Modern Heroes In Beowulf And Simone Biles

Heroes: Classical vs. Modern

POW, BAM, KAPOW a nefarious villain lying on the floor as the blood gushes from his internal wounds. As the villain awaits his death, the hero, the savior stands above all threats as he witnesses the malefactor’s defeat. This gruesome scene could be found in any superhero show: The flash, Arrow, DC Legends of Tomorrow, Super Woman, and Lucifer. Those heroes all have supernatural powers, which allow them to aid other people in the time of need. However, real Heroes exist behind the TV screen. Heroes come in many shapes and sizes, examples of these heroes are Beowulf and Simone Biles. Although Beowulf and Simone Biles come from different times, they both share the heroic characteristics of the three S’s: selflessness,

Beowulf showed selflessness throughout his life, such as when he met king Hrothgar for the first time. Beowulf introduced himself than explained his rationale for the visit. “I alone….may purge all evil,” Beowulf exclaimed. The warrior placed aside all of his fears and risked his life to help the Danes kill Grendel (Beowulf 431-432). Grendel’s strength was unmatchable; he ruled Herot for 12 years and slaughtered every warrior who challenged him. Knowing how powerful Grendel was, Beowulf was not afraid to challenge Grendel, because he knew that his act of selflessness could bring peace to an entire Kingdom who suffered Grendel’s wrath. Simone Biles demonstrates the heroic trait of selflessness in an interview in which she explains how “it makes [her] happy and honored that she [is able] to inspire [other girls]” (5 Reasons). Beowulf and Simone Biles inspire other individuals in their time eras to succeed and try their best even when it is risking their own life, whether it is for wining a gold medal or saving a

Beowulf’s supernatural strength allowed him to defeat all three vicious monsters: Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and a dragon. The first obstacle Beowulf stumbles upon would be the ferocious Grendel. Beowulf’s will and passion to save the Danes allowed him to single-handedly kill the “guardian of crime,” by detaching Grendel’s hand (Beowulf 273). Yet, another battle Beowulf begun was with Grendel’s mother. Grendel’s mother rage over her son’s death caused her to attack Herot. Because of Grendel’s mother witty moves and powerful strength, Beowulf had a difficult time defeating her. However, Beowulf defeated Grendel’s mother as he “struck [the sword] with all [his] strength” through her neck (Beowulf 521). Beowulf’s strength was the key factor for his victory over Grendel’s mother. The final battle that Beowulf faced was with an outraged dragon. Although Beowulf was at an old age, his strength did not lessen. Beowulf heroism was perceived by his physical strength, which helped him protect the Geats and the Danes. Simone Biles is a hero because of the emotional strength. According to an ESPN reporter, Biles went through a harsh childhood. Their grandfather adopted Simone and her sister when she was about three years old. This transition had a huge effect on Simone because at that time she started to have an actual family who loved and took care of her. Another emotional strength Simone Biles had undergone was