How Is Beowulf Superhuman Like An Alien

The poem, Beowulf, is about an extraordinary man with superhuman strength and courage that embarks on a quest to defend and save the Danes from the vicious monster, Grendel. J.R.R. Tolkien says that the theme of this poem involves a “man alien in a hostile world, engaged in a struggle which he cannot win.” I agree with this statement because Beowulf is superhuman like an alien, lives in a very hostile world, and is involved in a constant struggle that he is bound to lose. I couldn’t agree more when Tolkien says this poem involves a “man alien”. Beowulf is clearly portrayed as a superhero-like being throughout the poem. In the very beginning of the poem, Hrothgar tells of men he heard say that “in the grasp of his hand [Beowulf] renowned in battle has the might of thirty men.” His strength is also shown in his battles against Grendel and Mama Grendel. No man could even come close to defeating either of these monsters. However, when Beowulf faced off against them, they were no

He shows his great strength and humility throughout the story. For example, when he fights Grendel in the mead hall, he chooses not to use any man-made weapon because Grendel does not use any weapon. An epic hero also has to journey to an unknown, usually dangerous land. Beowulf goes on a journey to the swamp and descends into Mama Grendel’s lair. He showed his bravery and courage when he fought and defeated Mama Grendel. However, epic heroes also meet their downfall in the end. Beowulf is no different. When he grew older, his bravery stayed with him, even when his strength was diminishing. So when the dragon terrorized his people, he was the first to step up and take the challenge head on. This was a battle he was fated to lose. With the help of Wiglaf, he was able to kill the dragon, but he was mortally wounded in the battle and died later on. He was destined from the beginning to finally meet his match in battle, and that is what