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Beowulf's Qualities Of An Epic Hero

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In the epic poem, Beowulf, the central character Beowulf demonstrates qualities of a hero, such as bravery, loyalty, and strength. Throughout the text, Beowulf is acknowledged for his heroic deeds and great defeats. He takes on challenges and sacrifices himself to protect his people. In traditional oral poetry, a theme is “a group of ideas regularly used in telling a tale in a formulaic style of a traditional song” (Lord, Singer,68). The theme of battle between Beowulf and Grendel shows Beowulf’s courage, as he relies on God and puts his life on the line to defeat Grendel for the greater good. Beowulf shows courage when he defeats Grendel in battle. Beowulf’s actions towards slaying Grendel indicates that he is the mightiest of them all. He possesses the heroic deed of courage by protecting his people. Beowulf prepares for the monster Grendel with a brave …show more content…

From that point on Beowulf is granted “the glory of winning” (Heaney 130) because God curses Grendel. Beowulf makes his battle with Grendel worthwhile. He decides that he wants it to be a hand-to-hand battle, turning it into an act of strength and courage. Beowulf brutally defeats Grendel, but it was for the greater good. “…the whole of Grendel’s shoulder and arm, his awesome grasp” (Heaney 130) illustrates Beowulf’s feat in destroying Grendel. The battle between Beowulf and Grendel shows the loyalty, courage, and strength that Beowulf possesses. The theme of battle describes the elements of good (Beowulf) and evil (Grendel). He takes on the responsibility of protecting his people by battling the evil monster. Beowulf puts his trust in the God and lets him determine his path of victory. His fearless attributes lead him to be highly respected and it brings him glory. Beowulf’s actions and character proves that he is an epic hero in

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