Man's Role In The Epic Of Beowulf

If there was ever any doubt who the manliest man in all of literature was, it was surely put to rest after the story of Beowulf came about. Beowulf is the protagonist of the poem that shares the same name, almost giving hint to the extraordinary character Beowulf. Since there is no known author of Beowulf, the greatness of the protagonist is significantly increased as the relatively unknown origin of the poem adds an air of anonymity around the story and gives it an unerring sense of reality. This sense of reality, however, is swept aside after delving into the poem, when monsters begin to play a major part in it, but it doesn’t take much away from the mighty Beowulf. The foremost difference between Beowulf and the average man is his overwhelming …show more content…
Paired with his brawn, he also possesses an unparalleled sense of confidence that he uses to accomplish incredible feats. The leadership role that was granted to him could’ve been exploited with his gifts, but it was instead used for the benefit of others. Beowulf is widely known as one of the most epic heroes in all of literature due to his aforementioned superhuman-like abilities, his manly persona, and his seemingly impossible accomplishments whilst only using his powers for good. From the onset of the poem, Beowulf is made out to be the man of all men. Everything about him seemed to be better than those that surrounded him, especially when it came to Beowulf’s physical attributes. He was always set apart due to his unnatural strength that no other man could replicate. One of the first examples of Beowulf’s immense physical power is when Hrothgar says that Beowulf has “the strength of thirty in the grip of each hand” (Beowulf 380-381). This conversation occurs before Hrothgar and Beowulf are introduced which means that Beowulf’s might was already common knowledge, even in …show more content…
Beowulf and all his strength would be inconsequential if not for his seemingly limitless supply of courage that never failed him. In the opening lines of Beowulf, there is already tribute to the bravery of the kings of the Spear-Danes. This suggests that, among all other qualities, the boldness of Beowulf is the greatest he possesses. Throughout the poem, the legendary Geat comes across situations that would cause most men to turn and run; however, Beowulf oozes self-confidence and believes that he can overcome any obstacle. The plot of Beowulf wouldn’t be the same if not for the previously mentioned fearlessness of Beowulf, which actually begins the events of the epic quest he undergoes. If Beowulf hadn’t decided to help Hrothgar with the problem involving Grendel, then the great adventure he experiences would never have happened. Every time that he was required to step up, he performed admirably. One of the most memorable instances of this was during the chase of Grendel’s mother, when Beowulf “was impatient to be away and plunged suddenly” (Beowulf 1493). This action took place right after the location of Grendel’s mother was discovered in the bottom of a lake infested with “writhing sea-dragons and monsters” (Beowulf 1426-1427). He knew that someone would have to go face the monster and so he took it upon himself to complete the task; an act that