Epic Hero's In Beowulf

Words: 621

Pages: 3

Open Document

Epic hero’s in A.D. 449 resembled many of the same morals as Superman, or batman in today’s century. They had pride and never bowed down from a fight. The Anglo-Saxons morals of bravery, trust, loyalty, generosity, and friendship where very strict for to lose honor was more fearsome than death. The significance of Wiglaf’s actions in Beowulf proves that with those morals anything can be done.
Beowulf shows two principle components in the Epic ancestral heritage and individual reputation. In most epic tales, every male figure identifies as their father’s son, they introduce themselves not as their own identity, but one of lineage; “His name was Wiglaf, he was Wexstan’s son And a good soldier: his family had been Swedish, Once.” (Beowulf …show more content…
He was essentially selfless to give up his life, time and time again. With Beowulf being the leader he was, it creates a bond between King and solder. The King gives food and shelter. Expecting loyalty and protection as repayment. When in battle if a solder were fighting with a King and died but the solder did not they were as good as dead. Solders make an oath to die for their King before they reach battle; “None of his comrades Came to him, helped him, his brave and noble Followers; they ran for their lives, fled Deep in a wood. And only one of them Remained, stood there, miserable, remembering, As a good man must, what kinship should mean.” (Beowulf 58). Wiglaf was one of eleven knights fighting in The Last Battle and the only brave soul that would fight for the man that he swore to repay, “When the time came, kindness for kindness With our lives, if he needed them.” (Beowulf 60). Wiglaf represents loyalty and courage in the face of unbelievable odds; “Wexstan died And Wiglaf was his heir, inherited treasures And weapons and land. He’d never worn That armor, fought with that sword, until Beowulf Called him to his side, led him into war.” (Beowulf

Role Of Heroism In Beowulf

Beowulf as an Epic Character There are certain aspects of epic poetry that transcend author and time period. The poems are long narratives and are written or spoken in a sophisticated style, often coupled with a repetitive meter. And while they are not pieces of prose, epics tell a story of heroism, where the protagonist is of national importance (Downes 2). A combination of style, plot, and character mesh together to define the unique genre of epic poetry. Beowulf, the eponymous hero of the story…

Words 1023 - Pages 5

Michael Jordan Vs Beowulf Research Paper

Michael Jordan was a hero to all athletes just like Beowulf was a hero to the Geats. Both were looked up to for their strength and dominance, and both fulfilled their goals; thus, allowing them to achieve fame and glory. Both Beowulf and Jordan earned a reputation for being strong and courageous. Beowulf got his reputation for killing 9 sea monsters, all while competing in a swim race. Although he didn't win the race he earned a bunch of respect when people heard his story. “They have seen…

Words 728 - Pages 3

The Mythological/Archetypal Theory In Beowulf

quest. For example, the epic poem, Beowulf--the first written English story--is known to follow this theory because it includes many of the general archetypal characters, situations, and images. Archetypal characters are those found within multiple different…

Words 1315 - Pages 6

Examples Of Heroism In Beowulf

Beowulf promotes his role as a heroic protagonist by having the willingness to sacrifice his own life for the greater good. In doing this, Beowulf uses the characteristic such as bravery, honor, and superhuman physical strength to take down Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon. A hero is someone who is looked up to for their courage, abilities, sacrifice, and noble qualities that are rare or not usually seen in others. Beowulf travels great distances and uses his own bare hands to defeat the…

Words 393 - Pages 2

Essay Beowulf and Epic Poem

Makes a Hero Epic? What is a hero? What does it take to become a hero? It can be said that there are as many answers to these questions are there are heroes. The dictionary defines a hero as, “A person, typically a man, who is admired for courage or noble qualities”. Hero’s have long been the subject of many genres in literature. One of the most revered epic poems is Beowulf. But what makes this poem epic? In the Beowulf unit module from Georgia Virtual School an epic poem “must be…

Words 424 - Pages 2

Sacrifice In Beowulf

Gallant Warrior A Discussion of Beowulf’s Motivations from Beowulf “A hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his freedom.” said influential singer Bob Dylan. Burton Raffel is the author of the translation of “Beowulf.” Burton Raffel is the author for numerous poems, screenplays, and novels. He has also won the Translation Prize for the French-American Foundation. “Beowulf” is an epic poem about an Anglo-Saxon warrior from the land of the Geats who comes to the…

Words 869 - Pages 4

Flat Characters In The Epic Of Beowulf

Battle after battle, Beowulf fights off evil for his people. Beowulf has three encounters in this poem. Those encounters are Grendel, Grendel's mom, and the dragon. Each time he fights he seems to have a different motive, it could be that he starts to realize his impact when he fights. Grendel is a man eating demon and Beowulf is the hero. Although these two characters sound so different, their motives are alike. These two characters did not change throughout the whole story, which is called a flat…

Words 504 - Pages 3

Who Is Beowulf As An Epic Hero

Beowulf demonstrated his epic heroism by performing several heroic and courageous acts throughout his life. Beowulf exhibited many character traits that proved himself as an epic hero. He first began to travel the trail of epic heroism by battling a supernatural foe, Grendel. Most epic heroes battle a supernatural enemy which makes their actions epic; they fight something mere mortals cannot battle. In his battle with the evil and monstrous Grendel, Beowulf shows great courage and strength by choosing…

Words 490 - Pages 2

Beowulf And Lord Of The Flies Comparison Essay

written, the overall style of storytelling varies largely between “Beowulf” and “Lord of the Flies”. The two texts are not only formatted in different ways, but also have many small details that oppose the other, adding up to create two unalike stories. When comparing the texts, it’s quite simple to see the differences between the two. Beowulf, a story from 500 a.d., and eventually written down in 700 a.d., is considered to be an epic poem - a long narrative poem. Due to this, the way the text was…

Words 443 - Pages 2

Beowulf Themes

Beowulf Essay I recently read one of the best epic poems ever written. “Beowulf” is an Anglo Saxon epic that takes place in Denmark during the sixth century. Beowulf, the main character, is the hero of the story because he saves Hrothgar and the Danes from Grendel and other monsters. Even though it was written a long time ago, “Beowulf” has many important lessons and themes throughout the epic that are still relevant in today’s world. These include how we treat each other, the dangers of pride and…

Words 748 - Pages 3