What qualifies a person to be called a hero? Officially a hero is a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. Most people think of a superhero, like Batman or Spiderman, or someone closer to them such as their mother or their life-saving doctor. Heroes tend to be the main character in a story. Beowulf and Odysseus are two famous epic heroes in the texts Beowulf and The Odyssey. They both go through the “Hero’s Journey,” and display many characteristics of a hero. Beowulf, however, better fits the qualities of an epic hero due to his unselfish personality, his fearlessness, and his nobility.
One reason Beowulf is the better epic hero is because his intentions and motives were selfless. He always fought to save the people, not for glory or treasures. For example, the Danes were facing Grendel, a terrible monster that would kill their people at their meadhall mercilessly. The king, Hrothgar, and his men attempted multiple times to kill Grendel, but never succeeded. Beowulf of the Geats, heard of the Danes’ problem and offered to help defeat Grendel. In the text he states, “Many deeds of note have I done in my life, and now the reports of the monster Grendel have brought me to your land...So now I am come, my lord King, to fight single-handed against this Grendel.” Beowulf is part of another tribe and is willingly offering to help the Danes. This shows that providing protection and safety to the people, even those of another