ipl-logo

Superheroes In Beowulf

735 Words3 Pages

Superheroes
“An Analysis of the Three Motivations of Beowulf”
Why are superheroes, superheroes? With all the power and supernatural ability they are given, why do they choose to be a hero? Superman, Spiderman, Batman, etc. All have had great impact on society. Why does a person choose to be a good person? The Anglo-Saxon code plays a big role in this. The bigger picture is, what does one hope to gain out of being a good person or a hero? In the Old English, Anglo-Saxon story, Beowulf, Beowulf has three motivations for fighting; it’s his duty, he wants to be a hero, and responsibility to his people. In the story, Beowulf, Beowulf’s first motivation, when fighting the monster Grendel, is his duty. Beowulf has been told by his people that he should fight this great monster. Beowulf possesses the strength and skill to defeat Grendel, therefore he should. This is crucial …show more content…

At this point in the story, Beowulf has taken on the role as king. He now has a large responsibility to protect his people. Now, whether he wants to or not, Beowulf must live up to his reputation to protect his own people. He has no other choice but to fight the dragon that has invaded his land. Beowulf keeping the best interest of the people in mind, is shown in the story, Beowulf, on page 62, lines 815 to 824. These lines state, “ Beholding the treasure he spoke, haltingly: ‘For this gold, these jewels, I thank our father in heaven, Ruler of Earth- for all of this, that His grace has given me, allowed me to bring to my people while breath still came to my lips. I sold my life for this treasure, and I sold it well. Take what I leave Wiglaf, lead my people, Help them; my time is gone.” Beowulf wants the best for his people and he sacrifices his life for them. Before he dies, all Beowulf asks, is that a lighthouse is built in his memorial. A lighthouse leads people just as he

Show More
Related

Examples Of Dialectical Journal For Beowulf

1903 Words | 8 Pages

Causing him to think back on his life, he bids Wiglaf to inspect the hoard and return with a portion of the treasure. Wiglaf returns to the dragon's barrow looking for treasure. He eventually returns with some. Beowulf gives thanks and orders the construction of a barrow to commemorate him. Beowulf last words before he died were, “You are the last of us, the only one left of the Waegmundings.

Read More

Beowulf And Superman Comparison

112 Words | 1 Pages

A superhero can sometimes be a symbol of hope that can destroy all evil. Some examples of super heroes are Beowulf and Superman. Beowulf in the poem “Beowulf” is a hero who fights against a monster named Grendel to defend his people; he is considered the strongest warrior around. Superman on the other hand is considered the most powerful fictional superhero on planet earth, who fights against supervillains to defend human beings. Although Beowulf and Superman are both similar when it comes to heroic traits and that they both go on long dangerous journeys they differ in that they have different heroic deeds and show different timeless values, but somewhat similar universal

Read More

Superman Vs Beowulf Research Paper

822 Words | 4 Pages

Comparing Beowulf to Superman Most everyone has a favorite superhero but few would consider beowulf to be there's, but just how similar is beowulf to a common superhero? Beowulf is basically a traveling hero who goes from country to country slaying monsters that terrorize people. Superman is an alien that comes to earth as an infant and uses his alien powers to do good for mankind. These two characters are similar in that they both do good for mankind and have special abilities, however they are different.

Read More

Beowulf Sacrifice Analysis

1820 Words | 8 Pages

First discussion to be talked about is why Beowulf thought it was his duty to save the mead hall for Hrothgar from Grendel and the sacrifice he made to battle him with no weapons or armor on, second is why Beowulf had to finish what he started when battling Grendel’s mother and the sacrifice he made through that battel, and lastly why Beowulf thought only he could defeat the dragon by himself and why he sacrificed himself for his people. When the poem beginnings there was, a king named

Read More

Good Vs. Evil In Beowulf Is An Epic Hero

570 Words | 3 Pages

But he knew the greatest threat came knocking at his door for a fight that will live on being told for eternity. Beowulf sacrificed his own life for those around him, “Quickly, the dragon cam at him, encouraged as Beowulf as Beowulf fell back; its breath fared, and he suffered, wrapped around in swirling flames- a king, before, but now a Beaton warrior” (lines 687-691). In the end Beowulf fought till the end fighting not only for himself but for his people. He fought like a king until his death. Beowulf gave the ultimate sacrifice to save his people.

Read More

Beowulf Good Vs Evil

348 Words | 2 Pages

Superheroes have been around since the beginning of mankind. Many historical tales of humans doing the impossible for the good of others. Some being as simple as saving a cat from a tree to stopping a universal disaster. An example of a hero resides in the Epic Beowulf. This poem tells the tale of the mighty protector of men, Beowulf and his journey through life.

Read More

Hero Vs Beowulf

700 Words | 3 Pages

During the time period of Beowulf and Sir Gawain, a variety of wars and conquests were raging which considerably discouraged the individuals surrounding them. Therefore, authors took it upon themselves to uplift their readers, giving them a reason to think that there may be people in the world who still have purity, integrity, nobility, chivalry, and honesty. Furthermore, I believe that authors create heroes today for similar reasons. This is because in the present-day world, we are constantly overcome by internal and external conflicts— whether that be within oneself, one’s country, or in the world as a whole. So, in some ways, we “need” heroes to keep our mind off the wicked in world, as well as to encourage us to believe that one day these conflicts and issues will end because of a force stronger and more powerful than

Read More

Herot Quotes In Beowulf

532 Words | 3 Pages

Beowulf attempted to comfort Hrothgar and the warriors by exclaiming, “Let your sorrow end! It is better for us all to avenge our friends, not mourn them forever”. He then aims to convince Hrothgar that “for the glory of his name, fame after death is the noblest of goals”. Beowulf believes it is worth dying for a good

Read More

Compare And Contrast Superman And Beowulf

424 Words | 2 Pages

Throughout the years, Beowulf has been compared to many modern day super heroes. However, the super hero that Beowulf is most easily compared to is Superman. Although there are multiple differences amongst these two characters, there are a few similarities as well. Such similarities exist in appearances, as well as supernatural qualities. Moreover, Beowulf and Superman are both portrayed as heroes for their time.

Read More

The Challenges Of The Quest For Heros In Beowulf

1053 Words | 5 Pages

As a hero Beowulf must travel to a distant land that is unfamiliar with. Imagine Bilbo Baggins leaving his home and traveling to the Lonely Mountain. Even though Bilbo left his home to steal something as part of a contract, he is still putting himself in a land unknown to himself along with many dangers that pose a threat to him now that he is outside of the Shire. Now, Beowulf was not a Hobbit and had much more of a god complex than

Read More

Why Is Beowulf A Hero

948 Words | 4 Pages

Beowulf slayed them because he believed it was his duty. No one could defeat these monsters like he could. There had to be a reason Beowulf fought these monsters because he never did it for himself. He put others ahead of himself because he believed it was his moral obligation to. When he fought Grendel he had to defeat him to balance good and evil.

Read More

Heroes In Beowulf

1143 Words | 5 Pages

Bernard Evslin’s Heroes, Gods and Monsters of the Greek Myths and Burton Raffel’s Beowulf provide the reader with heroes who are morally questionable. In a typical myth, the hero of the story often makes many ambiguous choices that seem admirable on the surface, but develop in an unsettling manner. The hero is generally guided to an adventure and along the way commits many sins of goodness. Oftentimes, these heroes will never be able to overcome their obstacles; and therefore become fundamentally flawed. They are often looked up to as role models, but in essence these “heros” are representations of evil.

Read More

Compare And Contrast Epic Hero In Beowulf

2075 Words | 9 Pages

Even when he saves countless lives, the hero never intends his quests to benefit anyone else than himself. This is constant throughout the book, and not even at his deathbed does Beowulf acknowledge something that is not about him or gold. He is often preoccupied by money and fame, but the wellbeing of other people is not in his vocabulary. For example, when a dragon begins to terrorize his kingdom, Beowulf 's first thought is not to protect his people. Instead, he says, "I 've never known fear, as a youth I fought in endless battles.

Read More

The Knight And Beowulf Comparison Essay

656 Words | 3 Pages

Beowulf risked his life multiple times by battling Grendel and Grendel’s mother to save the people of Denmark. He also embarks on a battle with a dragon as an old man ascending on the Geats Throne. Each battle Beowulf fought has all been for the safety of his people. Although the Knight did not battle as a deed for his people, he also is viewed as a humble person his battles were for a purpose greater than himself. The knight never talks about his brave and valorous deeds.

Read More

Motivation In Beowulf

789 Words | 4 Pages

Being remembered, in death, is a very immense part of the Anglo-Saxon code, and with that, Beowulf seemed to believe that defeating Grendel’s mother would grant him more fame than he had previously received. As explicated in the epic, “So fame comes to the men who mean to win it and care about nothing else!” (Lines 507-509) Beowulf cared about his name, and with that, he knew it was in him to fight for that name and to make it heard through his life and generations afterward. After understanding what it means to be truly glorified, and what it means to be remembered, years after one’s death with fame, one can recognize the reasoning behind Beowulf’s actions.

Read More

More about Superheroes In Beowulf

Related Topics

Open Document