Epic Heroes To this day people are hearing stories about epic hero adventures, having a starting point of just an average person to someone who shows bravery and courage. Beowulf and Bilbo Baggins are classic examples of heroic adventurers. Beowulf is one of the earliest pieces of literature, written in 1000 AD. It tells the tale of a character that slays a dragon to save his people. In 1937 J.R.R. Tolkien gives another hero, Bilbo Baggins. In the The Hobbit, Bilbo kills a giant spider to protect the dwarves. The two stories both contain heroic adventurers, one's who selflessly overcome adversity, are noble, and are recognized for their heroic actions. Throughout both epic hero novels, Beowulf and Bilbo present great selfless occurrences that over come adversity. During his fight with Grendel, Beowulf faces adversity when great difficulty and misfortune occur as Grendel kills one of the men out of the blue. During the beginning of the fight with Grendel, Beowulf and his men are pretending to sleep so they could perform a sneak attack. This goes wrong when …show more content…
Beowulf is known as being victorious for the slaying of Grendel and Grendel's mother as he goes home to Geatland and later becomes king of the Geats. After a period of fifty years has passed, Beowulf defeats a dragon. J.R.R Tolken states, "Smaug came hurtling in from the North, licking the mountain-sides with flame, beating his great wings with a noise like a roaring wind." Beowulf is fatally wounded in the battle. After his death, his attendants cremate his body and erect a tower on a headland in his memory. His men and people remember him here as a hero to everyone. Recognition is shown upon Bilbo when he goes to steal the Arkenstone. He stole the Arkenstone for Bard, for it was the right thing to do. It also prevented a war between the elves and dwarves. Bilbo was reccognized for his action to protect and do