Is Beowulf A Hero?
We call many people heroes in the modern world, and we hold them to certain standards, higher than those we hold ourselves and those around us to. We expect them to be strong, valiant leaders in the face of crisis. In the epic poem Beowulf, with an unknown author, there is some speculation as to whether or not the main character, who shares the story 's name, is truly a hero. When analyzing the text, one must take into account both modern standards of heroism and much older Anglo-Saxon cultural values. While the two share many traits, understanding the Anglo-Saxons ' way of life will shine new light on things that may not have been noticed before, because they share no such meaning in the modern world. Beowulf is a hero because …show more content…
In the story it said, “In his far-off home Beowulf, Higlac’s Follower…heard how Grendel filled nights with horror and quickly commanded a boat fitted out.” (44) Beowulf decided by himself to defeat Grendel after hearing of his evil deeds; he was not ordered to do so. Moreover, after defeating Grendel, Beowulf could have chosen to go back to Denmark, but he decides to stay and defeat Grendel’s mother at the plea of the king, who feared that Grendel’s mother would do as her son had done. Finally, after defeating Grendel’s mother, Beowulf makes sure that Grendel is dead by chopping it off and taking it to the surface with him. Heroes of the modern world are also people who go above and beyond the call of duty. You don’t become a hero by buying coffee for your coworkers every morning. You are labeled a hero after you save your coworkers from a burning building after returning from a coffee …show more content…
He never turns away from an opponent, he goes farther than his duty requires, and he is a strong leader. While we consider many people heroes in the modern world, few fit both the standards of modern heroism and the Anglo-Saxon’s cultural values quite as well as Beowulf. While that may because our modern views towards heroism stem from those of the past, because of this Beowulf is an epic poem that is relatable long after it was written. Many of the Anglo-Saxons’ cultural values directly translate into modern standards of heroism, and with a little understanding, those that don’t can
We call many people heroes in the modern world, and we hold them to certain standards, higher than those we hold ourselves and those around us to. We expect them to be strong, valiant leaders in the face of crisis. In the epic poem Beowulf, with an unknown author, there is some speculation as to whether or not the main character, who shares the story 's name, is truly a hero. When analyzing the text, one must take into account both modern standards of heroism and much older Anglo-Saxon cultural values. While the two share many traits, understanding the Anglo-Saxons ' way of life will shine new light on things that may not have been noticed before, because they share no such meaning in the modern world. Beowulf is a hero because …show more content…
In the story it said, “In his far-off home Beowulf, Higlac’s Follower…heard how Grendel filled nights with horror and quickly commanded a boat fitted out.” (44) Beowulf decided by himself to defeat Grendel after hearing of his evil deeds; he was not ordered to do so. Moreover, after defeating Grendel, Beowulf could have chosen to go back to Denmark, but he decides to stay and defeat Grendel’s mother at the plea of the king, who feared that Grendel’s mother would do as her son had done. Finally, after defeating Grendel’s mother, Beowulf makes sure that Grendel is dead by chopping it off and taking it to the surface with him. Heroes of the modern world are also people who go above and beyond the call of duty. You don’t become a hero by buying coffee for your coworkers every morning. You are labeled a hero after you save your coworkers from a burning building after returning from a coffee …show more content…
He never turns away from an opponent, he goes farther than his duty requires, and he is a strong leader. While we consider many people heroes in the modern world, few fit both the standards of modern heroism and the Anglo-Saxon’s cultural values quite as well as Beowulf. While that may because our modern views towards heroism stem from those of the past, because of this Beowulf is an epic poem that is relatable long after it was written. Many of the Anglo-Saxons’ cultural values directly translate into modern standards of heroism, and with a little understanding, those that don’t can