Heroism in Beowulf Essay

When he struggles and struggles finally Beowulf strength is too much and Grendel’s arm is ripped from its socket. He knows his horrible fate which is to bleed to death in the horrid fen.Although soon after the She demon, Grendel's mother comes back for revenge. Beowulf is prepared and more ready then he’ll ever be.He defeats the She demon triumphantly and comes home strong with pride. Soon Beowulf becomes homesick and returns to his homeland of the Geats, he fights strongly with his uncle until he dies, Beowulf is asked to be the king of the Geats but kindly declines. It is only when Heardred, Beowulf cousin dies that he accepts the position of king and rules wisely. Beowulf grows old and creates the golden age for the land but when the fire drake an evil monster who guards treasure burns down most of the land, Beowulf is ready for one last fight. Using the bees to sting it to death Beowulf and his companion Wiglaf face the beast and kill it. Beowulf's last battle is one to remember and shortly after Beowulf dies of old age but everyone knows that his spirit will live on and create peace for the land of the

Beowulf’s strength is beyond any of human comparison and has allowed him to accomplish tasks that would have obliterated lesser men and gain renown throughout the world. Beowulf’s boasts of his strength are not to be received as prideful or egotistical but rather as a true representation of his power as Beowulf always fulfils his boasts. When Beowulf pledges to vanquish Grendel, he does not take it lightly and tells Hrothgar and his wife, Wealhtheow, that “..I shall fulfil that purpose, prove myself with a proud victory or meet my death here in the mead-hall.”(636-638), showing that he is prepared to die, if needed, to defeat this hellish creature. Later that night, in his battle with Grendel, Beowulf showed his strength. “The Captain of evil discovered himself in a handgrip harder than anything he had ever encountered in any man on the face of the earth… in all his days, he had never been clamped or cornered like this”(749-752,755-756). Beowulf’s strength surpassed that of even supernatural beings and allowed his to go on the offensive against a foe that had ravaged Heorot for years and thus allowed him to fulfill his boast. Beowulf power is brought out in his recitation of his deeds and again later actions against the mother of Grendel and a fire breathing dragon that threatens his home. In all of this fights, Beowulf is not seeking glory for himself, but

Beowulf is an epic poem being cited as one of the most important works of Old English literature. Beowulf is an Old English epic poem. The poem is set in Scandinavia. Beowulf, a hero of Geats, comes to the aid of Hrothgar, the king of the Danes, whose mead hall in Herot has been under attack by a monster named Grendel. After Beowulf slays him, Grendel's mother attacks the hall and is then also defeated. Victorious, Beowulf goes home to Geatland and later becomes king of the Geats. After a period of fifty years has passed, Beowulf defeats a dragon, but is mortally wounded in the battle. After his death, his attendants cremate his body and erect a tower on a headland in his memory. Beowulf is clearly a hero because of his brave deeds, he is a strong and responsible leader, and his courage. Beowulf is a hero because of his brave deeds. Throughout Beowulf, Beowulf does many deeds which are considered to be brave during the Anglo-Saxon period.“Grendel is no braver, no stronger/Than I am! I could kill him with my sword; I shall not,Easy as it would be. This fiend is a bold And famous fighter, but his claws and teeth.../ Beating at my sword blade, would be helpless. I will meet him With my hands empty-unless his heart /Fails him, seeing a soldier waiting /Weaponless, unafraid. Let God in His wisdom /Extend His hand where He wills, reward /Whom he chooses!”. In his first battle, Beowulf fights Grendel. He fights without any armor. Also, Beowulf kills Grendel’s mother. He then

Beowulf had major successes prior to the battle with the Dragon. This battle entails a fire breathing dragon, protecting precious jewels for hundreds of years before a runaway slave disturbs the harmony by stealing precious jewels to give to his master in exchange for freedom. This angered the Dragon and it fled to seek revenge. The Dragon uses his destructive fire breath to melt all the houses, including Beowulf’s. However, before day break, the dragon had retreated back into it’s cellar. They still sought revenge; however Beowulf refuses to take his men along with him due to the high risk. Before he bid them farewell, he delivers his last boast, “I’ve never known fear; as a youth I fought in endless battles. I am old now, but I will fight again, seek fame still, If the Dragon hiding in his tower dares to face me.” (Beowulf 735-738). Beowulf describes his own bravery but also proved that he is not heroic in this quote. He is not afraid but only looking for fame,

By definition the word “hero” might be interpreted in one of four ways. First off in mythology and legend, a hero is often of divine ancestry. He is endowed with great courage and strength, celebrated for his bold exploits, and favored by the gods. Secondly, a hero is a person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life. Thirdly, a hero can also be described as a person noted for special achievement in a particular field. Finally a hero is defined as the principal male character in a novel, poem, or dramatic presentation http://dictionary.reference.com/serch?q=hero. Beowulf, in Beowulf, might be considered a hero in every aspect

Beowulf, while also being a follower of Higlac, he was known to be one of the most strongest and extraordinary geat that has ever existed that is willing to fight for honor and freedom. This caused his adrenaline to skyrocket which resulted in him gathering a total of fourteen other worthy men to go on this treacherous trip to Grendel’s home. Beowulf and his clique decides to stay in Herot where Grendel will come for them. The very next day, Grendel was hungry and he knew the location of the hunters. He began to devour his first victim and he began on the second until he realized it was Beowulf himself. One of Beowulf’s hand grabbed Grendel’s arm, while the other reaches for his mighty sword named Hrunting. Grendel knew he could not defeat

Beowulf has killed a lot of the king’s men he stands alone and alarmed ready to fight. “So the Spear-Danes in days by and the kings who ruled them had courage and greatness we have heard of the heroic campaign”. The Spear-Danes bravery/heroism was celebrated. Beowulf’s fight with Grendel shows off his true strength.

Have you ever dreamt about slaying dragons and a variety of monsters? What about being known as a hero for all your actions? Beowulf has achieved all of these things. From slaying slaying large monsters in oceans to Dragons in caves, to becoming a hero of Herot. Beowulf has accomplished a vast amount quests; along the way he shows us the true characteristics of a hero. The heroic ideals as described in Beowulf are similar to today in Incredible strength, courageous acts, and selfless deeds.

Beowulf's fight with the dragon is a puzzle. On the surface, it appears to be the hero's final victory, and a fitting end to his noble life. Yet, the circumstances surrounding the battle – Beowulf's disregard for his thanes' advice and the Geats' bleak future without their king – raise pointed questions about Beowulf and his motivations. No where else in the poem are the hero's actions portrayed as anything but right and good.ǂ Not surprisingly, this issue has drawn considerable critical attention. Some critics insist that Beowulf's decisions regarding the dragon are entirely in accord with the heroic ideal.1 Others argue that Beowulf sought out the dragon for selfish and prideful reasons.2 In a way, the puzzle of the dragon-battle is the

In the epic, “Beowulf”, Beowulf leaves a legacy of courage, wealth, and fame. In his battles with Grendel and the dragon, Beowulf shows courage and bravery. In the story, Beowulf hears about a villain, Grendel, and seeks out to defeat him along with Grendel’s mother. The story of his battle shows his bravery and skill, that

When Beowulf went to fight Grendel for the Danes, he was seeking adventure and fame. Beowulf’s pride and want to please was his motivation in all his feats, and this pride was a necessary trait in warriors and kings of his

Beowulf is a poem that tells the story of a hero’s victories and defeat, first killing a demon and his mother and after being defeated by a dragon. This poem shows how spectacular epics were at this time and as the Anglo-Saxon literature took a long a long time ago. Furthermore it shows how important and recognized the heroic deeds were, so much to the point to write about the hero with qualities and characteristics that were a little overdone such as the strength of Beowulf that with one fist he tore Grendel's arm off. In the epic, the reader can witness that willpower and loyalty are more important than physical strength in battle as these allow him to be willing to face a very strong and terrifying enemies and defend his principles and friends.

Beowulf’s glory has now come back to haunt him as Grendel’s mother, a dragon is searching for blood. Beowulf slays Grendel’s mother with a sense of ease as it seems. The mighty sword given to Beowulf by Hrothgar was the mightiest weapon in all of the land. Beowulf heads to the lair of Grendel and his mother where he finds riches beyond anyone’s dreams. Beowulf and Herot would be quite prosperous, but as one may know; this is not such an easy

In Beowulf, the fight between Grendel and Beowulf was certainly a nail-biter. In this fight, however, Beowulf shows his courage by doing his absolute best at defending the kingdom by taking on this gruesome monster. Grendel was wreaking havoc on the kingdom to no end. He was killing many and terrorizing the citizens greatly. When Beowulf heard of this, as a courageous thane, he stepped in to try to stop this and protect the people.

Beowulf begins with fifteen Geatish warriors, at the helm of whom is Beowulf, arriving in the land of Danes, which is overrun by the monster Grendel. Beowulf is confident he can defeat Grendel, as he is in possession of the strength of thirty men, and Grendel can kill thirty men. Beowulf and his band of warriors are met by Grendel in the night at Heorot, “ Grendel then attempts to seize Beowulf’s arm, but the warrior instead grabs him, and in the ensuing struggle Beowulf wrenches Grendel’s arm off as the monster escapes. The following morning Grendel’s arm is prominently displayed to awestruck onlookers as a trophy on a wall in Heorot”(Loughman 4). Beowulf gives the people a promise, one that he will defeat Grendel, even though many doubt he is in possession of the ability to do so. As the people proclaim Beowulf their hero, the next night another attack occurs, this time with Grendel’s mother. Knowing that he must keep