Beowulf Epic Hero Traits

Epic Of Beowulf
The Story of Beowulf is the first epic to be written in English language. Originally it had only been
told and recited orally. Until a few hundred years a monk decided to write down the epic. The story
of Beowulf becomes more involved with christian beliefs after it gets written down. The story starts
off with the halls of Herot being filled with the joyous laughs and singing of men. The king,
Hrothgar, is an honorable king and cares deeply for his subordinates. The celebration gets cut short
by the monster Grendel, descendent of Cain, who devours 30 men in their sleep in the halls. Grendel
continues this onslaught for years. News spread to distant lands and ends up with Beowulf heading
for the kingdom. Beowulf is the hero in the epic. Known ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
Some just by a little and others majorly. For example Hrothgar is a drunken selfish ruler in the
Hollywood version but is a honorable, admirable ruler in the original. The halls do indeed fill with
the joyous melodies of singing and merrymaking but it is not the song of creation they celebrate but
their king instead. Grendel does attack the warriors but not because of the creation song but because
of his sensitive ears. Grendel does not attack them during their slumber, but instead in the midst of
their celebration. Beowulf is accompanied by Wiglaf the entire journey as opposed to the end.
Beowulf does end up killing the beast in the same way. However Grendel's mother does not just kill
one person, she causes a massacre in the halls while Beowulf slumbers. Hrothgar learns of this and
decides to pass the the crown down to Beowulf and decides to kill himself. Beowulf then decides he
must kill another beast. He arrives at the cave from which the creatures emerged but does not swim
through the bottom of lake, instead he walks right in and eventually finds Grendel's mother. Grendel
turns out to be not a monster but instead a beautiful shape–shifting creature. Beowulf does not slay
her but instead make love. Beowulf does indeed battle a dragon at the end of the story but the
dragon turns out to actually be his own son birthed from Grendel's mother. Beowulf does indeed kill
the dragon,his son, but Grendel's mother remains intact the rest
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

The Epic Poem ' Beowulf '
Given, the current high profile debate with regard to dating the epic poem Beowulf, it is quite
surprising that some scholars go as far as placing it during the Vendel era around 550 – 793 CE.
Eventhough it is considered as a kind of folk tale, many are those who believe it happened towards
the early Vendel era. As a rebuttal to this point, it might be convincingly argued that this period is
also referred to as the Germanic Iron Age. Moreover, this era saw the rise of Norse mythology,
which is very fatalistic in nature; it focuses on a world coming to an end in a great cataclysm. Along
with this fatalism comes the willingness to die. That's why warriors would go to fight in battles and
combats. Surprisingly enough, not only the heroes die but so do the Gods. Therefore, the central
value of this culture is glory and heroism. Having considered the fundamental premises upon which
the Poem Beowulf took ground , it is also reasonable to look at the epitome of this epic poem which
starts with a tale about the ancestors of the Danish king, Hrothgar who wins great fame and wealth
in different battles. Therefore, he built a Mead–Hall called Herot, to commemorate his victories. The
Mead–Hall took its name from a popular drink, mead, being fermented liquor which was drunk at
banquets and celebrations. Herot is also a place intended for peace and community.The Mead–Hall
is also a place where Hrothgar rewarded his followers for their loyalty. Evidence for in support of
this opinion, can

The Characteristics Of An Epic Hero In The Epic Of Beowulf
What makes epic hero stories so compelling? Is it the continuous freedom, courage, and value in
society or is it the significance implemented in who the characters are? Stories have been passed
down for generations. Some of the most famous examples is Beowulf, ¨Gilgamesh¨ , Iliad, and
¨Julius Caesar.¨ Epic stories portray the development of an epic heroes characterization through
courage, strength, and love of glory throughout the plot of a story. A major epic hero trait is courage.
The act of picking yourself up after you were thrown down to help others. In the story of Beowulf,
Beowulf saved the Danes. ´´And a young prince must be prudent like that, giving freely while his
father lives so that afterwards in age when fighting starts steadfast companions will stand by him
and hold the line. Behaviour that's admired is the path to power among people everywhere.´´
(SparkNotes Beowulf) This selection is describing Beowulf as a prince and warrior who is
courageous enough to fight his life for people he cares about. Since Grendel often attacks at night, it
displays the setting as a more hard and rigid area. The behavior of saving people brings power
within the epic hero. ´´ Beowulf got ready, donned his war–gear, indifferent to death; his mighty,
hand–forged, fine–webbed mail would soon meet with the menace underwater. It would keep the
bone–cage of his body safe.´´ (Spark Notes Beowulf) In this selection, Beowulf is getting ready to
go to war with Grendel's mother. He

The Epic Of Beowulf By Beowulf
People throughout the world practice a variety of religions. Some religions are more popular than
others such as Buddhism versus Jainism. Religions tend to spread within a society and then die back
down. However, there are still people amongst us who believe or may even still practice archaic
religions. Some religions date back to 700 A.D such as Christianity and paganism. Over the course
of hundreds of years both religions have evolved. Throughout different works of literature, people
are able to understand the original aspects of these different religions. Due to the construction of this
Beowulf, students and professors are able to study and get a true understanding of a pagans'
demeanor and how life evolves through their eyes. Throughout the epic poem Beowulf, paganism is
exemplified as this epic hero falls victim to fate while embarking on his journey through life
fighting monsters and chasing after his fame.
To begin with, Beowulf was composed in Old English by an anonymous writer between the sixth
and seventh century, and it is known for portraying the emergence of the Anglo–Saxons and their
way of life. Adams David Leeming, author of "The Anglo–Saxons 449–1066", stated that the island
of Great Britain, secluded from the European continent, seemed perfect for the birth of legends,
poets, and the belief in elves due to its rain–drenched and almost always fogged weather. This type
of weather is ideal for such stories involving heroes and legends. This island has been

The Epic Values Of The Epic Of Beowulf
Anglo–Saxons, the clans that ran Old England and led Britain, used bards and scops to tell their
stories. These bards and scops, honored members of society, passed their oral traditions down the
generations. A well–known epic poem told by the Anglo–Saxons, Beowulf, about an epic hero, who
leads the Geats in many well–known victories, demonstrates various beliefs that the Anglo–Saxons
had. Even though throughout the time the epic, continuously passed down was changed and evolved
to the version that exists today. Which was written to the text by Christian Monks, who added here
and there parts of their own religion to the epic, leading to the well–known epic today. Moreover,
through Beowulf, the reader has the ability to take some of their values ... Show more content on
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Loyalty, defined as support and allegiance to someone or a country, demonstrated through various
aspects of the human condition can be seen through aspects of the epic. Therefore, in the text, when
Beowulf went to Herot to help the king Hrothgar it was discovered that he felt loyalty to this king.
King Hrothgar after gaining the crown was faced with a conflict. This feud that Hrothgar got
involved in saved Beowulf and his father. (ll. 191–207, Burton Raffel). This loyalty relates to the
aspirations and growth in characters. This loyalty demonstrated through the Anglo–Saxons text
leads to the ideas of the human condition today. That loyalty is an essential part of being human. All
beings feel a sense of loyalty to someone or something. Beowulf, for example, felt loyalty to the
king because he had helped Beowulf and his family. Later in the text, Wiglaf demonstrate loyalty to
a dying Beowulf, when all of the valiant warriors abandoned their loyalty to their leader and king.
Wiglaf demonstrates to the reader that he too was loyal to the king due to the wonderful gifts that
Beowulf had bestowed upon them, but most of all him. (ll. 754–790, Burton Raffel). Therefore,
loyalty played a large role in the Anglo–Saxon time, but not only that, but it still plays a huge role
today. Loyalty today demonstrated through patriotism, love for one's country and the ability to care
for one another based on prior experiences. Moreover, the Anglo–Saxon value of loyalty
demonstrates the importance of allegiance to leaders and families but creates an illustration of what
loyalty today looks

Beowulf Epic Hero
An epic poem is a long writing that tells about a hero's journeys and battles with gods and mythical
creatures. An epic hero is someone with all of the characteristics valued in that time period. In the
epic Beowulf, recorded around 1000 AD, a noble named Beowulf fought monster for the glory and
admiration of his victories to be known throughout time. Beowulf is an epic hero because of his
descent into the underworld, his super human strength, and his vengefulness. Clearly, Beowulf is an
epic hero because of his decent into the underworld. Although Beowulf did not descend into the true
fiery underworld of hell, he did descend into the deep water of Grendel's Mother's lair where no
man has been before. The epic, Beowulf, says, "For hours he sank through the waves," Cantos 22,
line 367–368. This shows how far he had to go to get to Grendel's mother's lair. Beowulf had no
choice but to go to the lair and kill her because she killed Hrothgar's faithful servant. Beowulf also
says, "As all words ended he leaped into the lake, would not wait for anyone's answer," Cantos 22,
line 364–366. This means that Beowulf was the only one brave enough and capable enough to
descend into ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Beowulf is stronger than any normal man. The epic, Beowulf, says, "That shepherd of evil, guardian
of crime, knew at once that nowhere on earth had he met a man whose hands were harder," Cantos
11 lines 191–193. Even the demon, Grendel, was being overpowered by Beowulf. Beowulf is so
strong that he does not even use weapons or armor to fight many types of monsters. When he faced
Grendel, Beowulf used his strength to rip Grendel's arm from his socket. Not only was Beowulf able
to rip Grendel's arm off, but he also used a huge sword that was made by giants to kill Grendel's
mother. No mortal man could even imagine of wielding such a heavy weapon, but Beowulf used his
super strength to swing that sword and finish that monster

Beowulf Epic
Beowulf: An Epic story
Beowulf is an old english book. Beowulf is the oldest surviving epic poem in english. Beowulf is a
very brave, loyal, honorable person. Beowulf was an embarrassing guy, nothing could destroy him
or even hurt him. He fought things that no other man kind could have fought. Beowulf strength is
unbelievably strong and nothing can be compared to how powerful it is. EveryOne pretty much
looked up to beowulf to make sure that they were all safe. A theme From beowulf exemplified
through the story would include how embracing loyalty brings glory and honor while disloyal brings
destruction. In this theme beowulf exemplified through the story would include how embracing
loyalty brings glory and homer while disloyalty brings ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Beowulf earned the right to be buried with the treasure because he earned it. Beowulf was brave
enough to risk his life to protect all the people in his village and the geats pretty much lost
everyone's respect because they chickened out and ran and left beowulf there to fight on his own.
The thief was disloyal to his people and the dragon reeked havoc on the geats. After beowulf was
dead the geats built a tower to honor the Greatest, bravest man alive that honored them and fought
for them and they took his trust for granted. It took 10 days to build but the geats built a monument
in his honor. After it was built all the silver and jewels were buried in the sandy Ground to be
hidden. The twelve of the bravest geats rode there horses around the tower telling their sorrows and
telling stories of their dead king and his greatness, his glory praising him for heroic deeds for a life
as noble as his name "Beowulf:.
Beowulf's geats were loyal waiting on beowulf at the edge of the lake after fighting grendel's mother
dones were disloyal by leaving when they saw blood spurting through. Geats received grendel's
head and the hilt of the sword asa trophies while the dames were shamed for leaving beowulf. While
beowulf was fighting grendel's mother he named his sword, his sword was named Hrunting. It's
pretty much a tradition to Germanic warrior's swords were

Beowulf Is An Epic Hero
In the dark, rainy Gotham city, the Clown Prince Joker and the Dark Knight Detective Batman are
battling it out in the Madhouse. Imagine if Joker and Batman existed in real life. In Robert Nye's
book, Beowulf: A New Telling, a character almost like the Joker exists. A hero similar to Batman is
needed to stop monsters like the Joker. But not any hero, an epic hero. Beowulf shows he is an epic
hero in three ways. These characteristics of Beowulf are superior strength and courage, performing
brave deeds, and that he went on a quest. To start off, Beowulf is an epic hero he if has superior
strength. In this text, "Beowulf had pulled off Grendel's arm out of its socket"(Nye PDF 76). This
shows why Beowulf is an epic hero because of his superior strength because to pull an arm socket
off it would take 7Kn(Newton) to 30Kn, indefinitely it would at least take 1543 pounds and 3.77
ounces to 6746 pounds and 2.32 ounces. This means that Beowulf is a superhuman and an epic hero
almost always superhuman. For another reason why Beowulf is an epic hero is because he has
courage. In this text, "Beowulf shrugged. "My sword? Oh, I left it in the sun somewhere. I need no
sword." "No sword! But how–?" "Does Grendel use a sword?" demanded Beowulf. "Of course not.
But he will eat–" "Have swords been any good against him in ... Show more content on
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However, even though he lost to Breca in a swimming match. But, even though he has lost to Breca
it does not mean he doesn't have superior strength, for example, he rips Grendel's arm off (Nye PDF
76) which takes 7Kn to 30Kn. Which means he superhuman. Another example would be when he
fought five sea monsters by himself(Nye PDF 61). This is significant because Beowulf had the
strength to fight five sea monsters in a storm by himself. To close, even though Beowulf had lost to
Breca in swimming doesn't mean he is

Beowulf as Epic
What makes an epic? Is Beowulf an epic?    What is an epic poem, and how does it differ from
other kinds of poetry or storytelling? How have epic poems traditionally been transmitted from
generation to generation? How do tellers remember these long and complicated stories? According
to Robert Harris's Glossary of Literary Terms, he defines an epic as the following: Epic. An
extended narrative poem recounting actions, travels, adventures, and heroic episodes and written in
a high style (with ennobled diction, for example). It may be written in hexameter verse, especially
dactylic hexameter, and it may have twelve books or twenty four books. Characteristics of the
classical epic include these:        The main character or ... Show more content on
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9. BEOWULF is set in a male–dominated world full of violence and danger. What role does
patriarchal history play in this world? Why does it matter to the warriors who their ancestors were?
10. How is BEOWULF structured? How does this structure relate to the theme or themes of the
work as a whole? 11. What role does the mead–hall play in Anglo–Saxon warrior culture? What is
the proper relationship between a lord and his warriors? What examples can you find throughout
Beowulf? 12. What is the role of women in the heroic culture of Beowulf? 13. How does treasure
function in Beowulf? How do the characters and the poet seem to feel about the element of gold, as
it appears throughout the poem? 14. What role do the digressions play in Beowulf? What light do
they shed on the main action? 15. Is Beowulf an ideal hero and king? Is there anything lacking in his
character? 16. Would you say that the characters in Beowulf are as psychologically complex those in
modern works of literature? Do they undergo any development as the poem progresses? References
(APA) Harris, Robert(2010). A Glossary of LIteratary Terms. Retrieved 27 December 2011.

Beowulf, The Epic Hero
Briana McCants
Honors English IV
Mrs. Kimberly Joyner
December 12, 2015
Beowulf, The Epic Hero
In Anglo Saxon times, Beowulf is considered a well known epic hero. "Epic heroes are literary
characters from ancient mythology and other stories, which were written down in the form of long,
narrative epic poems. The hero is the main character, or protagonist of the poem"("Epic Hero:
Definition, Characteristics & Examples."). The epic hero usually battles for accomplishments to a
set of tasks to complete important goals. Beowulf is described as an epic hero because of his honor,
bravery, and intelligence. One of the major fights that make Beowulf an epic hero is the fight with
Grendel. Grendel is a monster spawned out of slime. He terrorizes and kills the Danes every night
for 12 years with their attempt of fighting back. Beowulf hears about Grendel and decides to take
matters in his own hand. He chose fifteen warriors to go and battle with him. On the way he meets a
king named Hrothgar. Beowulf introduces himself and they go to the hall to meet the other warriors.
During the night, Beowulf stays up and waits for Grendel to come out. Grendel comes out and kills
a male then Beowulf wrestles him and puts up a good fight. Grendel notices Beowulf strength and
starts to panic. "Grendel knew at once that nowhere on earth Had he met a man whose hands were
harder; His mind was flooded with fear– but nothing could take his talons and himself from that
tight Hard grip." ("Beowulf." : A

Epic Themes In Beowulf
Epic themes in Beowulf
In this epic Beowulf is a hero who travels from across the sea to conquer beast. He is well–known
for this, and is very boastful about his battles. Prior to his battles told in the story he also talks about
previous battles, "swimming in the blackness of the night, haunting monsters of the sea, killing them
one by one." He also speaks of driving 5 giants into chains with his bare hands.
During the first battle of the epic, the proud warrior Beowulf has a cocky demeanor that is easily
noticed when he suggest battling Grendel without the use of his sword. He states that his physical
strength will allow him to over power any monster. His acclamations prove to be true as he defeats
Grendel with his bare hands. The superhuman

The Epic Poetry Of The Epic Of Beowulf
It was an epic of the Germanic time, a poem of a noble man with high power, who strived to be a
victorious hero. Beowulf is one of the oldest poems of the old English language to have survived
(Raffel 30). As a story that has withstood this epic and heroic–age, Beowulf shows how, for the
Anglo–Saxon cultures of the time, the value these cultures placed on war and what they considered
to be a hero.
Written around the eighth and tenth centuries, "surviving in a single tattered manuscript, its edges
burned by fire, Beowulf provides a startlingly vivid glimpse into the early medieval past. Written in
Old English, with a vocabulary that would have seemed old fashioned even to its very first
audience, the poem recalls a heroic age in which monsters stalked men by night, dragons guarded
hoards of precious gems and heirlooms swords, and heroes carried out great deeds of warfare that
would later be commemorated by song and feast" (Puchner 107). It has no known author and no
known date of when this story was originally first told. It can be thought as one of the greatest
stories to travel our world and make an impact on more than one generation. As " Epic poetry has
been and continues to be used by peoples all over the world to transmit their traditions from one
generation to another, without the aid of writing. These traditions frequently consist of legendary
narratives about the glorious deeds of their national heroes"(Yoshida). Since these narratives did not
need to be

Epic Hero In Beowulf
"He would sleep in the fire, soon. His soul, left his flesh, flew to glory." This very quote from the
epic Beowulf, sets the tone and very intense qualities of older epics. This specific epic, focuses on
the hero and Beowulf, who is the only warrior capable of defeating the vicious villainous creature
Grendel, and his mother. Beowulf shares the qualities of many other epic heroes such as showing
the nature of being almost superhuman, being the deciding factor in the wellbeing of his people, and
showing uncontested bravery no matter the obstacle they must face. In more modern times, the
United States Delta Force can be considered an epic heroes based on the sheer values and courage
held by its members.
The United States 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment–Delta, or Delta Force for short, is
considered one of, if not the best, elite Special Forces units in the world. Its highly classified
missions, state of the art combat equipment, members from the highest echelon special operations
teams in the United States, and agonizing training regime, etcetera, has put this unit on the top.
Beowulf was considered the strongest man or warrior in his time, trekking through the unknowns,
journey's that felt like they would never end, battles that seemed to last forever. It is assumed
Beowulf can even be considered near superhuman. The same can be said for Delta operators whose
training, selection, and missions are near impossible for the average person. The operators must

Beowulf Epic Conventions
Epic poems have many distinct conventions that other poems do not. Often they resemble and have
the same conventions of a story. They both focus on the main character, plot, setting, and even
symbols. These conventions are observed in the Anglo–Saxon poem, Beowulf. Throughout
Beowulf's struggle three main events make up the plot: Beowulf's battle with Grendel, Grendel's
mother, and the dragon. In the poem Beowulf, these three distinct events present to the reader the
conventions of an epic poem. Beowulf fit the criteria for an epic poem because supernatural events
occur throughout the poem. There are many elements in Beowulf that are considered to be
supernature. The most prominent would be the appearance of monsters. In the section read, Grendel
and his mother, the swamp hag, are the two monsters Beowulf must defeat to win his honor.
Obviously, the terror from monsters is not a real world problem, it is merely fiction and fantasy. Not
only are the two monsters supernatural but also Beowulf's abilities while fighting them are
supernatural. During his battle with Grendel, he ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Once Beowulf defeats Grendel's mother, he succeeds to the throne and rules for fifty winters. Then
as an old man, Beowulf decides to meet his final task. He must fight an angry dragon. Nevertheless,
Beowulf is defeated by the great dragon. A young soldier, named Wiglaf, avenges his king and slays
the dragon. The sorrowful Geats then build a huge burial mound by the sea in honor of their great
king. In the poem, it is said that "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
heroic deeds, for a life as noble as his name" (Beowulf, 829). Beowulf from his point on will be
seen as an idol of fame to the Geats. This section of the story shows the fame after death portion of
an epic

The Epic Of Beowulf: Comparing The Movie To The Epic
In the movie there are many comparisons and contractions to the movie to the Epic of Beowulf.
First let's start out with some comparisons between the movie and the Epic of Beowulf. One
comparison between them is that they both say that fate is why he goes to kill Grendel, and that fate
is still a really big factor in their way of life. Another comparison was that Beowulf, and his men
generally acted the same, and that he still could not be hurt or hindered by their mortal weapons.
The last comparison is that in both the movie and the Epic, Beowulf ripped off Grendel's arm.
But in comparing the movie and the Epic, there was also a lot of contractions between the two.
There were a lot of contrasting parts from the movie and the Epic, one is

Beowulf : An Epic Hero
Beowulf is a character that exudes the qualities of an epic hero. Throughout this epic, Beowulf is
seen as a hero to many and a major threat to the evils he encounters. The values of the Anglo–
Saxons, who would have read and admired this poem, included loyalty, bravery, and honor.
Beowulf's character exemplifies all of these qualities to the highest degree. The values and traditions
of the original composers of this story cause Beowulf's character to be the perfect example of an
Anglo–Saxon epic hero.
There are specific characteristics of epic heroes that are common throughout many folk epics. Epic
heroes are known to be larger–than–life figures, usually of noble or semi divine birth, who use their
courage and skill against evil forces, go on quests, and accomplish valorous deeds. Beowulf is a
character that fits the definition of an epic hero perfectly. In each part of this poem Beowulf shows
himself to be the hero his people need. There are many examples of each characteristic throughout
the epic.
The poem describes Beowulf as "greater and stronger than anyone anywhere in this world" (lns.
110–111); this quote presents evidence of Beowulf having the characteristic of being a larger–than–
life being. Another example of this characteristic is when he explained why he is worthy of fighting
Grendel. Beowulf talks of his time in war, how he cleared the world of giants, and how he swam
and hunted monsters out of the ocean. When he goes to fight Grendel's

Beowulf As An Epic
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word epic? Something epic could
be associated with an event or action of something heroic or impressive. This is similar to what an
epic poem is. Beowulf is an epic poem, a long narrative poem that is usually about the deeds of a
heroic figure. Occasionally stories that are passed down orally through different generations are
transformed into epic poems. The people who heard the story of Beowulf experienced it not be text,
but by hearing it from scops. Scops were poets who entertained people by memorizing and telling
stories like Beowulf. These poets memorized 3,200 lines of the poem. Beowulf is on of the first
works of English literature. It might have been recorded in writing in Old English around 700 A.D.
by an Anglo–Saxon poet. Since Beowulf originated ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Weapons were only wielded by men. The most common weapon carried by Anglo–Saxons are
knives, although knives were typically used more as utensils or tools instead of weapons. A weapon
that is easily accessible as they were, in many instances, used for cutting down trees, are axes. Axes
could be brought into a battle for close quarters combat (Anglo–Saxon Discovery). Spears held
during the activity of hunting were also deployed in battles. Anglo–Saxons laws suggest that these
spears, often more than two meters long, should be owned and available to all male citizens (Anglo–
Saxon Discovery). Swords were also evident amongst Anglo–Saxons, however swords are more
expensive and required more work to construct, therefore swords were seldom found. Protection
such as chain mail and helmets were only possessed by rich and high–ranked warriors. Weapons are
armed by Anglo–Saxon men primarily to boast his ranking within society as much as it is used for
battle (Anglo–Saxon Discovery). An Anglo–Saxon who wore a helmet, chain mail and wielded a
sword can be considered as a powerful and respected

The Epic of Beowulf
"Beowulf" is the oldest anglo–saxon poem written in English. The poem describes the heroic deeds
of Beowulf in his fight against monsters. Even if the events narrated in the poem take place in
Denmark, the poem was transmitted by oral language between the anglo–saxon even 200 years after
its creation. Anglo–saxons did not consider themselves british, but vikings, and their heroes were
always from Scandinavia.
The author of "Beowulf" is anonymous. The original poem was written on sheep tanned leather.
"Beowulf" is not only the story of a young man that gains glory against monsters or of an old king
that dies fighting a dragon, but it is the story of a brave man who, once young and invincible,
chooses to fight against the dragon though he knows that he's going to have a tragic end.
"Beowulf" meets all the features of an epic poem: it is a long narration of a national hero ( he is
recognized, rewarded and glorified by the king himself and his people), his travel on the sea, his
adventures and the heroic episodes he's the central figure in. Moreover, the main protagonist,
Beowulf, is a brave young man, like Gilgamesh, Achilles or Hercules, with more–than–human
strength and wiser, more courageous than others. Unlike the other epic heroes we have studied untill
now, Beowulf is giving us a detailed self–description when he meets the king :"In my youth I have
done many glorious deed.
The episodes of the poem are moving ahead step by step; this literary procedure is called

Comparing Beowulf And The Epic Of Beowulf
Anglo–Saxons refers to settlers from the German regions that migrated to Britain during the fall of
the Roman Empire. In the story Beowulf, his actions portray him, indeed be an epic hero. Both
Christianity and Paganism are both portrayed throughout the epic Beowulf. Beowulf frequently
speaks of God throughout the story, while there are also many Pagan elements that are evident
throughout the story as well. In addition, "It 's hard to ignore the Christian and Pagan elements in
Beowulf. These types of elements are what define the heroic warrior in the epic Beowulf"
(Vengeance the Pagan and Christian Inspiration). Throughout the epic Beowulf, while the Anglo–
Saxons followed Christianity, they had a hard time letting go of the Pagan beliefs when things got
hard. First, references to the bible are one way that Anglo–Saxons followed Christianity, while they
had a hard time letting go of the Pagan beliefs. One of the first Christian aspects in the story is
referring to how God created the earth. Furthermore, "The Almighty created the earth, creating all
the beautiful landscapes that is marked off by the waters, and lighted by the moon and sun"(The
Monster Grendel from Beowulf Translated by Burton Raffel the Monster Grendel 1). Furthermore,
in this quote the author portrays how the Almighty created the earth and how he gave life to
everything in the world. This quote is reminding us of the religious aspect of the poem because it is
a Christian viewpoint, only about Pagans. In

The Epic Of Beowulf As An Epic Hero
If you have ever found yourself captivated by a novel, or whisked away following a journey, you
have most likely read an epic. An epic by definition is "a long poem, typically one derived from
ancient oral tradition, narrating the deeds and adventures of heroic or legendary figures or the
history of a nation". Every epic has a main character that undergoes the same archetypal journey as
all other heroes, an epic hero. There are specific qualities one must have to be considered an epic
hero. Each epic hero possesses superhuman strength, displays a strong sense of leadership, and
reflects their culture in a positive, admirable manner. Beowulf has been one of the most notable epic
hero's since his story was first written down around 700 ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Beowulf accomplished what may be the most difficult of all challenges in today's times, he was able
to aid other countries in times of need and respectfully communicate with them as well. After
hearing word of Grendel's attack, Beowulf decided to sail to Denmark and help defend Hrothgar's
people. In doing so, Hrothgar praised Beowulf and vowed to him that there was to always be an
alliance between the Geats and the Danes from that day, forward. Beowulf was also idolized for the
great amount of riches he brought to his people. After defeating Grendel, Hrothgar indulged
Beowulf in a tremendous amount of riches. Instead of keeping the generous reward for himself, he
took the riches home and gave them over to his king, Higlac, in hopes that the gifts would benefit
his people. Beowulf was designated the king of the Geats for 50 winters, and always went to great
lengths to protect his people. When dangerous situations arose, he stepped up to the plate and
defended his people, no matter what the cost. In his old age, Beowulf made the ultimate sacrifice.
He battled the dragon, and eventually met face–to–face with death. As a leader, Beowulf sacrificed
his life in protection of his people; his heroic sacrifice is the ultimate demonstration of how an epic
hero defends their people and serves as a positive influence in their culture. An epic hero must serve
as a positive reflection of their culture. Beowulf

Epic of Beowulf Essay
Beowulf as Epic Hero
Epic heroes usually exemplify the character traits most admired in their societies, and Beowulf is no
exception. "Beowulf" is set in the Anglo–Saxon society, a time when war was rampant among the
many peoples trying to take over the different kingdoms of England. In this dangerous, violent time
people lived in constant peril and jeopardy. These conditions only allowed people of great bravery
to survive and men of outstanding courage were admired the populous. These warriors fought for
their leader and tribe in return for treasure and protection. This relationship between the lord and his
men was the basis of the Anglo–Saxon society. The epic poem "Beowulf" is a perfect example of
how this system worked in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
/ Nor will I" (l 188–191). His saying this makes it evident to Hrothgar that he refuses to use
weapons against this unarmed monster. Beowulf is also brave enough to battle a fire dragon which
ultimately leads to his demise. Yet, Beowulf never let his own accomplishments exceed the praise of
his lord. "But no one meant Beowulf's praise to belittle / Hrothgar, their fine and gracious king!" (l
514–515) Just as Beowulf defends his king, Beowulf's followers defend him when he challenges
Grendel and Grendel's mother. In the battle with Grendel "All of Beowulf's / Band had jumped from
their beds, ancestral / Swords raised and ready determined / To protect their prince if they could" (l
446–449).
After the warriors have performed their duties, the lord must also perform his. The lord must protect
his followers, reward his warriors, provide hospitality, and honor all of the brave warriors who have
protected him. The Danes had a tremendous victory early in the poem, and Hrothgar "Resolved / To
build a hall that would hold his mighty / Band and reach higher toward Heaven than anything / That
had ever been known to the sons of men" (l 4–7). This serves as a reward for his men. When
Beowulf arrives in Herot, he addresses Hrothgar as "Lord and protector of this noble place" (l 183)
and as the "shelterer of warriors" (l 185). These comments prove

The Epic Of Beowulf As An Epic Hero
"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 ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
I think they should be done because you ought to do them." In this story Arthur believed that people
should not help others because they are capable of doing so, but rather because it's the right thing to
do. In the interpretation of the classic King Arthur story, Arthur focused primarily on the lack of
humility in the world and how he (along with Merlyn) can fix it. In a more classic take on the King
Arthur story, Le Morte d'Arthur offers a better insight on the physical traits that makes one an epic
hero. Upon the failure of a treaty between the Arthur and Mordred, an epic battle took place that
would decide the fate of the Christian both men stood upon. During this battle Arthur bravely led his
men into battle, single handedly defeating dozens of Mordred's knights. To conclude the battle
Arthur fought Mordred one on one, defeating him with a deadly blow to the chest beneath
Mordred's shield. Though Arthur was gravely wounded, he regretted nothing as he knew what he
had done would better future generations of people. Evil had been vanquished and Arthur was truly
an epic hero. "A hero is someone who, in spite of weakness, doubt or not always knowing the
answers, goes ahead and overcomes anyway," said Christopher Reeve (CR). A countless number of
people wish to be remembered upon their death, however, very few are remembered much past their
death. Those who are though often did an enormous amount of significant things in

The Epic Of Beowulf
Beowulf is a wonderful tale. It is exciting, interesting, and all around fun to read. It is categorized as
an epic poem. It fits all of the characteristics. It is elongated and follows the journey of a great
warrior. I believe that it portrays this genre perfectly. An epic poem is a long, narrative poem that
involves some sort of heroic action. Epic poems usually follow a hero's journey where he executes
heroic tasks, wins battles, and many times performs miracles involving sometimes superhuman
strengths. An epic is lengthy and often book–length. The Story of Beowulf is epic. He is an amazing
leader and a very gifted warrior. Beowulf travels to distant places to rid the world of horrid
monsters. He saved many people in his lifetime and has ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
"And you struggled for seven long nights/ To survive" (L. 250–251). It is incredible to be able to
swim for seven nights. It is also very incredible for Beowulf to be able to fight sea monsters during
a seven nights swim. "A monster seized me, drew me/ Swiftly toward the bottom" (l. 286–287).
Beowulf slayed that sea monster, and what seemed like several more. "By morning they'd decided to
sleep on the shore, / Lying on their backs, their blood spilled out/ On the sand" (l. 298–300).
Beowulf's final battle takes place fifty years after the battle with Grendel. Beowulf is now an old
man. Most old men cannot fight all that well; However, Beowulf will be a warrior until the day he
dies. In this battle Beowulf will be fighting a dragon. Only a true hero will be able to destroy a
dragon. Beowulf still manages to end the dragon's life even though he is much older than the
previous battles.
The story of Beowulf Definitely fits the characteristics of an epic poem. In the story Beowulf saved
Herot and many more people. He was a hero. He showed powerfulness in each of his battles such as
ripping off Grendel's arm, wielding a heavy sword made by giants, swimming long distances, and
killing a dragon at a pretty old

Beowulf Epic Hero
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. First of all, Beowulf proves
himself to be very ethical. Throughout the course of the poem, he made numerous decisions based
on the right thing to do, instead of what was easy or beneficial. ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
He demonstrates his strength most frequently throughout the story. He is said to fight with the
strength of thirty men and defeats a monster who also has the strength of thirty men in hand–to–
hand combat by ripping his arm completely off. Beowulf also shows great strength in the battle with
Grendel's mother. In this battle, he holds his breath for hours and then kills the monster by lifting
and swinging a sword made for giants which no ordinary man could lift. When he comes back from
that fight, he carries Grendel's head and the giant sword hilt from the depths of the lake to its
surface, where it takes eight of his men to carry that very same head. In the battle with the dragon,
his great strength is on display again as he swings his sword so hard that it breaks. He shows great
courage in all three of these battles as well, fighting three different monsters in different ways with a
real possibility of death in each one, all to help defend people who could not defend themselves.
Lastly, he displays his intelligence in the battle with the dragon by fashioning a shield out of metal
instead of wood so the dragon's flames would not burn it. He also shows his great intelligence in his
reply to Unferth's insults, in which he defuses the situation, expresses his qualifications, and takes
credibility away from Unferth. Beowulf demonstrates superior strength, intelligence, and courage
constantly throughout the

Beowulf: an Epic Hero
Nate Gauvain
British Literature
Beowulf Essay
9/22/04
Beowulf: An Epic Hero
According to Abrams, the heroic poem is "a long verse narrative on a serious subject, told in an
elevated style, and centered on a heroic or quasi–divine figure on whose actions depends the fate of
a tribe, a nation, or the human race." Beowulf fits Abrams' description of an epic, exhibiting all of
the characteristics listed throughout the book, thus defining Beowulf as a hero and making the book
an epic through it's elevated style, the focus of a hero, and a quasi–divine hero which a tribe, nation
or human race is dependent on. Beowulf is a narrative which describes the adventures of the hero
Beowulf as he travels from his homeland of Geatland to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
After vanquishing the Grendel, a ceremony was held in Heorot to honor Beowulf and his
courageousness. In order to properly honor their hero, the Danes presented numerous gifts to
Beowulf: "It was hardly a shame to be showered with such gifts in front of the hall–troops. There
haven't been many moments, I am sure, when men exchanged four such treasures at so friendly a
sitting." (67)
Judging from this passage, it appears as though Beowulf is being honored more lavishly than most
of the Danish kings and warriors had been in the past. Beowulf's tragic death caused him to be
remembered fondly and honored accordingly during his funeral: "Mourning his loss as a man and a
king. They extolled his heroic nature and exploits and gave thanks for his greatness; which was the
proper thing, for a man should praise a prince whom he holds dear" (213)
In both life and death, the life and accomplishments of Beowulf were always celebrated with the
most sacred and bountiful of ceremonies, showing just how heroic of a figure he is. Throughout
Beowulf, the characteristics of epic poetry as outlined by Abrams are constantly seen. Beowulf is
quite a long story, as it connects three narratives of Beowulf and his conquests of the three main
antagonists: Grendel, the mother of Grendel, and the dragon. The style and tone of the narration is
consistent with that of Homer

The Epic Hero Of Beowulf
An epic hero is someone who is of great importance, they have supernatural abilities, have some
form of connection with the Gods, and accomplish great deeds. In Beowulf, translated by Seamus
Heaney, Beowulf is the epic hero in his tale and he is considered great by those who know of his
life. There are two versions of his story which portrays him in a certain way. The video version does
not do its best to portray him as an epic hero but instead show that he is a liar, a womanizer, and a
coward. The written version does not portray him as such, it portrays him as someone who is strong,
brave, and fearless. The written version best portrays Beowulf as an epic hero by showing his
actions involving superhuman deeds in battle.
Beowulf's first battle that portrayed his supernatural ability was with Grendel, a monster who has
been plaguing Hrothgar's kingdom. He comes at night and wreaks havoc upon the kingdom, killing
the men who dare destroy him. Beowulf hears of the stories about Grendel and decides to take a
journey to Heorot, to free Hrothgar of the monster. Hrothgar let him in with open arms because he
knew of his ancestry and he settled the debts that his father left behind, "he knows your ancestry;
also that he welcomes you here to Heorot," (lines 392–3). That night after Beowulf arrived, he
stripped off his armor because he did want to face this battle with Grendel having armor and
weapons. He decided that he would fight him bare handed, "And the Geat placed complete

Beowulf As An Epic Hero
Beowulf is an epic poem, written in the time period of the Anglo– Saxon. The Anglo–Saxon's had
similar beliefs to that of the people in the epic, so the poem gives us some idea of what the Anglo–
Saxon culture was like. The people in this time period expresses their culture through an epic poem
by having an epic hero encounter lots of monsters and successfully exceeds all the obstacles during
their adventures. To be considered as an epic, a piece of literature has to exhibits a few specific
literary techniques. Some of the predominant literary techniques needed is evidence of christianity,
setting of vast in scope, and action is dramatic. One of the greatest epics of all time is Beowulf
because it incorporates all of these modeled literary techniques. ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
First, the author creates a spooky and mysterious tone when he says "They live in secret places..."
(424) This tone catches the reader's attention because the reader now want to know the monsters' lair
location and the reader wants to know what characteristics displays a mysterious setting. The
unknown author next creates a setting that interacts with the reader's five senses when described the
monsters' lair. The author interacts with the reader's sense of sight and touch. The author connects
with the reader's sight when he explains the landscape and how the "mist steams like black clouds,
and the groves of trees" (426–427). Sight is also interactive with the reader when the author says
that the lake is red at night, "At night that lake/ burns like a torch" (431–432). The author interacts
with your touch when describing the clouds, mist, and wind. From the reader's personal experiences
with the way mist and breezes feel, it captures the reader because they now feel connected to the
main character. From the imagery created by the author, for this epic poem allows the reader to
understand that the characters are products of their settings and their actions reflects the setting they
live

Epic of Beowulf Essay
The epic poem, Beowulf, is one of the oldest European epics in existence. When Beowulf was
written, the writer incorporated many of the ideals of the Anglo–Saxons. Some of these ideals
included loyalty, bravery, selflessness, and justice and were demonstrated in the hero. Both the
characters Beowulf and Grendel represent aspects of both good and evil, Christianity and Paganism,
and what occurs when they collide with one another. A characteristic of an epic poem is the concern
over struggles that humans face, which is presented in a serious manner. The hero often embodies
the religious, national, and cultural values of his homeland and abroad. The premise of the story is
quite simple: the Danes were in distress because of the great monster ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Each of these examples helps define Beowulf as an epic poem.
An Anglo–Saxon hero must embody certain characteristics and ideals in order to be truly considered
a hero. Beowulf is depicted as being very brave. "I've never known fear", "Then Beowulf stood, still
brave, still strong" and, "...everything hidden in that tower, will be mine or war will sweep me to a
bitter death!" display Beowulf"s strong bravery and his desire to prevail. Even until the very end,
Beowulf fights without fear, seeming to always know that he will be the victor. Another quality
Beowulf shows is his loyalty to his king and to his people. He speaks, "...I sold my life for this
treasure, and I sold it well. Take what I leave...lead my people, help them," to Wiglaf as his last
dying few words. As mentioned before, Beowulf wishes to have his possessions and gold to his
Higlac so that "...may he see in their golden brightness...that here in Denmark I found a noble
protector." He also minds that Higlac "...might think less of me if I let my sword go where my feet
were afraid to," and does his best to represent his land and people with all his strength and courage.
Beowulf can be perceived as an example of Anglo–Saxon heroism even until the final battle in
which his life finally leaves him.
Finally, the hero story that is associated in Beowulf runs hand in hand with the illustrated project
that accompanies

Beowulf An Epic Hero
Introduction
"Epic" is a word can be very confusing. In ordinary conversations, one could refer to an epic hero as
just a hero possessing remarkable strength, and personal characteristics, which are considered
timeless. However, a true, literary epic hero has to meet a given set of criteria concerning his
character and abilities: qualities, which make him to be different or at a level that is above other
great people.
According to Cascio (n.d), epic heroes are heroes who are on a mission, and they exhibit various
kinds of superhuman powers displaying generosity, loyalty, as well as courage. The epic story
Beowulf is generally an epic that is well known and is described as one of the best epic stories. The
epic hero Beowulf in the novel Beowulf illustrates characteristics of physical strength, courage,
self–confidence, wisdom, as well as loyalty, much like today heroes.
Additionally, an epic hero refers to a bigger than life hero embodying the values of a given society
(Trask, 1998). In most instances, epic heroes generally have superior strength, and besides, they
always show very strong love towards their people. They do not ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
In the Homeric tradition, Epic heroes are often demigods. Unlike Hercules, as well as Achilles,
Beowulf, is generally not depicted to have a god as a biological parent, though it was commonly
said that he had the favor, as well as the blessings of God. For instance, when the mother of Grendel
tried to slash Beowulf through the use of a sword, the sword failed to penetrate. As pointed out by
the narrator, the sword was less powerful in comparison to armor of Beowulf, which was too
powerful. God's grace provided the strength. Weapons that are used by the epic heroes are
distinguished heirlooms or godly gifts. Hrunting, which was the sword of Beowulf, is generally a
powerful, as well as an ancient heirloom that he was given by Unferth (Carruthers,

Beowulf Epic Hero
An epic hero is someone who performs a heroic deed, and is brave. Beowulf is an epic hero. From
the beginning of reading Beowulf you can tell that he shows the characteristics of a epic hero. It all
starts off when people in the mead hall keep getting attacked by this monster named Grendel.
Beowulf shows courage and he goes and ends up killing Grendel. After killing Grendel he becomes
wanted by Grendel's mother, so he kills her too. In the end of it all beowulf kills the dragon.
Beowulf's courage and strength is what is shown while he is killing all of these evil monsters. All of
these killings is what gave him fan in the lands. After reading Beowulf you will realize why he is
now classified as a epic hero. The first evil monster that we

Beowulf As An Epic Hero
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 ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Eventually, Grendel (the demon Beowulf was sent to kill) makes an appearance and battles
Beowulf. Using possibly his greatest characteristic of strength, Beowulf defeats Grendel. This is
seen in lines 814–817 where it states, "The monster's whole body was in pain, a tremendous
appeared on his shoulder. Sinews split and the bone–lappings burst. Beowulf was granted the glory
of winning..." We really see the strength held by Beowulf in this line as he rips off Grendel's arm
thus making him the victor. In the story of Beowulf, there are also some cultural themes such as
religion. Christianity at the time was being adapted to as this story was written, yet you already see
it in some parts of the story. Such is the case in lines 685–688 where Beowulf states, "And may the
Divine Lord in His kingdom grant the glory of victory to whichever side He sees fit." This is not the
only time religion is used in the writing, in fact it is found throughout. In lines 696–697 it's said,
"But the Lord was weaving a victory on His war–loom for the Weather–Geats." Also in the line 710
Grendel is called (God–curse) yet another religious statement. Suffice to say religion is a common
cultural element in the tale of Beowulf. You can see it often in the works entirety when read,
showing the significance God played in the daily lives of the author(s). It was also very honored to
be a

Beowulf And The Epic Of Gilgamesh
In today's society, a hero is viewed as someone who embodies the characteristics of selflessness,
courage, honesty, and integrity. The same characteristics were essential to be thought of as a hero
3,000 years ago as well. Two of the most widely known epic poems of their time were Beowulf and
The Epic of Gilgamesh. Both Beowulf and Gilgamesh embody traits known exclusively of a hero.
The poem of Beowulf and The Epic Gilgamesh both showcase the characteristics required of being
an epic, in that they include a hero on a quest performing valorous deeds in an elevated style, while
being protected by supernatural forces. The epic poem, Beowulf was based in the country of
Denmark, while The Epic of Gilgamesh was based in a region of Mesopotamia. Although the poems
were written and discovered in two separate regions, their cultures share similarities. Beowulf was
strongly influenced by the Anglo–Saxon culture, which was monotheistic. The Anglo–Saxon culture
also encompasses elements of Paganism and Christianity (History.world.org). Additionally,
Gilgamesh was born into a polytheistic Sumer culture. Both the Anglo–Saxon and Sumer culture
was widely warrior based. Both Beowulf and Gilgamesh owe most of their epic heroism to the
characteristics of their cultures. They strived to be not only great leaders, but also heroic warriors
(Anglo–Saxon England–UTA). The two cultures were also widely known for their adventurous
storytelling. No one knows the actual age of the poem Beowulf,

Epic In Beowulf
What is the purpose of an epic? There must be a logical explanation to how they could still exist
after all this time. Even stranger most people do not realize how regularly they show up. For
example, when they read a story, watch a movie, or even play a video game, each and every one of
them gives a story with an epic hero. Epics play a huge part in the world's history from the B.C.
ages to now. They show their dreams and values from there culture. Even now in America's culture
they play a bigger part then anyone could ever imagine. People do not realize that "[everyone] must
fight [their] own Grendels and dragons – [as well as their own] inner and outer demons," as said on
page 55. Although from different time periods, both Beowulf, from the epic poem ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
Beowulf's people loved him, as seen when it says "kindest to his people and keenest to win fame,"
(842). Captain Americas people, on the other hand, did not love him as much instead they kind of
made fun of him but he still achieves fame later on. Steve Rogers believes in god, they know this
because in the "Avengers," he tells Black widow that there is only one god. While in "Beowulf,"
they do not, as shown on page 7 where it says the Anglo – Saxon England cutler believes in
"animinsm." They also differ in the sense that Beowulf does not save the prisoner Grendel's mom
takes, this proven when it says "Edgetho's son, and died there," (628). While Captain America saves
his friend and the POW from the Red Skull. The last big one, Beowulf dies after his last battle, this
evident when it says, "twelve warriors road around the tomb," (829). In Captain America the First
Avenger it shows that he survived the airship crash but gets unfrozen after 70 years. Both Beowulf
and Steve Rogers share their similarities and difference that represent their culture, but why do we
tell epic stories like

Epic Hero In Beowulf
A character that conquers evil, exemplifies bravery and is personified as a cultural legend can be
considered an epic hero. An epic hero is someone who is noble and brave and accomplishes heroic
acts that define their legacy while suffering an internal conflict. An embodiment of an ideal epic
hero is Beowulf from the epic Beowulf who sets an unmatched example as an epic hero due to the
fact that he displays a great deal of bravery, overcomes evil, and stands as a cultural legend while
fighting with internal conflict. Beowulf's journey as an epic hero involves killing demons and their
moms along with protecting his kingdom by fighting a fire breathing poisonous dragon. Most epic
heroes have an internal struggle that comes up throughout ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
The killing of Grendel is very significant especially in regards to Beowulf's legacy as a warrior due
to the fact that before Beowulf no one was brave enough to stop Grendel, as a result of Beowulf's
bravery he was awarded many treasures by King Hrothgar. All is good and well in the land of Danes
until Grendel's mother decides she wants to avenge her son by terrorizing the mead hall. As a result,
Grendel's mother ends up killing more citizens but fled upon seeing warriors. Beowulf finds
Grendel's mother in an underwater cave and battles her until he finally defeats her and arose
victoriously. After Beowulf establishes his presence as a brave young warrior he returns home and
after a series of events becomes the King of the Geats. Beowulf reigned as King for fifty years as he
bravely protected his kingdom from invaders and ensured safety to his citizens. In Beowulf's 50th
year as King, his last brave act is his face off with an angry dragon that terrorizes his kingdom. As
he fights the Dragon with his right–hand man Wiglaf, Beowulf "rallies to use his knife and is able to
cut into the monster's entrails, killing him. Realizing he is dying, Beowulf speaks his final words as
Wiglaf attempts to comfort him." which means that Beowulf manages to kill the Dragon even at his
old age but also dies in the end. The killing of Grendel, Grendel's mother, and the Dragon prove that

Beowulf : The Epic Hero
What do Achilles, King Arthur, Harry Potter, and Beowulf all have in common? They all
demonstrate the qualities of epic heroes. Beowulf represents several characteristics of an epic hero
and demonstrates the values of the Anglo–Saxons. He is the main character of his story, he has a
main goal, he travels and fights with a group of people, and he accomplishes many valorous deeds;
the values of the Anglo–Saxons are also shown through the actions of Beowulf, such as courage,
loyalty, and fame. For example, when Beowulf heard a cry for help in a far off land, he answered.
He fought larger than life monsters, and won. His exceptional strength proves his epic courage and
heroism.
One way in which Beowulf represents the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
448–449). Lastly, in The Last Battle, Beowulf states, "And this dragon's treasure, his gold/ And
everything hidden in that tower, will be mine/ Or war will sweep me to a bitter death!" (ln. 647–
649). This is the last of the main goals Beowulf sets before his death.
Another way in which Beowulf represents a characteristic of an epic hero is he travels and fights
with a group of people. "So Beowulf chose the mightiest men he could find,/ The bravest and best of
the Geats, fourteen/ In all," (ln. 119–122). Beowulf personally chose the warriors he journeys with
himself; although Beowulf is generally the one to conquer the monsters, these soldiers are with him
through all of his battles. In The Battle With Grendel, all of the men are sleeping in Herot; yet, when
Grendel appears, Beowulf is the one to fight and execute him. The story is similar in The Battle
With Grendel's Mother; his men follow him to the edge of the lake, yet he is the one to explore the
lake and fight and kill Grendel's mother. Likewise, in The Last Battle when Beowulf fights the
dragon, he begins fighting with all of his men, yet all but one abandon him. Beowulf obtains a
strong group of people that he travels with, yet ultimately he solves problems himself.
In addition to traveling with a group of people, Beowulf accomplishes a multitude of valorous
deeds. The first way in which this is demonstrated is through The Battle

Epic Values In Beowulf
Epic heroes are a type of familiar character to most readers, and they are also considered essential to
early literature. Because they are so common, epic heroes are often dismissed as bland characters.
However, epic heroes warrant a closer look, as they are able to show us the values of cultures vastly
different from our own.
This makes sense when one considers the origin of epic poems. They were first part of an oral
tradition, and would have been passed down generation to generation by mouth. Epic poems were
only written down later to ensure their preservation.
While the primary purpose of epic poems was entertainment, they also served a far more practical
purpose: one of education. It only makes sense that societies would have ingrained their values in
these tales. Stories are a subtle way to implant a fixed mindset into others. "Beowulf" is a perfect
example, Beowulf displays ideal Anglo–Saxon values, and much can be learned of the Viking
culture from him.
Allegiances with others were paramount to survival in the harsh environments of the Vikings, and
loyalty was highly valued. This is shown in Beowulf: the majority of his actions are spurred by
loyalty to others. When King Hrothgar is troubled by the demon Grendel, Beowulf immediately
comes to the aid of the king, because his father "Ecgtheow, [had] acknowledged [the king] with
vows of allegiance." Beowulf does not take advantage of the king's age and weakened state either,
he never attempts to overtake the

Beowulf : The Epic Hero
Beowulf the Epic Hero What does it mean to be a hero? Like anything else in this world, the
definition of the word hero can be argued. Some may say that a hero can be passive, that is if he or
she refrains from doing a certain action it makes them heroic. Others would argue that to be truly
heroic the character must never turn tail and always face the obstacle head on even though he or she
may die in the process. So is Beowulf a hero? Yes, Beowulf is a great epic hero, but his greatness
comes only from his sword and not from his mind. In order to be a hero in an epic poem there were
certain qualities you had to possess. First of all you had to be a male. It is rare to see any woman in
epic poems taking on the role as hero. Women were usually only minor characters who are often not
even named. Second of all you had to be a man of noble birth. Meaning that the hero had to be
either a king, prince, knight or some other high–ranking person in society. Beowulf satisfies all of
these requirements. He is the nephew of the king of the Geats, and son of a great warrior. As was
common in literature up until recently, Beowulf’s mother was not named as well as
Grendel’s mother. The slave character was not named too, which in my mind would indicate
that women had little more status than slaves or property during the times of the Vikings. Fittingly
enough, Beowulf’s sword even got a name, for it is by his sword that he earns his eternal
fame and glory. However, besides

Beowulf : An Epic Hero
The character of Beowulf demonstrates several characteristics that make a great epic hero.
Throughout his lifetime he displayed several characteristics such as honor, bravery, physical
superiority, leadership, and glory. These characteristics all formed how the Anglo–Saxons believed
one should live their life. Along with the valorous deeds that Beowulf accomplished he is
considered to be a prime example of an epic hero. Beowulf would have even been considered a
model human to the Anglo–Saxons due to how he consistently demonstrated these qualities.
Beowulf demonstrated honor when he fought Grendel without using a weapon. Beowulf decided not
to use a weapon while fighting Grendel because Grendel was unarmed. By doing this Beowulf had
made the fight fair and was able to keep his honor. Beowulf would have also fought the dragon
without a weapon had it been possible, but due to the dragons immense size, strength, and fiery
breath he could use his sword and shield while retaining his honor. Honor is an important
characteristic for an epic hero to have and Beowulf demonstrates it quite well throughout the poem.
Beowulf demonstrated another important Anglo–Saxon characteristic, bravery, when he fought the
dragon. Beowulf knew he was old when he decided to face the dragon but did not back down from
the fight at hand. He decided to stand and fight the dragon instead of running even when he knew he
could not defeat the beast by himself. Like the true hero he was

Beowulf : The Epic Of Beowulf
To begin, Beowulf the poem has a unknown author, Beowulf is an epic poem. In Beowulf he is
challenged by the murderous monster Grendel, Grendel is eating and slaughtering Hrothgar the
King of the Danes men and people, the king needs Beowulf 's help in defeating Grendel, Beowulf
ends up killing the monster and is now tormented by the monster 's mother that is much larger, she
is no match for Beowulf and he kills her as well, lastly it is Beowulf's last battle after he has been
king of Geatland for fifty years, he has to defeat the dragon and he does but dies shortly after. In this
essay I will be explaining how lof, comitatus, and wyrd is very important to Beowulf's culture. First
and foremost, lof meaning fame is important to Beowulf's ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
For example, in lines 761–765 it states " Sad at heart, addressing his companions, Wiglaf spoke wise
and fluent words: I remember that time when mead was flowing, how we pledged loyalty to our lord
in the hall, promising our ring–giver we would be worth our price." (Raffel, the final battle). In this
quote it explains the importance of being loyal to your king or leader, they pledge and put their life
on the line to make sure that their leader is taken care of, in Beowulf's culture comitatus is
extremely important and one of the main ways of their lives. Another example of comitatus in
Beowulf is in lines 148–151 it states " My people have said, the wisest, most knowing and the best
of them, that my duty was to go to the Danes' Great king. They have seen my strength for
themselves." ( Raffel, part 1). In this quote it explains how Beowulf himself showed loyalty to King
Hrothgar by offering to help kill Grendel once and for all, Beowulf wanted to help him because their
fathers were friends and Hrothgar's father helped Beowulf's and it was now Beowulf's duty to help
the king and repay him for what his father had done. As seen in this paragraph comitatus is a very
important part of Beowulf culture, being loyal to your leader is simply out of respect and is done at
all times. Finally, wyrd also known as fate is important to Beowulf's culture because their way of
life is that everything is predetermined, everything is supposed to happen

Beowulf Epic Hero Traits

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Beowulf Epic Hero Traits