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Early British Survey
Beowulf as a Hero
By: Norman Hilker
One of the basic qualities a hero can possess is going out of their way to help those in need. It’s physical in nature, and will almost always result in more respect for the character within their community. Beowulf was one of the first prime examples of this in early British literature, as it follows a warrior not with a general beginning, middle and end, but rather a series of events that challenge the character and whose decisions eventually lead to his demise. In the epic poem, Beowulf is challenged by three major antagonists – the monster Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the evil dragon that would eventually kill him. Each of these figures would mess with Beowulf to some extent and on different psychological levels.
We are introduced to Heorot, the kingdom the characters inhabit, as they’re about to feast before a beast starts terrorizing the night. Beowulf, a popular tough guy at this point in the story, takes on the monster boastfully and easily kills it. Afterwards, “The man who had lately handed among them, proud and sure, had purged the hall, kept it from harm; he was happy with his nightwork and the courage he had shown” (824-7). It is easy to root for a character like this because he is what we can most relate to out of all the characters we know so far – before the fight, we see him in real danger for the first time. Despite his extraordinary strength, as well as the forthcoming circumstances, Beowulf quickly becomes a likeable protagonist and someone readers can rely on.
However, consequences ensue. While the issue doesn’t seem as damning as a monster eating people in a local town, it gets personal when it involves Grendel’s mother. Before jumping into the lake where the next villain waits, Beowulf tells his companions, “…if I should fall and suffer death while serving your [Unferth’s] cause, would act like a father to me afterward. If this combat kills me, take care of my young company, my comrades in arms” (1477-81). He sees this next challenger as one in a coincidental series of recurring foes rather than a vengeful ally of his enemy that he has to take care of. Perhaps he is not one to fight those that could be stronger than him, but he has a mantle to carry that includes everything he loves. By this point in the story, Beowulf now has a reason to defeat these enemies, and it’s due to this process of decision-making that starts to define him as a true hero in the Anglo-Saxon tradition, through honor, strength, and courage most of all ( Anglo-Saxon ).
Towards the end of Beowulf , a major time jump has turned the title character from a youthful warrior to an aged king, one who would rather lead by wisdom than by power, fists, and even risk. When a hellish dragon threatens the future of his people, he has no choice but to carry sword and shield again. Beowulf doesn’t take any military-based strategies in attacking this dragon – time has evolved the man into someone who may disregard the strengths that made him what he is now. As he’s preparing for what will be his final fight, he says, “I risked my life often when I was young. Now I am old, but as king of the people I shall pursue this fight for the glory of winning, if the evil one will only abandon this earth-fort and face me in the open” (2511-5). His cocky attitude doesn’t get the better of him when the dragon does kill him, but it helps him relish in the bravery he once glorified. One may say it’s this trait that helps him in defeating the dragon anyway, but we leave Beowulf with not just a hero of epic proportions, but a fully developed character that closes the circle of boastfulness to courage to tenacity.
In further reading, I will examine Satan’s character from Paradise Lost and how he takes a different route to heroism compared to Beowulf.
Works Cited
The Anglo-Saxon Hero , csis.pace.edu/grendel/Proj2004A1/hero.html.
Greenblatt, Stephen, and M. H. Abrams. The Norton Anthology of English Literature . W.W. Norton, 2012.
Why the Story of Beowulf Focuses on the History of the Main Character as a Hero Rather Than a King Research Paper
In writing a story, the author usually has an underlying reason as to why he laid out the story in a particular way. In most cases, however, it is left to the a reader to point out why the story was written the way it was. The story of Beowulf, to a great extent, focuses on the history of the main character as a hero as opposed to a king. Depending on the reader’s understanding, a number of reasons could be linked to the author’s decision.
When going through the poem, what immediately stands out is that as much Beowulf had been born a prince, it was his courage and adventures that made him the man he became. And the deduction that leads to this conclusion is simply because one can be born in a royalty or even get anointed into it, but as long as his life is spent within the confines of the castle, his story becomes pointless to tell.
From the beginning of the story, where Beowulf travels to Denmark to help in dealing with the monstrous evil that is Grendel and his (Grendel’s) mother, one can tell that he is destined for greatness, and his path sets ground for a story that can be retold for generations. It even makes it interesting to read his preparation for the battles, as illustrated by the example below:
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, [His helmet] was of beaten gold, princely headgear hooped and hasped by a weapon-smith who had worked wonders (Williamson and Shippey 12 ).
Another school of thought can point to the fact that the story of Beowulf came out the way it did, purely by default. This is because Beowulf spent a lot of his noticeable public time dealing with monsters and dragons, amongst other dangers, than he spent on administrative chores. This, in effect, makes the story of his life easy to tell by analyzing his landmark victories as opposed to how great he was at drafting his country’s policies, if he did.
On his return to his kingdom, Beowulf again finds himself tackling a vicious dragon. With the assistance of one of his kinsmen, he manages to take it down, ultimately rescuing an entire people. To ensure that his legend lives on, the author allows Beowulf to die, a heroic death. With little attention given to the place of Beowulf in society, the author of the poem makes him more relatable with all and sundry.
The poem becomes more interesting when anyone who reads it can easily mistake Beowulf for any hero, who rose from the ground to build a name for himself, only to realize that he was actually born great, and he made himself unforgettable. This is well illustrated by the eulogy presented at the end of the poem.
O flower of warriors, beware of that trap. Choose, dear Beowulf, the better part, eternal rewards. Do not give way to pride. For a brief while your strength is in bloom but it fades quickly; and soon there will follow illness or the sword to lay you low, or a sudden fire or surge of water or jabbing blade or javelin from the air or repellent age. Your piercing eye will dim and darken; and death will arrive, dear warrior, to sweep you away (Williamson and Shippey 186).
In conclusion, it is worth noting that the story of Beowulf was meant to be an epic, illustrating the man’s desire to fight for his people. As such, it could only make sense if it was told in such a way that illustrates how the man came to be very popular with his people than looking at the man’s activities after he had been confirmed a king. Of importance to note is that because the author of the poem did not make an effort to explain his intentions or flows of thought when writing the poem, any reasons given are speculative.
Works Cited
Williamson, Craig and Tom Shippey., trans. Beowulf and Other Old English Poems . 2 nd
Edition. Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2011. Print.
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IvyPanda. (2020, July 1). Why the Story of Beowulf Focuses on the History of the Main Character as a Hero Rather Than a King. https://ivypanda.com/essays/why-the-story-of-beowulf-focuses-on-the-history-of-the-main-character-as-a-hero-rather-than-a-king/
"Why the Story of Beowulf Focuses on the History of the Main Character as a Hero Rather Than a King." IvyPanda , 1 July 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/why-the-story-of-beowulf-focuses-on-the-history-of-the-main-character-as-a-hero-rather-than-a-king/.
IvyPanda . (2020) 'Why the Story of Beowulf Focuses on the History of the Main Character as a Hero Rather Than a King'. 1 July.
IvyPanda . 2020. "Why the Story of Beowulf Focuses on the History of the Main Character as a Hero Rather Than a King." July 1, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/why-the-story-of-beowulf-focuses-on-the-history-of-the-main-character-as-a-hero-rather-than-a-king/.
1. IvyPanda . "Why the Story of Beowulf Focuses on the History of the Main Character as a Hero Rather Than a King." July 1, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/why-the-story-of-beowulf-focuses-on-the-history-of-the-main-character-as-a-hero-rather-than-a-king/.
Bibliography
IvyPanda . "Why the Story of Beowulf Focuses on the History of the Main Character as a Hero Rather Than a King." July 1, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/why-the-story-of-beowulf-focuses-on-the-history-of-the-main-character-as-a-hero-rather-than-a-king/.
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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Beowulf — Grendel’s Point Of View In Beowulf As The Perfect Hero/Villain
Grendel’s Point of View in Beowulf as The Perfect Hero/villain
- Categories: Beowulf Grendel
About this sample
Words: 1360 |
Published: Jun 29, 2018
Words: 1360 | Pages: 3 | 7 min read
Works Cited
- Coogan, Michael David. The New Oxford Annotated Bible: New Revised Standard Version, with the Apocrypha: An Ecumenical Study Bible . New York: Oxford UP, 2010. Print.
- Hamilton, Edith. Mythology . Boston: Back Bay, 1998. Print. Heaney, Seamus. Beowulf: A New Verse Translation . New York: W.W. Norton &, 2001. Print.
Should follow an “upside down” triangle format, meaning, the writer should start off broad and introduce the text and author or topic being discussed, and then get more specific to the thesis statement.
Provides a foundational overview, outlining the historical context and introducing key information that will be further explored in the essay, setting the stage for the argument to follow.
Cornerstone of the essay, presenting the central argument that will be elaborated upon and supported with evidence and analysis throughout the rest of the paper.
The topic sentence serves as the main point or focus of a paragraph in an essay, summarizing the key idea that will be discussed in that paragraph.
The body of each paragraph builds an argument in support of the topic sentence, citing information from sources as evidence.
After each piece of evidence is provided, the author should explain HOW and WHY the evidence supports the claim.
Should follow a right side up triangle format, meaning, specifics should be mentioned first such as restating the thesis, and then get more broad about the topic at hand. Lastly, leave the reader with something to think about and ponder once they are done reading.
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A good thesis statement for how Beowulf was a hero could be the following: "Beowulf becomes a hero through showing his courage and strength in taking on monsters." According to the Anglo-Saxon ...
Central Idea Essay: Honor Codes & Heroism. Beowulf is set in Scandinavia, sometime in the fifth or sixth century A.D. The ethical code of ancient Scandinavian society valued strong warrior-kings who could protect their people from outside threats (primarily, other warrior-kings and their armies). Under this code, warriors were expected to ...
Heroism is the glorification of the warrior hero and of the heroic code of conduct. This first appearance of Beowulf in the poem shows him to be a worthy representative of that code. The hero is valiant, strong, noble, and mighty, a legend in his own time and loyal to his leader Hygelac. And he is on the alert for wrongs to be righted.
Title of Honors thesis: The Hero's Journey: Beowulf, Film, and Masculinity ... In Gladiator, the hero Maximus is depicted as being a religious man, while the entire plot of Clash of the Titans is concerned with a battle between the gods and mankind. Often times, the hero dies in the end of these films, but it ...
A. She attacks the sleeping Danes in Herot in revenge for the murder of her son. B. The monster kills Esher, carrying off his body and her son's body parts. C. Hrothgar's soldiers track her ...
Zemeckis' film embodies this highly important alteration through the hero's brazen statement: "I am Beowulf!" The rallying cry of personal power and glory is ... reception" that Beowulf receives even while precautions were being taken by the guard in case Beowulf was there to challenge Hrothgar. 5 In discussing the central role of the ...
After Beowulf dies, the poet announces the end of a glorious Geatish era by noting that "no follower" will wear the treasure Beowulf wins from the dragon in his memory, "nor lovely woman / link and attach [it] as a torque around her neck.". Treasure symbolizes prosperity and stability; without these attributes, the Geatish clan can no ...
One of the basic qualities a hero can possess is going out of their way to help those in need. It's physical in nature, and will almost always result in more respect for the character within their community. Beowulf was one of the first prime examples of this in early British literature, as it follows a warrior not with a general beginning ...
Share Cite. Beowulf is an epic hero for many reasons. Three of Beowulf's most epic characteristics are strength, honor, and the ability to rule justly. 1) Strength: First and foremost, Beowulf is ...
That night Grendel's mother avenges her son and HroiSgar summons Beowulf next day to ask his aid against the new threat, if he dares. Beowulf agrees at once, answering without reflection, the kind of beot warned against in The Wanderer (65-72). After the death of Grendel's mother, HroÖgar's debt to Beowulf is doubled.
Beowulf is a 6th-7th century work of epic poetry that features a righteous hero of the same name. Beowulf is an epic hero, a larger-than-life warrior capable of mighty deeds not attainable by the ...
In essence, the Beowulf poet explores the problems. inherent in a practical politics of civilization, presenting virtue as acts that sustain and vice as acts that disrupt human brotherhood. 249. disintegration of a society in terms of the human limitations of its heroic embodiment in Beowulf" (p. 606).
C. L. Wrenn ( Beowulf, pp. 41-42) applies a classical standard to a Germanic epic when he calls the "Germanic hero" a "tragic hero," and at the same time speaks of his "glorious death" without which "a Germanic hero would be incomplete.". Surely, the tragic hero is such because he fails in the heroic adventure and his death is ...
Beowulf's life is proof that he is truly an epic hero. The poem Beowulf was a reflection of the wisdom, selflessness, and strength that characterize such persons. He was wise in his leadership over the Geats and selfless when handling material wealth. The character's strength shone during battles with difficult adversaries.
Beowulf as an Epic Hero. Beowulf is an Old English poem that is considered one of the foundational texts of English literature. It was written between 700 and 1000 CE and it tells the story of ...
O flower of warriors, beware of that trap. Choose, dear Beowulf, the better part, eternal rewards. Do not give way to pride. For a brief while your strength is in bloom but it fades quickly; and soon there will follow illness or the sword to lay you low, or a sudden fire or surge of water or jabbing blade or javelin from the air or repellent age.
Thesis Statement for Beowulf Being a Hero - Free download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. Scribd is the world's largest social reading and publishing site.
Topic sentence: Beowulf is introduced with respect and high regard. Evidence & citing: The narrator introduces Beowulf as a "noble and mighty" warrior (Beowulf 198) which indicates that his legacy is worth the praise. As a hero, loyalty is one of the virtues that affirms that of an individual. This is a trait that Beowulf definitely displays corresponding his first meeting with Hrothgar ...
On one level, Beowulf is from beginning to end a poem about confronting death. It begins with a funeral, and proceeds to the story of a murderous monster. Beowulf enters the story as a hero who has chosen to risk death in order to achieve fame. As Beowulf fights Grendel's mother at the bottom of the mere, even his close friends believe he has ...
Conclusion paragraph: Despite the story's clear bias to Beowulf as the hero (his name is the title of the story after all), upon closer inspection it becomes clear that in the Norse tradition, the true tragic hero is Grendel. Grendel fights to redeem his ancestry and his past, challenging the humans who have shunned him for years in order to gain back the respect that was once lost.
The epic poem Beowulf describes the most heroic man of the Anglo-Saxon times. Beowulf is the hero. He shows that he is a great man by always putting other things before his own needs. He is important and needed by his people and is known by many as a strong, courageous and a helpful person. He shows all of the qualities and traits that a true ...
Beowulf Epic Hero Thesis Statement - Free download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free.
In the epic poem Beowulf, the cultural significance of the mead hall in Nordic society was shown through Herot's use for shelter, council meetings, and storytelling. Behaviors, morals, and events portrayed in the epic Beowulf serve as a window into the past regarding the blending of the original paganistic spirituality of the Danish people ...