Beowulf: Traits Of An Epic Hero

Lastly, the dragon which attacks the Geats and Beowulf is simply a new foe which Beowulf must face in order to fulfill his desire to die being a hero. It is best stated by Beowulf as to why a true hero must die as a result of a hero's battle:“Do not lament, wise sire! It seems better that each man avenge his friends than to mourn them to no end. Each of us must await the end of his path in this world, and he who can, should achieve renown before death! That is the best memorial when life is past and a warrior's days are

Beowulf exhibits many obvious heroic qualities, such as his strength and confidence in battle. These along with more subtle diplomatic actions serve to define him as both a great warrior and leader.

The first trait Beowulf shows off is his bravery. He shows his bravery by traveling across the ocean to ask the Danes if he and his men can go out and defeat the terrorizing monster Grendal. In the poem Beowulf goes to the King of the Danes and says “… Grendal and I are called/ Together, and I’ve come. Grant me, then,/ Lord and protector of this noble place,/ A single request! … That I, alone and with the help of my men,/ May purge all evil

“Epic heroes possess qualities that mere mortals lack. Bravery beyond compare, superhuman intelligence, strength or skills and a driving desire to find success.” This is a description of what an epic hero is and it perfectly describes Beowulf and his actions throughout the story. Anglo-Saxon heroes are willing to risk their lives in order to do what’s right. Beowulf went to battle

In the novel Beowulf, Beowulf is the epic hero in the story and because of that his qualities ultimately affected the story. Epic heroes are usually brave heroes who possess other unique qualities that are admired by many other characters in the story and they usually tend to stick out compared to the rest of the characters. Beowulf is a great example of this since he is brave, never gives up, loyal, and even has the strength that’s greater than most of all the other characters. Beowulf never feared the creatures he fought with and was always determined to get what he wanted such as when he fought the powerful dragon even though it ultimately leads to his death. He is loyal since he took on and accomplished the task of killing Grendel and

Beowulf, like other epic heroes, possesses the following heroic qualities: epic heroes are superhuman types of beings. They show great bravery, intelligence, strength and resourcefulness. They have a strong admiration for the values of their society. They are dominant male figures and suffer severe pain, but in the end, they

Another heroic trait of Beowulf is his ability to put his people's welfare before his own. Beowulf's uncle is king of the Geats so he is sent to help kill Grendel. His actions toward Grendel show that he is willing to help others. In an epic it is usually found that the hero often determines the fate of a nation or group of people. He uses his super-human physical strength and courage to put his people before himself. Beowulf has definitely helped the Danes and his own people the Geats in their victory over evil by killing Grendel, his mom, and the dragon. Beowulf risks his own life for the Danes, asking help from no one. He realizes the dangers but fears nothing for his own life and cares only for the people. After Beowulf had served his people as King of the Geats for fifty years, he goes to battle one last time to fight a dragon that is

Beowulf can definitely has the important characteristics of an epic hero. An epic hero must be strong, have a supernatural element and be brave and courageous. Now these are just a few of the characteristics of an epic hero but I believe that they are the most important. I believe that this is the brave and courageous aspect of Beowulf.

Every epic hero possesses certain heroic characteristics. Beowulf, like other epic heroes, possesses the following heroic qualities: epic heroes are superhuman types of beings. They have a noble birth and show great bravery. They display great intelligence and resourcefulness. They have a reverence for G-d and for the values of their society. They are dominant male figures and suffer severe pain, but in the end, they conquer evil (Vivone 9/27/99). In addition to Beowulf’s heroic qualities, he is very strong. Beowulf was said to have “the strength of thirty [men] in his mighty handgrip” (Bloom 11). Early proof of Beowulf’s extraordinary strength is evidenced by his dismemberment of Grendel’s limb, the fight in the cave under water, and the

There are many heroic characteristics Beowulf possesses making him an epic hero. Characteristics of bravery, strength, and honor. In the beginning, the Danes were living peacefully in Herot until the evil Grendel comes out of the darkness and terrorizes the Danes. Beowulf shows an act of bravery before facing Grendel.

Beowulf is an Epic hero, because he has a special gift of tremendous strength, has courageous qualities, receives divine intervention from God, and is able to defeat the massive demons that have been terrorizing Herot. Beowulf is actually the most stereotypical character to be the hero in the Epic, rather than a modern take where a normal character becomes an unlikely hero. Beowulf was born with the strength of thirty men in one hand, and becomes the destined one to defeat Grendel along with attaining all of the glory. The plot of the Epic is also identical to what Beowulf is foreshadowed to be, because of Beowulf having a special trait that no other man has, traveling through other worldly elements, supernatural forces, and poetical writing. A legacy is made throughout the story based on these events of bravery and glory, which is why Beowulf is an Epic hero.

Beowulf killed Grendel, and his mother to save the Geats. “Beowulf carried the head of Grendel / to King Hrothgar and the returns gift laiden / to the land of the Geats, where he succeeds to the throne” (Beowulf 666-668). Beowulf successfully saves the Geats from monsters terrorizing them, and he was throned for his accomplishments. Ultimately Beowulf was killed in his last fight against the dragon, saving his people one last time, and he is forever honored for that. “ Then twelve of the bravest Geats / rode their horses around the tower / ,telling their sorrow, telling stories / of their dead king and his greatness, his glory / ,praising him for his heroic deeds, for / a life as noble as his deeds” (Beowulf 830-835). Beowulf’s legacy will forever live with his people. Beowulf’s accomplishments molded his everlasting legacy he has among his people.

The main characteristics of an epic hero are strength, courage and loyalty. Beowulf demonstrates his strength in his battle with Grendel. With his extraordinary strength, Beowulf is able to bend back the claws Grendel “as Beowulf leaned up on one arm” (Beowulf line 190), and he keeps hold of Grendel’s hands long enough for Grendel to eventually fight back so hard his arm rips off. Not only is he strong enough to defeat Grendel with his bare hands, but Beowulf also lifts the sword of a giant to defeat Grendel’s mother. He courageously volunteers himself into battle with “A powerful monster, living down / In the darkness” (34-35). This monster also has a mother who is stronger than him, but Beowulf does not fear. Beowulf courageously goes down to the darkness where their den lies and comes up with Grendel’s head and the handle of the sword he uses to kill Grendel’s mother. Later in life, “Beowulf [utters] 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” (483-486). Beowulf utters his final boast before he courageously goes into his final battle which he loses to the dragon. In loyalty to the men that serve him, Beowulf makes sure that if he does not return from his battle with Grendel’s mother they will be able to return to their homeland. He

Beowulf is a hero because of his actions in the novel. Heroic traits includes determination, physical strength, courage, loyalty, and leadership, which Beowulf demonstrated throughout the story. A quote from Beowulf shows an example of his determination, “…Fought with fate against him, with glory/ Denied him. He knew it, but he raised his sword/ And struck at the dragon’s scaly hide,” (Beowulf-Translator). Beowulf realized that there was a chance he would not win the battle, however his determination did not stop him from trying. Another quote from Beowulf shows his courage, “Alone shall fight for me, struggle for life/ Against the monster,” (Beowulf- Translator). Beowulf fought against Grendel without any weapons, just his

Beowulf is a hero, and we all know a hero when we see one. There are many traits and characteristics that make someone a hero. These traits and characteristics are more expressed in ancient epics and poems. Beowulf is one of the most famous ancient Anglo-Saxon poems still taught to this day in schools and colleges all over the world. The story starts off of how a man by the name of Beowulf receives news that a neighboring land is being terrorized by a monster named Grendel. Beowulf shows several characteristics of here such as, bravery, loyalty, generosity, friendship, and showing a high level of intellect. Beowulf first shows his heroic character through his bravery while journeying on his epic quest. There are several cases where he is not afraid, and instead of being frightened, he shows great bravery. An example of from the poem is, “Instead, they inspected omens and spurred his ambitions to go, whilst he moved about like the leader he was, enlisting men, the best he could find; with fourteen others the warrior boarded the boast as captain” (Beowulf 205-210). This quote gives proof of his bravery because he was the head of the group leading his men. Beowulf proves that even he himself must be brave in order to lead the bravest of men into battle.