Why Beowulf Is A Hero

There have been many criticisms of the character of Beowulf that highlight certain traits which could point away from the notion of him being a hero. One such idea is that he fought the monsters chiefly for personal reasons:

Beowulf; a man whose greatness begun when he saved an entire kingdom from the clutches of the vile monster Grendel. Beowulf was known for countlessly putting his body and his life on the line to save his people. His courage and determination is what kept his legacy alive for all of these years. Not only that, but the respect he had for the people around him made him a remembered warrior as well. That’s what I think makes a hero. Being determined to get a job done, having the courage to step in and complete that job, and having enough respect for your people to still obey their wishes despite your apparent fame. The hero I will be writing about is the fictional Marvel Comics character known as the Black Panther (real name T’Challa). He and Beowulf

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

Heroism A hero must always demonstrate power, strength, and worthiness of the honor they hold. There are many different types of hero’s in the world. For some people, a hero is a dad who gives love and gives their all in their home.

Was Beowulf really a hero? Indeed he was, showing off his heroic characteristic of bravery, intelligence, wisdom, and strength throughout his journey to defeat Grendel and save the Danes. Even after anointed as King of Sweden, he still demonstrated his act as a heroic figure to his people.

Beowulf and the demon are about to fight but right before Beowulf throws his sword and shield to the ground. He knows the demon cannot be harmed by a weapon created by man so Beowulf will defeat him with his bare hands, and that he does. Beowulf rips off Grendel’s arm with only his hands the monster runs away, a strong trail of blood created a path and Beowulf knew he would bleed out. Beowulf knew he had defeated Grendel. After the death of Grendel everyone celebrated to no more murders by monsters in their great town, but that night a new demon came to them and took someone very special to the king, one of his closest friends was murdered, murdered by Grendel’s mother.

Introduction Superman, George Washington, Captain America, Martin Luther King; most people would agree that at the sound of these names one pictures a hero. But what classifies someone as a hero? Should be be able to leap tall building in a single bound or give a speech that changes a nation? There are many qualities that can be considered heroic, and Beowulf from the novel Beowulf definitely can be considered a hero. Despite his sometimes conceited behavior, Beowulf’s heroic qualities remain the same as those thought of as heroes today; he is courageous in the face of danger and selflessly risks his life for others and, therefore, shows the most important quality of a hero: honor.

What makes you who you are? Is it the clothes you wear or simply what you say. People can be identified in many ways but what makes anyone a hero? A hero is someone who does something out of selfness of themselves rather than for themselves. Simply by saving an old womens cat in the tree can signify you as a hero to her. But, how do you become a hero to the world? How about saving people from burning buildings or saving someone from a bad guy. Anyone can be classified as a hero but it is hard to be seen by the world as a hero. Look at the story of Beowulf. He was well known by everyone and very strong. He was shortly defeated by a dragon but, that doesn't mean he's doings die with him. He will be forever known for what he accomplished. All Beowulf wanted was to be seen by the world as a hero.

After Beowulf rips Grendel’s arm off, the monster’s mother seeks vengeance. Then Beowulf strength and power allowed him to fight Grendel’s mother, a swamp-hag, he kills her with a magical sword. Then years later when Beowulf is a lot older he still has the strength

Not everyone has the same definition of a hero - while some may see one person as a hero, others may not. In "Heroism", Ralph Waldo Emerson writes of qualities that he believes makes someone heroic. When comparing these qualities to Beowulf, it becomes evident that Emerson would see Beowulf as a hero.

A true hero does not fear death or, but instead risks all that he is for what he believes to be right, moral, and just. Beowulf is an epic and tells the story of a legendary hero, conquering all obstacles as if he was immortal. Up until the end of Beowulf’s life he was constantly looking to be the hero. However, his humanity is exposed by his death. Heroes all share the characteristic of their willingness to die in their effort to accomplish their heroic act, thus making the act in itself heroic. Throughout the epic, Beowulf in many ways exhibited all the qualities and characteristics needed to be a true hero.

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.

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

Christopher Reeve once said “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endures in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” In other words, a hero is a normal person who is able to be strong and persevere despite difficult obstacles preventing them. In the book, Beowulf, the the nephew of the king of the land of the geats, helps Hrothgar, another king, kill a series of monsters that threaten his kingdom. He helps Hrothgar kill Grendel, Grendel’s Mother, and The Firedrake. Beowulf is a hero because he is just an ordinary person who finds the strength to persevere and endure despite the overwhelming obstacles preventing him from doing so. Beowulf embodies Christopher Reeve’s definition of a hero because he defeated the flesh-eating Grendel, who could not be stopped even by groups of elite soldiers. Beowulf also killed Grendel’s mother, a much eviler being who lived in a cave in an endless pool of blood that led to hell. Finally, he defeated The Firedrake, who swelled up and breathed fire when angry.

Beowulf displays another trait which considers him a hero and that trait is loyalty. In ancient poems loyalty was one of the most important traits a hero could have. Beowulf was the key model of a hero so he