What is a true hero? Someone who slays dragons and beasts? Or just someone who people admire and respect? Although people can argue and debate over what a hero is, classic literature can often define what it means to be a true hero. In the story of Beowulf, Beowulf is not only strong and brave, but honest and generous also. Bravely, he fights off monstrous beasts, but not for his own gain. He does this to protect the places that evil threatens to destroy. When he received numerous gold and jewels, he gave them to his own king and queen, not keeping them for himself. Even when he became an old king, and a dragon threatened his people, he went to defeat it and did not force one of his subjects to fight. In the Canterbury Tales, Theseus
