Examples Of Heroic Code In Beowulf

The heroic code, in the Anglo-Saxon time period, was a code that defined how noble a person should act. This code included: strength, courage, honor, generosity, hospitality, political strength, and having the loyalty of warriors. In the epic poem, “Beowulf,” the character Beowulf goes through many trials to rid monsters from kingdoms. These such monsters include descendants of Cain and even a dragon. He is put into these situations where the reader can clearly define what makes Beowulf a hero and great leader. This epic also shows him from two different stages of his life, in his youth and when he is older. In both, Beowulf exudes qualities of a leader such as: courage, confidence, and maintaining the loyalty of his warriors.
Courage, one …show more content…
This is yet another thing that Beowulf possesses. One of the ways that he demonstrates how he has confidence in the epic is when he is convincing Hrothgar to allow him to battle Grendel without any weapons. “By one; death was my errand and the fate they had earned. Now Grendel and I are called together, and I’ve come,” (180-182). He is showing the confidence of his youth by telling Hrothgar how he has defeated many monsters in the past and that he believes that fate has brought him and Grendel together to battle it out for Herot. In comparison, when he is older he still maintains the same confidence that was present in his youth. “Strode calmly, confidently, toward the tower, under the rocky cliffs: no coward could have walked there!” (690-691). Again Beowulf is showing his confidence in his ability to kill the dragon as he takes sure steps on his way the the dragon's lair. To retheroritate, the heroic code exemplifies how noble a person was viewed in their society and one of the attributes of that code is honor, which directly correlates to confidence in their society. When someone had confidence and had the proof to back up why they were so confident to had people look up to them and take them seriously. Beowulf had a lot of confidence in the situations he was placed in and he was able to stand up to the boasting that he did for others to take him …show more content…
One of the ways this was showcased in his youth was when his men were willing to follow him and attempt to help kill the monster that plagued the Danes, Grendel. “All of Beowulf’s band had jumped from their beds, ancestral swords raised and ready, determined to protect their prince if they could,” (446-449). In this scenario, Beowulf’s men are poised and ready to leap into the action to help out Beowulf if needed. In contrast to when he was younger, when he is older most of his men turn on him when the battle looks grim. All but one man flees from the dragon in perseverance of their own life. The comitatus rings true though, as one warrior stays by Beowulf’s side and even scolds the fleeing men. Wiglaf, is the example of just how great of a leader Beowulf is because, even as the rest flee in terror he stays behind and helps kill the dragon. Before he does this though he scolds the other men in just what Beowulf has done for all of them. “And we must go to him, while flames burn at his flesh, our glorious king!” (778-780). He is trying to get the others motivated enough to want to stay with their king even if the situation seems to be in vain. This shows how the loyalty from his men is what truly makes Beowulf a great leader and king. In the heroic code, being a great leader and someone that others would wish to follow was very important. Since how could someone just