Beowulf Achievements

An epic hero is someone who has to preform heroic deeds. The King of Geatland at the beginning of the poem was Hrothgar, Beowulf is just a Geatish Warrior, once Beowulf finds out about Grendel attacking he steps in to help the tribe. Beowulf kills Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon in this poem. The battles Beowulf fought were beyond human strength and capabilities. Beowulf’s first battle was with Grendel, whose arm was ripped off with a pair of bare hands, this became his first heroic achievement. Beowulf’s next heroic achievement was when he entered “The Monsters’ Lair” (51) and killed Grendel’s mother, who was killed by a larger than life sword. Beowulf’s last and final heroic achievement was battling and killing a dragon who he later found out was Grendel’s brother, Beowulf then later dies from the poison in his blood from the dragon’s teeth.

The king of Geatland Hrothgar, The King of Danes, built a great wall known as Herot Hall. Grendel attacked Herot and most of his tribe, Beowulf ordered his warriors to draw their swords. The blades upon those swords could not puncture Grendel’s tough scaly skin. After the bloody battle, Beowulf finally decides to tear Grendel’s arm off at the shoulder with his bare hands. Grieving and screaming in pain Grendel retreats back home to his mother and dies in her arms. Beowulf then takes the arm he ripped off to hang it in Herot Hall. This left Beowulf free from the terror of Grendel, this also made Beowulf look very powerful and brave showing he does not care who he hurts or kills when being attacked upon, the attack also made Grendel’s mother very angry, leading up to the second battle Beowulf