Beowulf's Heroic Traits

Every epic hero acquires certain heroic characteristics. The poem, “Beowulf, is about the most heroic man of the Anglo-Saxon period. Beowulf is a warrior from Geatland that comes to help Hrothgar, the king of Danes, defeat the monster Grendel who has been killing men in their kingdom. Beowulf defeats the unstoppable beast, Grendel. Then Grendel’s mother comes to try to avenge Grendel’s death, and Beowulf slaughters her in her underwater lair. After 50 peaceful years of ruling the Geats, Beowulf in his old age fights his last battle with a dragon. He defeats the dragon, with help from Wiglaf, but dies as a result. The main character, Beowulf exemplifies many characteristics that an epic hero possesses. Beowulf’s characteristics include

Beowulf, like other epic heroes, possesses the following heroic qualities: epic heroes are superhuman types of beings. They show great bravery, intelligence, strength and resourcefulness. They have a strong admiration for the values of their society. They are dominant male figures and suffer severe pain, but in the end, they

When most people do something heroic it’s usually for a certain reason. Everyone has motivations by just about every single thing they do. Some people choose to do heroic things like become a firefighter for example these men and women choose to do this is by volunteering they could get killed it’s very dangerous and they still choose to be in the line of fire literally for some reason or another. When they choose to do something heroic like this they usually have some sort of one or even various different reasons for it. Beowulf is an epic hero himself he goes to the land of the Danes and basically kills a monster named Grendel for them without any reason behind why he actually went. Some people may say well Beowulf is just a hero and that’s what he’s supposed to do without and real reasoning behind it. Although if you read the epic for each monster Beowulf fights there is a motivation behind it. For each different monster there is a different motivation behind Beowulf fighting first is Grendel, next is Grendel’s mother and finally the dragon.

Beowulf is a wonderful hero that didn’t deserve to die the way he did. But, he died an honorable death to which many people will remember. Being the strongest man on Earth wasn’t what made Beowulf a hero, it was the ways in which he used his powers. He used his gifts for the greater good and to help humanity from the evil fiends in it. All of these qualities combined to create one on the greatest heroes there ever was-- fictional or

Beowulf is in the epic poem considered a human, but anybody reading the poem we give him superhuman characteristics. For say his strenght, ability to hold his breath under water for hours, or the biggest characteristic is him batteling demons, dragons, giants, witches and sea monsters. Although there and others like him, like his cousin Brecca. They are still not on his level of power. So in this Epic poem when the people need a hero, one whom they know will win, they send for Beowulf. And in all his calls, he has performed a brutal, bloody and sometimes over exaggerating fight in the deepest of sea, or the most rugged terrain, but he defeated the monster and saved the towns people and a majority of the time his life.

Beowulf, an epic hero, is significant and glorified because of the heroic endeavors that he performs in. The poem stated, "They extolled his heroic nature and exploits and gave thanks for his greatness, which was the proper thing for a man should praise a price whom he holds dear and cherish his memory..." (II. 442-445). After defeating both Grendel and Gendel 's mother Beowulf was praised for it and defined as a true hero. The character, Beowulf, terminated a dragon who was woken by a goblet and was later wounded, threatening his life. For his everlasting bravery, the people of Geats and Danes admired him for his superhuman actions. Beowulf was noble to his people, so everyone set him out to be a

The traits of an epic hero are superhuman abilities, embarking on a journey that changes him forever, and displays/embodies values of society. The epic, Beowulf, begins centuries ago where a young Geat comes to the land of the Danes to kill the monster who terrorizes the Danish, Grendel. In the process of completing his task, Beowulf reveals that he is an epic hero with the traits to show for it.

Beowulf is about a medieval Geatish warrior who is considered an epic hero. An epic hero can be described by being admired for great achievements that they have accomplished many great deeds and heroic actions. Beowulf has all of the characteristics that an epic hero needs to possess, including bravery, strength, courage, and a desire to achieve immortality. Beowulf battled and won against Grendel, at the beginning of the poem, Grendel’s Mother, second, and the dragon which was the last battle. Beowulf is rewarded at the end of the poem by becoming the King of the Geats.

Beowulf himself is a prime example of a hero. He Stands up for what he believes in. His his personal beliefs characterize what a hero stands for in todays society. Some valuable traits Beowulf carries are manhood, and bravery. Some ways that Beowulf shows us how his bravery stands as a big part in his life is by killing Grendel. Killing Grendel caused a lot of problems including when Beowulf took Grendel's talon and Grendel's mother comes back to retrieve it. Bravery showed when Beowulf stood up to Grendel's mother, and when he saved the Danes from the monster.

During the medieval times Vikings were known as warriors or heroes. These heroes were known mostly for their superhuman strength. Most stories tell the journey of these warriors and how they are honored after defeating an evil creature. A prime example of this would be the poem of “Beowulf”. Beowulf is known for his superhuman strength as the Vikings or warriors once were. However, Vikings were not only known for their physical qualities, they were also known for their leadership in battle and their interaction with those they serve as well as the courage they displayed. In this poem, Beowulf displays many characteristics as that of a medieval warrior through his acts of bravery, loyalty, generosity, courage, and an accomplishment of a great task.

     Some literary scholars maintain that Beowulf developed character flaws through the course of the long narrative poem, and that at the time of his death he was a victim of pride, avarice, selfishness and an inordinate craving for glory. The purpose of this essay is to show that he was a tremendous hero from beginning to end.

What makes a hero be immortalized in people’s memory forever? The epic poem Beowulf, written by an unknown author, was a timeless story in a forgotten time. However, the Beowulf is still remembered today. Beowulf is a Sweetish warrior that came to the Danes to help defeat a monster. The monster, Grendel, had been terrorizing the village for twelve years. Beowulf successfully slays Grendel, and his mother. Beowulf then heads home to become king and rule for fifty years before being forced to battle a dragon, a battle he ultimately dies in.

Today we mourn the loss of our greatest king who lost his life to protect ours. He was the bravest warrior in the land and his accomplishments will never be forgotten. Beowulf always cared for others over himself. He fought not just for glory, but to protect those in need. Our homes were kept safe at the hands of this man for 50 years. Just as us Geats, the Danes will never forget Beowulf’s heroism. The terrible monster, Grendel, attacked Hrothgar and his people for twelve years. Grendel’s life was taken by Beowulf’s bare hands and his blood on Beowulf sword . The Danes finally believed they were free. That is until Grendel’s mother invaded their land to avenge the death of her son. Beowulf being the warrior he is could not resist this battle.

As Beowulf was making his voyage to Herot from Geatland to help fight Grendel, the Dane’s already knew of his heroic nature and how amazing he truly was. He was brave and courageous, doing many things that others wouldn’t dare do in their right minds. He was incredibly strong unlike any other man, and was the son of Ecgtheow, the King of Geats. “There was no one else like him alive. / In his day, he was the mightiest man on Earth, / highborn and powerful.” (Beowulf ll, 196-198). He was a legend of his time and for many after that. As a leader of the warriors, he was well respected for his bravery. “The man whose name was known for courage, / the Geat leader, resolute in his helmet, / answered in return:” (Beowulf ll, 340-342). His heroic nature before arriving was seen as a strong, brave and powerful; a warrior ready for any battle he was thrown into.

Beowulf was a man with the appearance of a hero but the heart of any ordinary man. He was a living testament of what an epic hero is while also offering an understanding of how men can falter. He bore the same struggles of a human man but often overcame them with his wit. These issues originated from the lives of men before him that came to torment the world later into their existence. The very seed these hero’s attempted to plant into the world were rooted out of evil and not good. They failed when it came to the understanding of actions rooted out of self as opposed to SELF.