Who Is Beowulf As A Hero

The Old English poem known as Beowulf derived many years ago during the middle ages. The main character himself Beowulf, has two stages of his life. One is of course him being in his youth and the other being in his old age. In his youth, he is distinguished as this heroic perfect hero with many Germans traits of that time. They were very prideful, very courageous and very loyal. These great traits empower him when he encounters evil that he must endure and overcome. Beowulf depicts a Germanic warrior society, where relationship between the king and his thanes, or warriors is of paramount importance (“Beowulf”). So within this time, he is faced with killing the trollish, monstrous creature Grendel and battling against Grendel’s mother. He puts

Due to King Hygelac’s, and his son dying in battle, Beowulf succeeds as king. Though Beowulf’s recruitment to that world was inevitable given his royal blood (his mother was King Hrethel’s daughter), the hero’s memory fixes on his loyalty to his grandfather Hrethel, first of the Geatish Kings (Clark 134). He now has to take up the mantle of ruler and proves himself to be a worthy one. He has many of the qualities that are needed to be a ruler and at the same time he is still a warrior at heart. He continues to protect his people and at all costs. He is distinguished as a well-respected hero. This takes place in a fifty year gap from him being in his youth to his

He now prepares to defeat yet another creature, in order to keep peace in his land. He then battles against the dragon where he endures pain throughout the long fight. He is now an older man, fighting to win the battle. Wiglaf, his young kinsman, stays by his side. Beowulf, did not give up and managed to overpower the dragon. Beowulf calls Wiglaf and the other warriors to him; he chastises those who fled-many of them were Beowulf’s most trusted veterans and allies, and yet when they faced the dragon they were still afraid-he praises Wiglaf for his courage and loyalty, and then succumbs to his wounds (“Beowulf”). Unfortunately, he becomes mortally wounded and dies. The poem ends with his funeral. The Geats lose their heroic king. For them it is an awful thing because they will be without a ruler. More importantly, a ruler like Beowulf is not replaceable. He was their leader, their protector, their king and above all their hero. He did the best he could to protect his family, the Geats. He was also well regarded by many for all his courage, bravery, and ultimate heroic