Achilles, Odysseus, Gilgamesh, what do all these names have in common? These guys are all classic epic heroes. One other name that comes to mind is Beowulf. If you think of what a hero is and what a hero does, Beowulf fits the description, Beowulf is one of the great Anglo-Saxon heroes. He slayed monsters with his bare hands, saved the people, he did it all.
When people needed his help he was there for them. “Beowulf heard how grendel filled nights with horror and quickly commanded a boat”(112-114). Beowulf was a savior to those people of Hrothgar. Soon after he slayed grendel in Hrothgar he had another beast strike there, grendel's mother. Beowulf stayed in Hrothgar and also slayed that beast. After grendel's mother there hasn't been any …show more content…
In the story he went through 3 hard fought battles. Grendel was the first trial. Beowulf, showing that he was the greatest warrior to live, fought grendel without any armor or weapon, with no weapon he ripped grendel's arm off, ending the battle. “He twisted in pain and the bleeding sinews into his shoulder snapped, muscle and bone split and broke. The battle was over”(337-340). After Beowulf killed Grendel he unknowingly unleashed another beast onto Hrothgar, Grendel's mother. Beowulf swam hours under the water looking for this monster's cave and when he found it he fought Grendel's mother in a long fight, his weapon was no use against her so he had to pull a giant powerful sword out of the wall and cut the head of Grendel's mother off, bringing peace to Hrothgar. “Caught her in the neck and cut it through, broke bones and all, Her body fell, lifeless, the sword was wet with her blood, and Beowulf rejoiced at the sight”(522-525). 50 years later Beowulf was faced with another monster, the dragon. This was a heroic battle for the old man Beowulf but unfortunately his age caught up with him and Beowulf didn't walk home after this fight but he did manage to slay the beast that was terrorizing his home land Geatland. “Quickly the dragon came at him, encouraged as Beowulf fell back, its breath flared, and he suffered, wrapped around in swirling flames, a king before, but now a beaten warrior”. All these trials show that Beowulf is a brave warrior and that he will do anything to help the
When people needed his help he was there for them. “Beowulf heard how grendel filled nights with horror and quickly commanded a boat”(112-114). Beowulf was a savior to those people of Hrothgar. Soon after he slayed grendel in Hrothgar he had another beast strike there, grendel's mother. Beowulf stayed in Hrothgar and also slayed that beast. After grendel's mother there hasn't been any …show more content…
In the story he went through 3 hard fought battles. Grendel was the first trial. Beowulf, showing that he was the greatest warrior to live, fought grendel without any armor or weapon, with no weapon he ripped grendel's arm off, ending the battle. “He twisted in pain and the bleeding sinews into his shoulder snapped, muscle and bone split and broke. The battle was over”(337-340). After Beowulf killed Grendel he unknowingly unleashed another beast onto Hrothgar, Grendel's mother. Beowulf swam hours under the water looking for this monster's cave and when he found it he fought Grendel's mother in a long fight, his weapon was no use against her so he had to pull a giant powerful sword out of the wall and cut the head of Grendel's mother off, bringing peace to Hrothgar. “Caught her in the neck and cut it through, broke bones and all, Her body fell, lifeless, the sword was wet with her blood, and Beowulf rejoiced at the sight”(522-525). 50 years later Beowulf was faced with another monster, the dragon. This was a heroic battle for the old man Beowulf but unfortunately his age caught up with him and Beowulf didn't walk home after this fight but he did manage to slay the beast that was terrorizing his home land Geatland. “Quickly the dragon came at him, encouraged as Beowulf fell back, its breath flared, and he suffered, wrapped around in swirling flames, a king before, but now a beaten warrior”. All these trials show that Beowulf is a brave warrior and that he will do anything to help the