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Beowulf's Heroic Characteristics

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Beowulf's Heroic Characteristics Anna British Literature Literary Analysis Day 45 Beowulf’s Heroic Characteristics What do the people of today see in a hero? Do loyalty, strength, honesty, and bravery matter to most people? Bravery, generosity, friendship, and loyalty were virtues honored in the Anglo-Saxon culture. An unknown author wrote Beowulf explaining how Beowulf escaped death multiple times by taking advantage of these virtues. Beowulf shows characteristics of the Anglo-Saxon code of honor including bravery, strength, and loyalty. Bravery is an important virtue that Beowulf possessed. Fighting Grendel in an unknown place was one way Beowulf showed his bravery. Also, even though his shield broke while battling Grendel's mother he pressed on and defeated her. And still yet when he was around seventy years old he willingly agreed to fight the dragon, showing his bravery one last time before death. Bravery is an important virtue but strength is equally important. Beowulf is a hero in the eyes of his fellow Geats through his amazing strength. The battle with Grendel showed this nicely. Beowulf fought Grendel with his bare hands to make the fight fair. Defeating Grendel's mother, who was the mother of all evil, in her lair while fending off other monsters showed his ​ strength as well. Getting lost at sea while he and Brecca were having a swimming contest, and yet he still came out alive showing how strong he was. He survived as the frozen sea surged around him while killing nine sea monsters (line 279-307). ​ ​ Along with bravery and strength, Beowulf showed loyalty in many ways. First, fighting Grendel for the Danes was a sign that he was loyal to Hrothgar by repaying him the favor he had completed for his father. Remaining close to Brecca while facing the sea until the sea swept them apart also showed loyalty (line 278). Specifically, this incident proved he was loyal even to ​ his opponent. Also, Beowulf revealed his loyalty by sacrificing himself unto death for his people. Another of Beowulf's traits is his ability to put his people's health before his own, showing his consideration and loyalty he has to the people. Beowulf's uncle, the King of the Geats, sent him to help rid the Danes of the evil beast Grendel. Asking help from only his men, Beowulf risks his own life for the Danes. In this case, showing the magnitude of his “no-fear” attitude. His purpose of fighting these various monsters is not only because of his great courage or to serve the people but also to hear others boast about his excellent leadership skills as well as his tremendous achievements. Beowulf was a hero of the past, people nowadays look for a hero that could be compared to themselves. The comic book superheroes I see are liars, thieves, and hidden behind a mask. They aren't like Beowulf who had a selfless personality. Our modern-day comic book superheroes are always doing what they're doing for the people, right? Or do they have selfish reasoning behind their actions? How I see it, is that they do what they do to get recognition. They are just as selfish as any other human being, unlike Beowulf who was made the king for not only his heroic feats but also for his love of the people. Even though he was roughly seventy-years-old, Beowulf took on the dragon to save his men from their certain doom. Beowulf decided he would rather be poisoned than watch many of his own followers die for him. I could never be someone like Beowulf, but I am trying to be more like Christ. Christ is infinitely better than Beowulf, I want to strive for something beyond the fictional world. Just like Christ died for our sins, Beowulf died for his people's own lives. If he hadn't done what he did, they would have all been fated to die by the dragon and we in turn would be fated to a life in hell for eternity. Anna [email protected] .
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