I woke drenched in sweat, shaking uncontrollably. Every person gets at least one nightmare a week. Imagine if all the monsters from your dreams were real. Well in the book Beowulf: A New Telling they are. A hero is needed, but not any hero an epic hero. Beowulf shows that he is a epic hero in three ways. His characteristics confirm that he: has superior strength and intelligence, bravery, And his willingness to die for the greater good. To begin, the first characteristic describes that beowulf has superior strength and intelligence. “Where is your sword” “My sword? Oh, I left it in the sun somewhere. I need no sword,”(Nye 33). He had the strength to fight Grendel without a weapon. He had the strength to fight grendel with bare hands. “Listen, Wiglaf. When I was young I’d have thought it was dishonorable, or something. Well, the dragon lies dead, and the treasure is there for the good of our people,”(Nye 101). He was breaking tradition so they didn’t repeat the past. He killed the dragon using bees and armor that was too heavy for him. Furthermore, not only does beowulf have superior intelligence, but he is also very brave …show more content…
“Beowulf left his men behind when he went to fight “She”,”(Nye 65). Beowulf fought she, (Grendel's mother) who is ten times stronger than her son. He left his men behind so they didn’t get hurt and so he did not see anymore of his men die. Beowulf went to go fight the Firedrake(a dragon) even at old age (Nye 101). Even at old age he put his life on the line for his people. Not only was he old but his armor was too big and heavy for him. Beowulf is does not only have superhuman strength and intelligence and bravery but, he risks death for the greater