Beowulf – An epic hero? After reading Burton Raffel’s translation of Beowulf, it is portrayed that the lead character was an incredible epic hero. Even though Beowulf is known for his great strength, he has other traits that make him so fantastic. Our character did many good things and many bad things. Some of which were acts of bravery.
Beowulf could slay the greatest monster of all, Grendel. Beowulf killed Grendel; Grendel had never come to such a match among a stronger person "That shepherd of evil, guardian of crime knew at once that nowhere on earth had he met a man whose hands were harder". This shows the physical strength that Beowulf embodied. And Beowulf also shown honors of a warriors when he defeated Grendel. Beowulf was fearless of all opponents and fought to defend his fame and glory.
In the epic poem, the Anglo-Saxons value strength as a characteristic of a superior and great warrior. Beowulf throughout the entire story portrays this by fighting the battles with the monsters and by defeating them when no one else could or were too afraid to. The author states of how Beowulf and the other warriors are “greater/ and stronger than anyone anywhere in this world”(110-111). Beowulf was a powerful warrior who fit the idealistic of a warrior in an Anglo-Saxon society. When fighting with Grendel and Grendels mother he never needed the protection of armor or swords.
For our earlier generations – or I must say: the ancient generations - epic heroes were the protagonist of their stories, with their superhuman strength, intelligence, fighting skills, and courage, were claimed and appreciated by the crowds. An epic hero is different than our contemporary heroes. An epic hero cant fly, burn objects by just looking at them nor run at a supper speed; but, epic heroes like Beowulf are strong men, with no supper power at all that fight against evil (big and stronger enemies) letting us appreciate how brave epic heroes are. Beowulf is the perfect image of the archetypal epic hero in many ways such as performing brave deeds, he has superior or superhuman strength, and courage, and he risks death for glory or for the greater good of society. Beowulf, the prince of the Geats, show us by his actions a very important characteristic of the archetypal epic hero.
The Anglo-Saxon society was constructed upon fixed values and morals on which the behavior of individuals was based and judged. This society had a strong sense of community and treasured fame and success as a passageway to immortality. By fighting with Grendel, his mother, and the Dragon not only assured the survival of the Danes, but by doing so Beowulf legitimized his god-like qualities through his heroic deeds. Each of the monsters Beowful faced beared a level of symbolism, in which Grendel represents evil, The reader sees the values of the Anglo-Saxon society embodied by the brave, fearless and exemplary soldier called Beowulf. This character is brought upon conflicts and challenged by inhuman creatures that threaten his existence and the perseverance of his culture.
Within this “warrior-society” the goal is ultimately immortality of ones name, established by gaining power through displays of courageous acts. We can scrutinize these elements of this foreign society by examining Old English poetic texts such as “Beowulf”, and “The Battle of Maldon”, and get a glimpse into what the Anglo-Saxons held sacred. A hero portrayed in these poems is often classified as someone who performs acts of valor in life-threatening battles, out of the loyalty to their lord. Beowulf, for example, is glorified and explicitly referred to as a ‘brave her’ throughout the text. The first time readers get a taste of Beowulf’s heroism he is preparing to fight Grendal, in order to protect a hall, lord, and people that are not his own.
Throughout the entire poem Beowulf sustains these qualities with every monstrous encounter he faces. From the very beginning he triumphs over Grendel using merely his bare hands, then chops off the head of Grendel’s revenged seeking mother, and lastly battles the lethal dragon in his elder days, ultimately resulting in his death. On his way out to face the dragon Beowulf says to another soldier, “This fight is not yours, nor is it up to any man except me… I shall win the gold by my courage, or else mortal combat, doom of battle, will bear your lord away” (“Beowulf,” in The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Vol. I, 8th ed. Ed.
Grendel Comparison The epic tale of Grendel lays out a foundation that enables readers to notice comparisons between some of the stories major characters. Hrothgar, King of the Danes and Beowulf are two characters that have similar traits, though they come from different backgrounds. Hrothgar and Beowulf both have a desire to provide a safe lifestyle for their people. Hrothgar is a respected king who has great authority over his land. Likewise, Beowulf also has authority in his land though he gains it because he is recognize as the mightiest man on earth.
Although the characters compare in their strength and loyalty and in their representation of a force greater than themselves, they contrast when it comes to bravery, their reasons for fighting, and the force they each represent. Beowulf and Grendel have a number of comparisons that can be made. They are both strong. In the poem, Grendel shows his strength by bursting open a chained door of the mead hall and killing many men at once by himself. Then, Beowulf shows his strength by killing Grendel with simply his bare hands.
Beowulf is a hero who embodies the ideal characteristics in the Anglo-Saxon culture; these characteristics all come together to make up an epic tale. He possesses the traits and beliefs that were respected in the Anglo-Saxon culture. Beowulf displays these traits in his own actions and words during different circumstances throughout the tale. Beowulf is shown to be the strongest among the strong. Physical strength was very much embraced by the Anglo-Saxon culture.