Beowulf, though written many centuries ago, still contains the same universal themes of any great action-adventure story in today's society. The poem is about a great hero who overcomes seemingly
Beowulf has delighted and intrigued a wide array of people for centuries. The timeless nature is visible in modern-day extensions of this epic, through heroics and battles of good versus malevolent forces. Beowulf continues to appeal to sophisticated audiences because it tells the story of a great hero prevailing over evil, a timeless theme valued by society and portrayed by his counterparts in modern media, although these new heroes display more complex qualities.
Most of us have heard of modern day heroes such as Spiderman, Superman, and the Hulk. Each is a hero to many children. Heroes are introduced to people early on in life usually as fictional characters, but as children grow older their perceptions of heroes alter. The characteristics of a hero are usually based around the ideas of a society or culture. In the epic Beowulf, the main character is thought of as a hero. Beowulf, a pagan warrior and the main character of the epic, shows certain characteristics such as bravery, loyalty, and generosity, which portray him as a hero. It is interesting how modern day heroes show the much of the same qualities as Beowulf.
Beowulf is a hero in the eyes of his fellow men through his amazing physical strength. He fought in numerous battles and returned victorious
This essay is the comparison between Beowulf and the modern day hero. All soldiers that are fighting for my country certainly comes to mind first, when I think about a modern day hero. Both hero’s are fighting for a good cause, get rewarded for what they do, and get treated with much respect. Although a soldier might not withhold unworldly strength as one such as Beowulf, they both are putting their life at stake, which gives them both the title as being a hero.
Beowulf is one of the oldest poems in history, it was originally written in Anglo-Saxon, and it was told orally with many literary devices so it could be remembered throughout generations. It shows what their society was based on back in the Anglo-Saxon era. Although throughout history the poem has been changed to fit our modern day society. For example, having different values and morals and how we look at religion has all changed. In the Beowulf poem and movie there are many similarities and differences in Religion, Characterization, and Morals it highlights the value and beliefs of each society.
Reading through Beowulf I began to compare it to the last great epic I read, Homer’s Odyssey. While the Odyssey and Beowulf are each examples of both historic and modern ideas of heroism, the acts of Beowulf’s hero seem to fit better within its context.
In this epic poem, Beowulf is portrayed as an ancient hero but he also has traits of a modern day hero. Throughout the book, Beowulfs character is developed deeper so the reader can see his characteristics. These characteristics can be compared to both an ancient and modern day hero. Beowulf is very similar to other ancient heroes, like Achilles, who were present in other epic poems around the same time period. For example, Beowulf is strong, bold, courageous, and skilled like other ancient heroes are.
Heroes, from Beowulf to Superman our cultures have always created heroes. We may always have political, social, economic and religious differences, but at the end of the day we all have one thing in common, heroes. They help define who we are and what we want to be. They give us hope and inspire us to head in the right direction. They show us that good will always triumph over evil and that anything is possible if you set your mind to it. Heroes give us the inspiration we need to overcome problems in our own lives and that is why we create them. Beowulf perfectly embodies the idea of a hero. He defeats the evil Grendel and his mother, slays the dragon and saves his people. He is
By conquering Grendel and his mother, Beowulf earned the honor of the Danish. “A warrior would sooner die than live a life a shame (Raffel)”. Although Beowulf was old when he faced the dragon, he knew he couldn’t back down. Backing down would be worse than dying and would cost him the honor he had earned. Backing down would mean that he would be remembered as a coward instead of a
What others deem impossible, a hero makes possible. There are only a few great heroes that come about in this time and Beowulf is definitely one of them. He is a great warrior and leader, a perfect description for him. Heroes only came along once in a while in this culture but it was well known when they did.
Who Are They? Hero; a person who has the courage or confidence to take a stand, but many people may consider a person with superpowers a hero as well. Heroes can come from many different places; they also come in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes. All heroes have their own abilities and ways they cope with a situation. Both Beowulf and modern heroes of today are great examples of heroes, but Beowulf has a greater amount of strength, confidence, and a better purpose for what he does.
Although boasting and bravery are strong qualities, you also need to have a little bit of a warm heart to be a hero. Beowulf is selfless, a important word to signify that he would do anything to protect others. The first quote to show of Beowulf’s selflessness is, “I mean to stand, not run from his shooting Flames, stand till fate decides Which of us wins.” (638-639). This means that Beowulf is standing his ground until fate takes its course, which is selfless because he is giving his life up if that is what fate decides in order to rid of the dragon. Another notable text from the book is, “A prince of the Geats, had killed Grendel. Ended the grief, the sorrow, the suffering forced on Hrothgar's helpless people by a bloodthirsty fiend. No Dance doubted the Victory.” (404-408). It can clearly be inferred that the people of the land were in ‘grief’, ‘sorrow’ and were ‘suffering’ because of Grendel. But, because Beowulf defeated him that grief and sorrow has been eased. Beowulf wants fame and fortune, but to also help the people who need it.
Heroism is common in modern America and is a concept whose history can be traced from as early as the epic time. Although the definitions and characteristics may be altered depending on the situation or time, the foundations of what is deemed by the society to be an act of heroism have remained predominantly the same over time. The epic poem brings the story of the monster-slaying awesome hero to the minds of the audience. According to Michael Livingstone and John Willian Sutton, Beowulf occupies a prominent place in the consciousness of the popular culture, making it seem like he never actually left (1). In other words, Beowulf has remained since the epic times to the modern American times. The scholars further argue that in the 20th and 21st century the impact of Beowulfiana has been widely and continuously left (Livingstone and Sutton 1).