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Compare beowulf and odysseus
Beowulf compared to heros
Beowulf compared to heros
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More handpicked essays just for you.
Compare beowulf and odysseus
Beowulf compared to heros
Beowulf compared to heros
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Compare beowulf and odysseus
Not all heroes wear capes. Well, in novels and movies, they tend to. From the start, heros have always been someone who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. In poems such as Beowulf, which date back to the 10th century, implement the hero’s model in its purest form. The main character, Beowulf, is the stereotypical hero that comes from a far away land to defeat the monstrous antagonist Grendel, and defend the impotent villagers.
The way we treat ourselves is extraordinary compared to the utilization of figures past. We, humans, are a populous society of affable tributes that are of importance. That we look up to the people that give us safety, as well that show respect and pride. These people are the idols that portray heroism; the general populous agrees that a hero is selfless. One such example is in an epic poem Beowulf.
Heroism is bravery, honor, courage, and daring. People who are believed to be a heroe usually serve as someone who defeated or made an impact on someone or something. Throughout the epic, Beowulf shows heroism by going to willingly defeat Grendel. This was Beowulf's choice to go, "there was no one else like him alive. In his day, he was the mightiest man on eart, highborn and powerful" (196-198).
The hero in the epic poem Beowulf is the main character, Beowulf. He demonstrates heroic qualities as soon as the readers are introduced to his character. Beowulf proves himself to be courageous and brave by voluntarily fighting the “undefeatable” monster, Grendel. He is greatly admired by both the Danes and Geats for his courageous acts. Although his motivation is altered to only benefit himself with the title of the greatest warrior, his plan to save the Danes is greatly appreciated by all in the land.
The main theme in Beowulf is that bravery is always needed when in a battle. All throughout the story Beowulf is referred to as a hero and a warrior. The book shows that Beowulf is a hero to the Geets. He has a lot of people that follow and look up to him. In the movie Beowulf is shown as a brave hero but it also shows his flaws.
Beowulf’s’ courageousness can be shown through the way he approaches dangerous roles. He chooses to take on the roles himself and does not feel intimidated by his opponents. When it came time for Beowulf to fight Grendel, he vowed to succeed in killing him or die trying. Katniss Everdeen also shows courageous behavior. When her sister Prim was chosen for the annual reaping, Katniss took her sisters place in the Hunger Games because she did not want her sister to die.
Alexander Hamilton once said, “There is a certain Enthusiasm in liberty that makes Human nature rise above itself, in acts of bravery and heroism.” Beowulf is an epic poem in which the main character Beowulf did acts of service, but he fought for those who couldn’t fight. The overall theme of good versus evil in Beowulf had Beowulf dealing with challenges that no ordinary man would be able to handle unless they were a true epic hero. Throughout the poem Beowulf proves to be an epic hero by his strength, bravery, and sacrifice.
He embodies all of the characteristics of an epic hero because of his bravery, honor, self-assurance and his acceptance of knowing that he could be killed at any point. He thrives as a hero by taking down a dragon, a vicious monster named Grendel and also Grendel’s mother. His masculinity and loyalty further develops the theme of Beowulf being an epic hero. He showed his honor and helped the Danes when no one else could by traveling from his homeland to battle the vicious monster Grendel, who terrorized the Danes.
Beowulf’s Courage Makes an Epic Hero A good example of an epic hero is from the epic poem Beowulf, written by Seamus Heaney, focusing on the titular character Beowulf because he is known for his courage which is used to create more characteristics that an epic hero should have. The best place to start is with an example of Beowulf valuing his courage, where Jones reminds the reader “Beowulf himself speaks to this importance of courage when arguing with Unferth” (Jones 3). Another good example is in the packet The Middle Ages: The Epic Hero, where Jones states that an epic hero “has 12 main characteristics, including being strong, courageous, and self-sacrificing” (Jones 2).
Hero; a person of notable bravery and courage, respected for valiant deeds and gallant qualities. The idea behind heroism can be traced back to the beginnings of time, with heroes such as Achilles who embodied courage. The warrior people known as the Anglo-Saxons; Germanic tribes from Denmark as well as northern Germany , extremely valued the concept of heroes. Despite being converted to Christianity around 597 CE, the Anglo-Saxons treasured heroic ideals such as bravery, modesty, and valor; and were very interested in traditional heroes . Heroes were not their only value, these people also heavily cherished community, family, and retained high moral standards.
“Dripping with my enemies blood, I drove five great giants into chains chased all of that race from the earth.” An epic hero is someone who possess qualities such as bravery, strength, and superhuman. Beowulf’s willingness and sacrifice of himself to save others is why I must really say he is and epic hero. Some people could be heroes but still not have it in them to want to slay dragons and fight monster, But that was no challenge for Beowulf.
Beowulf is considered a hero because he displays strength and courage the battles against Grendel, Grendel’s mom, and the dragon. The defeat of the monsters and the dragon allowed Beowulf to transition into a king. First, he battled with Grendel Beowulf showed the heroic quality of being strong. He fought Grendel without any weapons and he did not use protection.
Christopher Reeves once said, “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” Although Beowulf was human, he was not an ordinary individual, hero, or king, for he was a man who displayed superhuman qualities in his efforts to protect the Danish and Geatish people. Beowulf, who was established Geatish warrior that spent his life in battle, showed these extraordinary characteristics that made him an epic hero, one who possesses superhuman, almost god-like qualities. Being constantly on a quest, risking his life for glory and the greater good of society, and being superiorly intelligent, courageous and strong are the three most important reasons why Beowulf deserves such a notable
Christopher Reeve (AKA the 1978 superman) said that, “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles”. Both Beowulf and Modern day heroes are similar in that way in that they fight for the common good of people. That quote from Christopher Reeves on what a modern day hero is, also applies to the epic hero qualities that Beowulf has. Similarly Beowulf and a modern day hero defeat an evil so that good can prevail. Some examples are, Beowulf Slaying Grendel and Grendel's mother to save the land of the Danes, and soldiers fighting enemies that threaten the lives of a country, and police officers putting criminals behind bars.
"Hear me! We've heard of Danish heroes, ancient kings and the glory they cut for themselves, swinging mighty swords." These verses were words sung over and over, by singing poets all over ancient Europe. They were sung in the presence of kings and warriors. They are the beginning lines of the epic Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf, an ancient tale of monsters, dragons, kings, warriors, battles, life, death, and the virtues of a hero.