Heroes In Beowulf

Heroes in Anglo-Saxon society were very important, mainly because they represented what every Anglo-Saxon strived to be. A hero had God-like strength, good character, and the motivation to do good things. Beowulf, an example of this ideal person, represented the Geats so they could take pride in their culture and heritage. In modern day society, heroes are still admired for their noble actions, and resemble the Scandinavian hero in many ways. While time may distance the heroes of today from those of the Geats, they will always be connected by the similarities that they share. People today do not possess God-like qualities, but their power, mindset, and motives have been, and will always be, what makes a hero.

An important example of heroism

The author seeks to glorify Beowulf using his astounding strength and stature and uses physical characteristics to shape him into a true hero. These characteristics are not in Beowulf’s control, which shows that the Anglo-Saxons might have viewed heroes as being born with amazing capabilities and talents. Beowulf is the perfect symbol for Anglo-Saxon heroes because he exemplifies what was important to them, such as physical capabilities. Surprisingly, many acts of heroism today still center around unbelievable strength and the ability to help others with their power. Nick Harris, an ordinary citizen of Ottawa, Kansas, became a little more extraordinary when he lifted a car off of a small girl trapped underneath. Harris then became a hero in the community, and the child’s mother even exclaimed, “He really is Superman” (“Man”). While Harris may not be the strongest man in the world, he and Beowulf have many similarities. They both did something incredible and unimaginable in order to help others and they both used physical power to do it. Neither Harris nor Beowulf would be heroes without their strength, which is why physical appearances and characteristics are so important in the story, and in Anglo-Saxon culture

The Anglo-Saxons made it clear that a hero was someone who had strength, bravery, confidence, determination, and a hunger for fame and glory. Today, not many of these values have changed. Time hasn’t changed the fact that heroes make bold choices to help others, even if it could end badly for them. They do things perceived as good, and are often admired for their actions. A hero is the perfect combination of physical capabilities, mental capacity, and maybe even a large ego. All these together makes Beowulf who he is, and still makes up what a hero is