Not only will he be given gold when he wins the battle but ancient treasures well be in his possession. After defeating Grendel’s mother Beowulf chopped off the head of Grendel and took it back to king Hrothgar. After fifty winters, Beowulf now an old man fought the dragon alone. He did not want his men to risk their lives. That was the final battle for Beowulf and the last of him too.
Unlike the difficulties Gawain faced, Shrek has managed gaining his house back and fighting for the woman he falls for. All in all, as a hero, Gawain’s greatest challenge is himself as he fears death; this goes hand and hand with Shrek’s greatest challenge, as he believes that his love will never want him. Traditionally, heroes are portrayed as courageous and even perfect human beings. First as a hero, Gawain is faced with the challenge of the Green Knight. As the Green Knight comes to King Arthur’s court, he causes a scene, which then invites everyone to "give a blow and take a blow".
His tragic flaw is evident throughout the novel thinking he can win them all. Beowulf defeats the evil monster Grendel and his mother with ease. However, when it is time to battle the dragon, his pride causes him to be defeated. Beowulf is portrayed as a classic epic hero and, like many other heroes of the time, has a tragic flaw that ultimately leads to his demise. Beowulf possesses many of the traits of an archetypal epic hero; he is strong, humble, and willing to fight to death if necessary.
He/she should also make reasonable decisions that are safe and beneficial to his/her group. However, Beowulf fails to do so, because, in his big head, he thinks that he is invincible. At one point, Beowulf says, “… [his] hands /alone shall fight for [him]” (Lines 267/268), insisting that his bare strength alone is equivalent, if not superior, to Grendal’s monstrous abilities. Beowulf exhibits this insensible trait again when he claimed that he would “use no sword, no weapon…” (630) when he approaches Grendal’s malicious mother. By acting so irrationally, Beowulf not only puts himself at risk, but also his entourage in danger.
Beowulf, his story so great and prominent that it seems to proceed him. He defeats the first two monsters with little resistance. When Beowulf comes up against the last opponent, a huge dragon. He is left to fight, almost alone when his men run away in fear. He comes to his ultimate demise in the final slay of the dragon.
He is now adulterated by the glory and material wealth of earth that he has lost the strength of his purity, a power that can only come when he fights only with his bare hands and without the protection of metal. Beowulf fights two more battles after his first victory: a battle with Beowulf’s mother, then a battle with the dragon that terrorizes his own kingdom. The two other battles that follow later in Beowulf’s life becomes increasingly difficult, ultimately leading to his death; this process is an indication of Beowulf’s corruption as he indulges in the earthly goods along with the glory following his deeds. By the end of the poem, Beowulf
We can see that Beowulf shows courage when he is going to go fight Grendel. Beowulf gains leadership when he leads his men to victory over Grendle. He shows that he has power because he defeated a monster that nobody could defeat. Although Beowulf was undefeated, he came back one hundred years later to fight a dragon, but he failed and died. This can relate to many people in our society.
As his speech continues, he also boasts that he will “renounce sword and the shelter of the broad shield,” (436-437) and fight Grendel in hand to hand combat. In this instance, he is displaying courage, confidence in his own abilities as well as a calm arrogance in knowing that he can accomplish such a mighty feat. The courage and loyalty he displays by going to Heorot and helping people not his own are what make him an idyllic hero. He knows that he is unconquerable, and that only he can help in these times, and he doesn’t shirk what he foresees as his duties as a hero. During the Feast at Heorot, Hrothgar’s son Unferth casts aspirations on Beowulf’s mighty claims, pointing out the swimming match that Beowulf supposedly “lost” as a youth.
dragon, and the hoard of gold he posses, Sigurd is determined to attain this wealth, no matter how ferocious and powerful the beast is. Theseus too shares this determination for success and immortality. During his stay with his father, Aegeus, in the city of Athens, Theseus offers to accompany those who must be sacrificed to the Minotaur of Crete; for he believes he can defeat the terrorizing monster. The cultures in Northern Europe and Greece tend to involve supernatural creatures that must be overcome by a dauntless hero. Sigurd was a towering man, with unbeatable strength, astuteness, and agility; he defeats Fafnir to obtain his notoriety.
The kind of strength that is needed is not necessarily physical strength, but mental. Unless someone is able to stay strong mentally, they will not be able to maintain courage or nobility. They may lose control of themselves easily, and turn a heroic act into a tragedy. These three characteristics are some of the most important features of a hero. It is what defines a hero.