Beowulf: The Ideal Epic Hero

Beowulf Because of Beowulf’s valor, strength,and hunger to make his name remembered, Beowulf epitomizes the ideal anglo-saxon epic hero. The protagonist in this epic poem displays a type of bravery that no monster can shake as he risks his only life only to be ”Inspired again by the thought of glory, the war-king threw his whole strength behind a sword-stroke and connected with the skull” (Raffel 2677-2680). The sheer bravery of facing a dragon let alone conquering the beast is not a task for any warrior, but Beowulf fears none and he would rather give his own life in order to save the lives of his people. The strength of Beowulf is unmatched by any man or creature he poses himself against. The battle between Grendel is no different having “heard moreover that the monster scorns in his reckless way to use weapons; therefore, to heighten Hygelac's fame and gladden his heart, I hereby renounce sword and the shelter of the broad shield, the heavy war-board: hand-to-hand is how it will be, a life-and-death fight with the fiend" …show more content…
To fight with a demon spawned from the murder of Abel in hand to hand combat can be daunting to most and most likely a death wish, but fate was in the favor of man as Beowulf used his strength to rip Grendel’s arm from his body proving he was the batter warrior. There was no greater reward in the anglo-saxon culture than to have your name live on through the ages, and Beowulf understood this as he tried to find any opportunity to make his name known to all. It became known early on what his intentions were "When we crossed the sea, my comrades and I, I already knew that all my purpose was this: to win the good will of your people or die in battle, pressed in Grendel's