People questioned if Beowulf acts of heroism can really be called heroic. He may have done it just to gain fame, or made it sound unrealistic so that people would see him as a god. A hero is someone who is isn’t afraid to dance with death if it means doing what is right, or protecting someone. Beowulf has shown to have this characteristic by his tales of adventures. For example “I drove five great giants into chains, chased All of that race from the earth. In the darkness of the night hunting monsters Out of the ocean, and killing them one By one” (154-158). Should acts of heroism that seem unrealistic be disregarded as a hero’s act? The hero’s journey can be seen as a set of laws or challenges that every hero faces through their own journey(Christopher Vogler). The hero’s journey is used as a general term such as all …show more content…
Beowulf has been living at his home land taking on challenges that others may not have wanted to take on. He has always been a man of action, always looking for adventure that challenges his strength. When Beowulf was told of the rumors that a demon is tormenting Hrothgar famous mead serving hall he accepted the wise men decisions to help him rid them of the demon. This is where step two of the hero’s journey comes into play. There is a call to adventure that affects the hero in some way. Beowulf may have formed a personal connection to the cries of Hrothgar reason being his father was once had history with Hrothgar . When Hrothgar helped Beowulf 's father settle things with the Wulfings Beowulf may have felt a need to repay his father’s debt. When Beowulf and his men finished the feast the king provided in the mead hall that was closed due to Grendel’s blood lust. ¨Epic heroes possess qualities that mere mortals lack. Bravery beyond compare, superhuman intelligence, strength or skills and a driving desire to find success¨(Connie Jankowski). In this part of the story Beowulf and his men have proven that they do contain the courage
Ernest Gaines novel, A Lesson Before Dying, is a story about, Jefferson, a black man who is wrongfully charged with a crime he did not commit. He cannot get a fair trial because he is a black man in the south. He is sentenced to be executed, but before he dies Grant, an educated black man, teaches him how to walk like a man, so people do not think of him as a hog. "Beowulf" is an epic poem over one thousand years old, which was told from one generation to another. It is about, Beowulf, a great hero who defeats three different monsters to save the kingdom. In his last battle he is much older than before and is killed by a dragon. A hero does something that other people do not do and he does things for others, and other people look to a hero for guidance.
Beowulf also had a strong spirit of adventure, his spirit of adventure was part of the reason that Beowulf went to fight Grendel. Beowulf’s strength and spirit of adventure had also led him to victories in many battles, including the battle with Grendel. Beowulf used his glory in earlier battles to prove himself when coming to help Hrothgar. In addition, his self assurance and known bravery probably guided his decision. Beowulf’s spirit of adventure gained him a lot of fame; however, it could have gotten him into danger, if he were to have taken an adventure too far.
A hero not only needs to be physically outstanding, but he also needs to have integrity, moral values and needs to act without thinking in his own benefit. Beowulf has many characteristics of a hero but he also has some defects that make me think that he wouldn’t be considered a hero in today´s world. A hero concept evolves with a culture, Beowulf has many things that the Anglo-Saxons viewed as heroism but he misses many things that are important for a modern hero.
Beowulf demonstrates his hero trait within his actions he takes making a connection to the idea of Bentham. The main focus of Bentham’s utilitarian idea is, before making a decision being able to calculate pleasure and pain for others not just yourself. Similarly Beowulf focuses on the greater pleasure when he goes to battle against Grendel and Grendel’s mother. The hero trait that Beowulf shares with Jeremy Bentham’s utilitarian idea; is the thought of the happiness of others before making any decision or taking any action.
Beowulf feels a sense of loyalty to Hrothgar which leads Beowulf “…to sail the swan’s road and search out that king, / the famous prince who needed defenders” against the marauding monster, Grendel (200-201). Beowulf’s generosity leads him to Hrothgar’s mead-hall to save Hrothgar from the clutches of Grendel. Regardless of fate and lineage, Beowulf is driven by forces out of his control. It is true that the qualities of an Anglo-Saxon warrior drives Beowulf to become the hero he is, but his lineage and fate define his
Beowulf displayed great courage and honor throughout his journeys and battles; he was an epic hero. An epic hero is a person who is viewed as larger than life and possesses values of a certain society. From the time of Beowulf’s battle with Grendel to his brawl against the dragon, he has showed everyone what being an honorable hero looks like. His heroism is revealed through both youth as a young warrior and wisdom as a reliable king. He never backed down and didn’t give up when situations were tough. Beowulf had obligations to fulfill and went about every aspect of his life with courage and strength. He cared for his people and was willing to take on anyone that threatened them or his kingdom. He sincerely was the hero of his time.
A Hero is someone who is noted for courageous acts or nobility of character. It can also be someone who has special achievements, abilities or personal qualities. In the novel Beowulf, Beowulf demonstrates numerous heroic qualities throughout the story. These qualities would be his loyalty, honor bravery and superhuman strength.
Are the heroic qualities possessed by Beowulf the same or different from the qualities we find in our hero’s today? I believe there are some heroes who still have somewhat of the same qualities as Beowulf. It usually just matters in what area they were born and raised in. Like someone who was raised to be a spoiled brat would become someone who always gets their way and if they didn't they would throw a big fit. Unlike someone who was born and raised in a giving family. They would be raised to realize helping others is the best thing to do even when you can’t get what you want or the way you want things.
The 2007 animated film of Beowulf is the adaption of the old Anglo- Saxon poem, Beowulf. The plot, storyline and structure of the movie follows along with the poem exceptionally with only few changes. The Poem and movie both show exceptional value in relationship, respect, bravery and heroism in the Angelo Saxon culture. The story depicts epic bravery and heroism from the beginning, when Beowulf arrives to Hrothgar's kingdom and states he will kill their monster that curses their land. Respect is defined when Beowulf receives gifts for his deeds, songs are sung of his greatness and through the poem itself still continuing his legacy. Relationships are defined through out the poem and movie by a great sense of loyalty and trust with Beowulf and his men; even a relationship with the king was like father and son with that sense of loyalty.
Beowulf is not a hero, the answer is simple and clear. The arguments that may say that Beowulf is a hero focus on his great strength and bravery but that is not all a person needs to be a hero. You must have courage, which I will agree that Beowulf does have this when facing the three monsters in this story, but to be a hero you also need to be selfless, humble, and truthful. When comparing Beowulf courage is the only trait he distinguishes of a “true hero”.
A hero is a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities. The real heroes are Superman, firefighters, soldiers, doctors, and Caitlyn Jenner, with a great impact. A hero is one who,is courageous,noble, and selfless. However, Beowulf’s deeds and achievements are stained with greed,cowardness,dishonor, and the blood of the innocent. He brags of his past achievements, he boasts constantly about how strong and powerful he is. These characteristics
Beowulf shows physical strength in the story by defeating Grendel. In line 219 of Grendel’s mother, it tells how Beowulf killed her. “…cut it through, broke bones and all.” His strength is also told in line 213 of how he “lifted the sword that was so massive that no ordinary man could lift.” Beowulf’s determination, or his will to win, was throughout the story, even up until his death. A quote that describes this is, “…he cut the beast in half, slit it apart. It fell…”(line 185). He shows courage along with his cousin, Wiglaf, when they defeat the fire dragon. In line 189 it says, “…their courage had killed it, two noble cousins had joined in the dragon’s death.”
In the story, Beowulf travels to Heorot to help King Hrothgar with a problem involving a monster named “Grendel”. This is the first step of Mr. Campbell's guidelines for a hero; the “call to adventure” (Monomyth Website). There is a conflict (Grendel, the monster and the killing he is doing), and Beowulf is answering that call to solve this problem. Mr. Campbell describes this as “the first stage of the mythological journey- which we have designated the call to adventure- signifies that destiny has summoned the hero...” (Monomyth Website). It is important to note that this is a voluntary action, that “the hero can go forth of his own volition to accomplish the adventure...” (Monomyth Website), however, at this point Beowulf begins to deviate from the traditional mono-...
Is The Beowulf really a hero in the eyes of modern era? This epic poem is not conventional in today’s belief of what we know as a hero. The poem shows Beowulf as a divine king that leads his people with spunk and without solicitude. Then why does he cheat on his wife or get the wonderful women at the end of the story? Today this poem is not what we think of as a hero, we think of heroes in three distinct ways, we think of a hero in a way that a person does something to shield something that isn't theirs example a person jumping in a lake to save a drowning dog, another way we look at a superhero we think of an extraterrestrial character from another planet or a person that has super power or capabilities than the average human example is the Hulk or Superman, and the last would be somewhat related to the second reason is that they do something completely unheard of like saving the earth from the villains that want to take it or destroy it .
Beowulf is a figure for the people of his era to teach their sons how to live their lives being brave, loyal and strong. “...Would sail across the sea to Hrothgar, Now when help was needed.” (Line 115-116 page 42) These lines shows that Beowulf is so brave that he went to another country to help it’s citizens when they needed help.