Hero In Beowulf

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Do you think you would have been able to live in an era where you have minimal resources but are in constant danger? Would you be willing to risk your life fighting monsters and dragons to protect your people? Even if you say yes, realistically, you probably wouldn’t, as it would take great mental and physical strength, and flat-out would just be impossible. But not for Beowulf, the Geat warrior who would be the star of one of the first pieces of modern literature to be recorded. Beowulf’s superhuman strength and arrogant demeanor mark him down in history as one of the first known epic heroes. He is always up for the challenge of fighting a battle, whether it be his people, the Geats, or others, such as the Danes. His immense strength and courage, …show more content…

Boasting is a common trait among heroes, and something Beowulf constantly did throughout the story. In lines 142-189 for example, Beowulf describes how much of a brave fighter he is and boasts about how he killed 5 beasts in one battle. To summarize, he says that he heard about the Danes’ despair and came to the rescue, and although he was willing to risk his life to save Hrothgar and his people, it was also obviously for fame as well. He assures Hrothgar that the situation will be resolved, and does do his job well, killing Grendel as well as Grendel’s mother after she sought revenge by killing one of Hrothgar’s best men. His arrogance shows again in lines 450-458, after he fearlessly enters the lake that Grendel’s mother lived in. It says that, “He leaned into the lake/Would not wait for anyone’s/Answer; the heaving water covered him…”. Beowulf also fought Grendel’s mother by himself, and even though he ended up winning the battle, it almost cost him his life. Ultimately, Beowulf met his demise in the end of the story, when he volunteered to fight a dragon that was terrorizing the Geats. In lines 606-612, after Beowulf uttered his final 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…”, he went to go and face the problem, only for his war ridden sword to break and his followers leave him fear. Beowulf was essentially helpless until a sole warrior showed, named Wiglaf, and killed the dragon for him. Even though Wiglaf wasn’t seriously hurt, Beowulf was laying on the ground, knowing he was dying and that these were his last moments on Earth, so he only ask Wiglaf that he be buried with the treasure that was in the castle the dragon dwelled in. It goes to show that even the toughest fighters like Beowulf aren’t as invincible as they

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