Selfishness and Responsibility
In Beowulf this epic, the author characterized Beowulf as the model of the hero. From the epic, we can conclude that Beowulf wins his position and prestige by defeated the three monsters with courage and braveness. Extraordinary power is the most important to define a hero. In addition, courage, confidence and responsibility are the spiritual connotations of a hero. Sometime people will misconceive those heroes, and believe that they are fighting for their own sake. In fact, Beowulf is the not the selfish leader that people might criticized. He is a responsible leader, who wants to remain peace for the kingdom without getting help from other.
First, there is no one who can fight with Grendal. However, after Beowulf makes his promise that he will fight Grendal without weapon to Hrothgar, he keeps his words and killed Grendal. Although people might question the reason that Beowulf fight with evil creatures, but it is obvious that Beowulf just wants to bring peace for the people in Geat. He fight with Grendal because of freedom, he motivated to fight with Grendal and Grendal’s mom. In all three fights, he fight will the evil alone, the reasons that he fight by himself is to show his power, it is because he wants to take the risk by himself. He didn’t want evil take other people’ life
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Though he is already an old man, he did not hesitate to choose the duel with the dragon.Beowulf ruled the Geat people for 50 years before he died. did not He disappoint his people, even at the end of his life Though he is already an old man, he did not hesitate to choose to give up his life and wealth. He made the decision that will benefit the people and just as the people expected. If he is a selfish hero, he can take his wealth and escaped from this situation. Nevertheless, Wiglaf and Beowulf protect the kingdom with their own
In Beowulf, the essence left behind by a true hero is extremely important. In epics such as this one, leaders tend to have the determination and boldness of a hero. On the other hand, the main character, Beowulf, does not display these certain traits. In this heroic poem, respect and trust come naturally. Honor and integrity are present throughout the poem.
The Epic poem of Beowulf is a story of heroism, loyalty, ego, and fate. To be a great leader of men; a great king of the people, you must be respected and trusted. Loyalty is given to those who earn the respect and trust of their people. Beowulf was blessed with great physical strength, the pride and fearlessness of a warrior, and an equally strong command of the spoken word, which he used skillfully to his advantage. He gained the respect and trust of nearly everyone he came in contact with, largely because he possessed the characteristics of a true hero, but in the end it was his ego that sealed his fate. Although it could be said that Beowulf’s character was flawed by an enormous ego, fueled by thoughts of immortality, it is this very trait that made him an ideal hero and king.
The character of Beowulf stands as a hero to the ancient Danes because of his actions. He is constantly being cited as a "war-chief" and a "gold-giver" (61). Beowulf has achieved fame through what he has done with his own hands. His identity as a leader is based upon the Danish society’s emphasis on personal action, as opposed to the delegation of responsibility through conscious thought. It is this very sense which spurs Beowulf to fight the dragon: "In my youth I engaged in many wars. Old guardian of the people, I shall still seek battle, perform a deed of fame, if the evil-doer will come to me..." (59). Beowulf derives his power from a strong link to the past. Without his history of glorious deeds, he would see himself bereft of the very power which qualifies him to be a good King. Beowulf’s bravery never comes in to question, he does meet every challenge head-on, with deadly attention. The society which labels Beowulf as a legendary hero, recognizes his actions and his bravery as a integral part of his definition as a hero. Without the society to support th...
Therefore, throughout the story Beowulf is presented as the ultimate hero; demonstrating the strength of thirty men in his grasp while also using his powerful insight to avoid unnecessary conflict. His surreal strength and wisdom allow Beowulf to accomplish great feats within his time. He not only saves the land of the Danes form the terrorizing monsters but serves and protects his own people as well. Despite his heroic qualities, his humanity is proven by showing his eventual downfall; expressing that even the greatest heroes cannot live forever. Beowulf’s heroic qualities can only hold him above the rest until fate takes its toll and he too becomes defeated.
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.
All our childhood years, our parents have taught us the importance of being selfless. Maybe that is by sharing with your siblings growing up, or just taking care of your elder grandma when she’s feeling under the weather. This important life, quality has been embroidered into our skins from such a young age; that our hearts are willing to help others in need. I know that not everyone is as willing to be selfless as others, but that is just a part of life. You aren’t always going to pick the sweetest apple from the tree, or in other words, some people are just not as altruistic as others. Furthermore, I think an important theme shown among British literature is the importance of being selfless and how it can impact your life. Throughout the stories in Beowulf and The Canterbury Tales, the aspect of being selfless is shown greatly among its characters and how their decision to be that way impacts their lives.
According to google.com a hero is someone who “is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievments, or noble equalities.” (google.com). For example, superman , superman is an all time american classic modern hero who is admired for his courage and for saving earth multiple times from super villains. Another example of a hero is Beowulf. Beowulf was created around 1000 AD and was known far and wide throughout the lands for his selflessness,bravery, and courage .
Beowulf is proud to be chosen by the Geats to represent them and fight for Herot’s safety. He is also proud of himself for all of his past achievements and how he is lord Higlac’s “brave warrior”. He “swam in the blackness of night, hunting monsters out of the ocean, and killing them one by one”(lines 15-16). Beowulf is extremely proud of himself and how much stronger he is than all men on Earth. Beowulf is also humble in a way. He does not brag about he is going to win the battle and destroy Grendel, he believes God will choose who deserves to win. “Let God in His wisdom extend his hand where he wills, reward whom he chooses!” (lines 81-83). Beowulf was humble enough to sacrifice himself for his people and the
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.
At the beginning of the novel, Beowulf represents a savage warrior, displaying mostly his strength and bravery by defeating Grendel and his mother. However, as Beowulf ages, he begins to change into a different kind of hero. After becoming King of the Geats, Beowulf matured and took on more of a leadership role in the community, as opposed to a warrior. Even though Beowulf was still a hero, he began to lead an army of geats and acted for the good of the people. In both cases however, Beowulf was respected by others for his admirable
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.
He was looking for a way to become known, so he arrived with his fellow Geats to help the Danes. Beowulf had access to many weapons, armor, and warriors, but he still decided to take on the deadly challenge alone and without protection. He doesn’t think of the consequences, or abilities of the opponent. “‘When it comes to fighting, I count myself as dangerous any day as Grendel.’” (47: 677-678). Beowulf is overconfident in his abilities, and doesn’t take into consideration how many people Grendel has killed. He goes in with his own men not expecting to see him again. “None of them expected he would ever see his homeland again.” (47: 691-692). This is why the inner threat of Beowulf was more barbaric. Grendel was indeed a worthy opponent, and very dangerous, but Beowulf’s careless actions could have
Beowulf wants to fight Grendel, a monster wreaking havoc, and is boasting that he is more powerful and courageous.
Back and forth from building to building Spider Man is swinging chasing Hobgoblin they’re going from street to street messing up window panes. Spider Man snatches Hobgoblin and takes him to the ground. Strength. Bravery. Selflessness. Spider Man has a lot of the same qualities as the heros from the Anglo-Saxon time period. Like Beowulf he has the same exact heroistic qualities to be a hero. Beowulf shows the characteristic qualities of an Anglo-Saxon hero by being selfless, brave and being really strong.