Who Is Beowulf A Hero

Centuries after the unnamed author penned the heroic elegy Beowulf, there is little question that the titular character is just that–a hero. As he conquers foes in the name of glory and for the will of God, Beowulf cements his reputation as a hero, and a Christian one at that. To reach such an admirable status, he faces adversaries both humanoid and bestial, culminating in his battle against a fearsome dragon, the ultimate enemy. In this climactic scene, slaying no other foe would allow Beowulf to reach his legendary status. By slaying a dragon in particular, Beowulf defeats an embodiment of evil and pagan belief, truly proving himself a hero of Christianity. Before considering the role of the dragon, it is important to recognize that Beowulf’s

This first becomes clear when, in his boasts to his followers, he claims that the “glory of winning” motivates his desire to defeat the dragon (2514). His people would have associated heroism with courage and desire for glory, especially of the posthumous sort, and would have considered this boast an indication of truly heroic character. Given this cultural attitude toward glory, it is no wonder that they would revere him as a hero, but it is the fact that he fights a dragon, and not some other creature, which is most significant in determining his heroism. As Tolkien says in his analysis of the poem, “A dragon is a potent creature of man’s imagination, richer in significance than his barrow is in gold,” and to slay a dragon is “the chief deed of the greatest of heroes” (page 113). The poet reflects this same sentiment by using the slaying of the dragon, rather than some other figure, as that which cements Beowulf’s legendary status. By foreshadowing Beowulf’s death when he boasts “for the last time” just before fighting the dragon (2511), the poet insinuates that Beowulf is to become the sort of hero that his people will revere most highly, as death resulting from wounds sustained in battle would have been the supreme act of heroism in Beowulf’s time. It is this particular act of courage in the face of certain death that truly shows the extent of Beowulf’s valor and that he is a hero of the most distinguished sort. Also, given that his heroic death occurred after fighting a dragon rather than some other beast or a human, it is implied that defeating such creature is more valiant than to slay any other foe, just as Tolkien