Beowulf: Characteristics Of An Epic Hero

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An epic hero is known as a brave and noble character in an epic poem, admired for great achievements or affected by grand events. In the epic poem Beowulf, written by an anonymous Anglo-Saxon poet, many characteristics of the cliché epic hero are prominent in the main character, Beowulf. The poem takes place in the late fifth century where a monster, Grendel, is terrorizing the great hall, Herot. Beowulf comes to King Hrothgar’s aid to defeat the monster and ultimately, ‘save the day’. Although Beowulf possesses almost all characteristics of an epic hero, three more prominent characteristics are: he is introduced in the midst of turmoil, he goes on a long, perilous journey to the underworld, and he possesses distinctive gifts or heirlooms from the Gods. Before Beowulf is introduced into the poem, the antecedent action is told in flashback. “Twelve winters of grief” have passed since monster Grendel started attacking Herot. Beowulf is not mentioned in the poem until after all evidence of Grendel attacking and disrupting the Danes’ way of life has been laid out. Therefore, Beowulf is introduced in the midst of turmoil, which makes for a great epic hero. After “standing empty and staying deserted for years”, Beowulf comes to King Hrothgar and the people of Herot’s assistance. The …show more content…
After Beowulf defeats Grendel, Grendel’s mother becomes vengeful, which in turn, leads to a battle between the mother and Beowulf; and the mother just happens to live in the underworld. “The heaving water covered him over, for hours he sank through the waves”, this explains his descent. The mother lived under a lake and he was in her battle-hall. “A brilliant light burned all around him, the lake itself like a fiery flame”. By comparing the mother’s home to hell, it shows how truly evil she happens to be and also portrays Beowulf as a brave heroine because he undertakes the task of going
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