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Literary analysis text
Literary analysis text
Literary analysis text
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Throughout the course of history, there have been many heroes and stories about said heroes. Beowulf is one that is included among these heroes as he exhibits many qualities of a hero, such as honor, bravery, and strength. These qualities are all shown several times throughout the story of the hero Beowulf. Throughout his story, Beowulf show his honor on many different occasions. One such time is when he arrives in Denmark, on no other terms than to slay the monster that had plagued the land for 12 long years. He arrives and speaks with King Hrothgar, and asks for only one favor, to purge all evil from the halls of Herot: Lines 257-261 “I have come so far,/O shelterer of warriors and your people’s loved friend,/That I, alone and with the help …show more content…
When he first heard about a fiendish monster terrorizing the Danes, he decided that he must journey to slay this beast. He did not have any fears when traveling to the land of the Danes, and decided that if he shall die in the course of battle with that monster, he would accept his fate without remorse. He did not fear death, but rather welcomed it should it be his fate. This is also true when Beowulf learns of another fiendish monster that had intruded upon his territory. When he hears this news, he decides at once he must slay the dragon before it terrorizes his people and destroys even more of his land. When Beowulf is fighting the dragon, he is overwhelmed by the monsters might and fierce flames, but yet he still does not give in, and continues to fight. Thanks to the help of a loyal follower, Beowulf slays the dragon, but at a very costly price: his life. Though dying, Beowulf is not afraid, but rather seems fulfilled, and passes on his throne to his loyal follower. In conclusion, Beowulf’s honor, strength, and bravery all prove on many occasions that he is most definitely worthy of the title of “Epic Hero”. He exhibits all characteristics of a hero, even if they aren’t apparent at first. Proven throughout his story, he truly
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 is one of the most bravest legends. He has no fear! This man will go and fight whoever needs to be fought, with or without help. As soon as Grendel's mother came to get her son’s arm back, Beowulf immediately set out to go find and kill her. He went to the place where she lives and after he plunged into the water, Beowulf swam all the way down to her lair. After he reached the lair, “Beowulf got ready, / donned his war-gear, indifferent to death; / his mighty, hand-forged, fine-webbed mail / would soon meet with the menace underwater” (1442-1445). This task also seems to be a death sentence written all over it, but Beowulf looks death in the face, and goes after his mother. He knows that they are immortal, but right next to Grendel’s mother, is the only sword that can kill them. Beowulf is brave enough to grab that powerful sword, and kill both Grendel and his mother. Men today would not do that. Beowulf does not just stop at Grendel and his mother: he continues to fight more monsters to defend what is his. He then took a break and now decides to come home to Sweden. The son of Ecgtheow bids Denmark farewell, and has a moment with Hrothgar. Hrothgar says, “You are strong in body and mature in mind, / impressive in speech. If it should come to pass / that Hrethel’s descendent dies beneath a spear, / … and you are still alive, then I firmly believe / the seafaring Geats won’t find a
These are just a few of the qualities that make Beowulf a hero, however they are his strongest ones. Although his acts of greatness may not be entirely for the right reasons, Beowulf could be viewed as a true archetypal hero figure. His bravery, arrogance, brute force all tie into his greatness. And provide undeniable evidence to his
Beowulf, the great Geatish warrior, lives a very adventurous life filled with many voyages, battles, and victories. Through all of these events, he meets various people who are considered to be heroes like himself. These heroes, however, are unable to have the same abilities and characteristics of Beowulf. His great achievements cannot be matched by anything that they have done in their lives. Beowulf is a superior hero to Hrothgar, Unferth, and Wiglaf in the epic of Beowulf because he kills every monster that he fights, becomes a widely feared warrior and king, and dies in battle completing his final heroic act.
Beowulf exhibits many obvious heroic qualities, such as his strength and confidence in battle. These along with more subtle diplomatic actions serve to define him as both a great warrior and leader.
Beowulf by far endures more than the average person as the poem progresses. He is faced with daunting challenges of defeating three monsters that would kill any other man. Beowulf exemplifies bravery by never backing down no matter what the threat was. He was loyal by honoring his promises of keeping those around him safe and alive. And finally, his unwavering confidence helped him push through the toughest confrontations. These traits and the fights with the three different monsters are what genuinely make Beowulf a hero.
The epic hero Beowulf is a brave, strong, resilient, and courageous man. These attributes strengthen his own resolve and will make it possible for him to complete his quest until death.
Beowulf is a good example of a courageous and strong hero. He shows all of
In Beowulf, the protagonist Beowulf is shown as a hero with extrodinary strength. This is not what makes him a hero. By definition, a hero is a man of exceptional quality. However this term does not do Beowulf justice. His self-imposed purpose in life is to help others, and eventually sacrifices his own life in doing so. Beowulf’s battle with the dragon serves as a critique of the notion that Beowulf is a hero. The Dragon section displays many of Beowulf’s heoric characteristics. Beowulf establishes himself as a hero by fighting the dragon, exemplifing strength and courage when fighting the dragon, and sacrificing himself so that others can live.
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.
By definition, a tragic hero is a protagonist that due to some tragic flaw loses everything he has. Throughout history, literature has always been filled with main characters possessing some tragic flaw. In Macbeth, Macbeth’s tragic flaw is his enormous ambition to become king. In Hamlet, Hamlet’s tragic flaw is his need for revenge for the death of his father at the hands of his uncle. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh’s tragic flaw is his need to be remembered. In the Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf, Beowulf also has a tragic flaw, excessive pride and the search for fame, which ultimately leads to his demise.
There are several elements that make Beowulf one of the most celebrated epic heroes of all time. Beowulf is extremely loyal to his father and King Hrothgar. Hrothgar helped his father in a time of need. He was a brave warrior that feared nothing. Beowulf stated “I’ve never known fear, as a youth, I fought in endless battles.” Page 87 in the workbook, lines 2-3. Beowulf honored his beliefs and morals till his death. God is Beowulf’s savior and the one he counted on. “ I can leave this life happy; I can die knowing the Lord of all life has never watched me wash my sword in blood born of my own family.” Beowulf said on page 92 in the workbook, lines 146-150.
Beowulf is a epic hero in a lot of ways. He is “stronger” than life, and he does not fear death. He was able to fight the monster and kill him with his bare hands. Beowulf was also able to hold his breath for a long period of time to kill Grendel’s mother. Beowulf looked like a normal person, but with muscle and super strength.
In the tale of Beowulf, King Hrothgar's village was in great trouble, this is when the great warrior, Beowulf is introduced. He is called by the king to come save the village an atrocious monster. "When Beowulf hears tales of the destruction wrought by Grendel, he decides to travel to the land of the Danes and help Hrothgar defeat the demon." Beowulf traveled to the land of Danes without hesitation to fight a vicious demon. This takes tremendous bravery and courage, due to the fact that he knew that his life would be in danger if he fought the demon. This is only one of many reasons Beowulf is in my opinion a great hero. He deserved all the worship and praised that he received.
From the Lord of the Rings to Star Wars, Beowulf has been turned to as a source of inspiration. Whether referencing specific scenes of becoming entangled with sea-monsters or simply turning to Grendel as a character model, those in the arts turn to Beowulf over any other story. This is not without good reason; as people referenced it and turned to it more, Beowulf stood the test of time above all other stories as the quintessential epic tale and continues to to this day. And what is an epic tale without its titular epic hero? As his story stands as the epic piece, Beowulf stands as the greatest example of an epic hero, featuring all of the main qualities, including (but not limited to) such qualities as a god-like, world-renowned position among the people, and a bravery of a near insidious kind, such that it even becomes his third trait as well, as his obligatory personal hamartia.