Is Beowulf : An Epic Hero Or An Epic Fool?

“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 was both a hero and a proud fool. This was demonstrated by his actions throughout the poem. Beowulf was not a hero when compared to the responders of the 9/11 attacks, because they risked their lives for the safety of others whereas Beowulf only risked his life for rewards that followed, this made him

In the epic poem, Beowulf truly exhibits bravery and courage. There is no doubt that Beowulf is a brave man. As soon as Beowulf is summoned by Hrothgar, he doesn’t hesitate to take up the challenge to battle with Grendel. Beowulf is valiant as he said,“ my hands alone shall fight for me” (Beowulf 38). He intends to fight Grendel with his bare hands not knowing what the outcome will be. Beowulf is willing to risk his life for others which makes him courageous and brave of them all. As a young warrior, Beowulf has proven

First, Beowulf displays the anglo-saxon hero characteristic of bravery and courage throughout different points in the poem. “Proclaiming that he’d go to the famous King, would sail across the sea to Hrothgar, now when help was needed.” (114-116) Beowulf stood up and was brave enough to go 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

A hero should always be a Epic Hero one who is larger than life, and who knows good values in life. In Beowulf especially, it speaks much about strength, but not only strength in his arms, but the strength to stay strong and love people. In the poem we learn about how Beowulf who is the hero during Anglo Saxton times. We learn how invincible and mighty Beowulf really is. He’s actually a great example of a epic hero, cause of his great strength and abilities.

When discussing epic heroes, some of the more prominent ones that come to mind are Beowulf (from Beowulf), Hektor (from The Iliad), and Achilleus (also from The Iliad). These are all characters from literature who have displayed a multitude of the characteristics embodied in epic heroes. Each one of these literary figures has exhibited necessary traits needed to be considered an epic hero. Whether those traits are some of the common ones such as strength, honor, loyalty, perseverance, and bravery, or some of their own such as pride, intelligence, and morality. Whatever the case, these three have undergone difficulties and shown ties to the values held by their cultures within how they deal with issues. In this essay, I will attempt to

Hero is a term that is very over used in modern-day society. People often use the word to describe someone who has simply helped another person out without risking anything himself. However, though these people do deserve to be praised, they are not real heroes. Beowulf, on the other hand, frequently displays all the qualities that a hero should have and is absolutely deserving of that title. Beowulf is an exemplary archetypal epic hero because he is very ethical, is a strong and responsible leader, and demonstrates superior strength, intelligence, and courage.

In the book Beowulf, Beowulf, the main character, is a man of great strength and ability. He is depicted as a man of wisdom, and that he is a prince that comes from a kingdom that is well respected. He fights many battles, and is seen as a hero with glory to his name, but this does not mean that he is as flawless as he seems to be. Beowulf is a man who desires to help those in need, however, he is greedy for the glory and treasure that he will receive in thanks of his success. He is truly confident, but because of this he is impulsive, never questioning his ability to take on a task. He is also brave, he has almost no fear, but this tends to make him reckless. He is a hero to many, but he believes in himself in such a way that he acts foolishly, and it will eventually be the death of him.

“The whole earth is the tomb of heroic men and their story is not given only on stone over their clay but abides everywhere without visible symbol woven into the stuff of other men’s lives,” said Perculus (PR). You’re born, you live a little, and then you die. There is no simpler way to sum up life. Often times this is done through oral tales, paintings, and various other ways. For those whose lives were truly something great, something memorable, their stories are transcripted into writings. Whether these are simple biographies or symbolic fictional works, stories are often based on someone greater than the writer. These “epic heros” are protagonists that fulfill their potential of greatness through using their bravery, strength and

In the epic hero poem, Beowulf, the main character Beowulf, is a prideful, boastful and extremely strong individual. He is faced with a few tasks during the course of the poem; the first of which is fighting and killing an evil, dangerous and disgusting creature, named Grendel, which terrorized the town of Herot. Soon after that, Grendel’s devious mother “the she-wolf,” attacks Beowulf and the town forcing Beowulf to fight her off as well. After the mother-son duo, Beowulf is then faced with the biggest task of his existence, both literally and figuratively. During each of these battles Beowulf fights and kills these creatures in different ways with different weapons and different tactics. He also changes during each fight, and at the end of the poem is quit a different man. How does he manage to fight each creature off and what kind of tactics did he use? Well that’s a great question, let me elaborate.

Beowulf is a true epic hero because he is fearless, very strong, and well honored. Beowulf portrays all of the traits of a hero throughout the epic. He never hesitated to kill a monster, or even to give a helping hand at any time. He could always back up his boast with perfection. Beowulf is not a god, or a supernatural man, but he was the closest man to

Countless people have tried to say that Beowulf represents the qualities required of an epic hero, but many people also suggest that Beowulf does not show any of these qualities. While Beowulf shows heroic characteristics in all of his acts, both pride and greed motivate his actions. The story of Beowulf contains all of the information needed to show this, but people do not notice that which they do not want to see.

Not only is Beowulf honorable and well respected, he is brave as well. His courage is shown by not hesitating to risk his own life to pursue the Dane’s enemies. By being self-assured, Beowulf is able to successfully defeat the fiends, Grendel and his infamous mother. At the time Beowulf is planning to pursue the vindictive dragon, the epic poem states, “I’ve never known fear, as a youth I fought 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.”(ll. 2511-2515). He feels no fear, is confident in fighting the dragon alone, and has no qualms in risking his life to save others. He declares his bravery by saying, “When he comes to me I mean to stand, not run from his shooting flames, stand till fate decides which of us wins... No one else could do what I mean to, here, no man but me could hope to defeat this monster.”(ll. 2525-2534). In his actions, Beowulf’s bravery is clearly shown throughout the poem.