Barbarians—hulking men in fur coats, donning gold helmets complete with horns, wielding long swords and charging bloody battles. These men were the heroes, warriors, and kings of the medieval period. Though today they are viewed as brutes, there is much more complexity to these revered men of old. In fact, both kings and heroes played significant roles in the Anglo-Saxon culture. This can be seen in the epic poem Beowulf, author unknown. Beginning when Beowulf is a young hero and following him as he ascends the throne of Geatland, the contrast between the roles of hero and king become apparent. Glory is the goal of a hero while a king must focus his people, yet, in both situations, the heroic value of glory, while prominent in the warrior way
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Yet, the prince does not necessarily evolve into a good leader, due to the inhibiting power of glory. The opening of the poem demonstrates the contrast between a king and a hero. “So. The Spear-Danes in days gone by and the kings who ruled them had courage and greatness. We have heard of those prince’s heroic campaigns” (Heaney 3, 1-3). The transition between prince and king here is marked by a specific trait—greatness. A hero and a prince must possess courage, but a king must have greatness as well. Greatness does not mean glory, but the capacity to lead one’s people and grow the kingdom into something more. This aspect of greatness is lacking in Beowulf. When faced with the dragon attacking his kingdom, the king is shown in an uncharacteristic fit of panic. “His mind was in turmoil, unaccustomed anxiety and gloom confused his brain; the fire-dragon had rased the coastal region and reduced forts and earthworks to dust and ashes, so the war-king planned and plotted his revenge” (Heaney 159, 2331-2336). In the case of an attack, a king must remain calm and collected. Their one duty in this situation is to do what is best for their people, who have been attacked. Instead, Beowulf is seen reverting to his younger self, vengeance on his mind as opposed to defense. Revenge is sought when passion has been inspired in someone, a desire so strong that it is uncontrollable. In this …show more content…
Yet, this pride is a weakness, as it clouds their mind and leads to poor decisions. A warrior will put aside all other priorities and simply focus on protecting his pride and reputation. The author discusses Beowulf’s pride, which will be the death of him. “Yet, the prince of the rings was too proud to line up with a large army against the sky plague. He had scant regard for the dragon as a threat, no dread at all for its courage or strength…” (Heaney 159, 2345-2349). The author does not refer to Beowulf as a king, but as a prince. At this time, he is technically a king but his actions are those of a young hero or prince. Furthermore, his deep-seeded pride fuels an overconfidence in himself, where he is depicted as determined to fight with only a small group of men, no large army. The author makes it known that Beowulf’s insatiable thirst for glory has led to an unrivaled pride, one which will lead himself and his kingdom to
Yet, the prince does not necessarily evolve into a good leader, due to the inhibiting power of glory. The opening of the poem demonstrates the contrast between a king and a hero. “So. The Spear-Danes in days gone by and the kings who ruled them had courage and greatness. We have heard of those prince’s heroic campaigns” (Heaney 3, 1-3). The transition between prince and king here is marked by a specific trait—greatness. A hero and a prince must possess courage, but a king must have greatness as well. Greatness does not mean glory, but the capacity to lead one’s people and grow the kingdom into something more. This aspect of greatness is lacking in Beowulf. When faced with the dragon attacking his kingdom, the king is shown in an uncharacteristic fit of panic. “His mind was in turmoil, unaccustomed anxiety and gloom confused his brain; the fire-dragon had rased the coastal region and reduced forts and earthworks to dust and ashes, so the war-king planned and plotted his revenge” (Heaney 159, 2331-2336). In the case of an attack, a king must remain calm and collected. Their one duty in this situation is to do what is best for their people, who have been attacked. Instead, Beowulf is seen reverting to his younger self, vengeance on his mind as opposed to defense. Revenge is sought when passion has been inspired in someone, a desire so strong that it is uncontrollable. In this …show more content…
Yet, this pride is a weakness, as it clouds their mind and leads to poor decisions. A warrior will put aside all other priorities and simply focus on protecting his pride and reputation. The author discusses Beowulf’s pride, which will be the death of him. “Yet, the prince of the rings was too proud to line up with a large army against the sky plague. He had scant regard for the dragon as a threat, no dread at all for its courage or strength…” (Heaney 159, 2345-2349). The author does not refer to Beowulf as a king, but as a prince. At this time, he is technically a king but his actions are those of a young hero or prince. Furthermore, his deep-seeded pride fuels an overconfidence in himself, where he is depicted as determined to fight with only a small group of men, no large army. The author makes it known that Beowulf’s insatiable thirst for glory has led to an unrivaled pride, one which will lead himself and his kingdom to