The Epic Poem Beowulf: An Anglo-Saxon Hero

When we think of a hero we usually think of Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman because these are modern versions of power, strength, and justice that we see today. Heroes are often characterized as huge, strong people that help you when you are in need. The epic poem Beowulf describes an Anglo-Saxon hero with all of the qualities that a true hero has: strength, courage and determination. The language, ideas and traditions of the poem do belong in the middles ages, but as a work of art it's still relevant to us today because we get to learn from it.. The poem reveals to us the wonders of human imagination such as heros, monsters, epic battles and it helps us explore the human values of medieval times.
The poem itself is difficult to understand and whoever comes across it will face challenges because the vocabulary used may cause confusion. The reason the piece is challenging to understand because the poem was written in old English and throughout history it has been translated. Even though the text is very challenging it’s still assigned to students and in which is often debated whether it should be a required text to be taught. As you read and understand the piece, it will all make sense and you’ll end up seeing it as art.For generations the study of the poem was often just to find the meaning, know the grammar and vocabulary …show more content…
Beowulf is interested in gaining honor and increasing his reputation to get his king back by helping his uncle. One example is then they preparing for his last battle to slay the dragon Beowulf puts his trust in 11 men who would fight to the death of him. When Beowulf noticed he was losing his battle to the dragon all but one of his men run and hide in the woods. Only an inexperienced warrior who has great respect for his king was able tp remains loyal. Realizing that they will be no help and that his king is about to be killed, he stands beside the old man to fight to the