Beowulf’s heroism is shown when he takes fourteen brave men in his land to help Hrothgar. Hrothgar was close friends with Beowulf’s father and he was a pest to his kingdom. Beowulf didn’t want to help Hrothgar, but he uses the good strength God gives him. When Beowulf heard the problems in the kingdom, he went there quickly. Beowulf continues to thank God for giving him a safe trip there.
Before we meet Prince Hamlet, Horatio makes us believe that he is a very courageous and brave man. “Unto young Hamlet; for upon my life, this spirit, dumb to us, will speak to him”. However, when we meet him he’s depressed and is still mourning the death of his father. “Good Hamlet, cast thy nighted colour off, and let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark” When Prince Hamlet meets the Ghost we find out he wants revenge against Claudius. Prince Hamlet seems keen to avenge his father’s death, but throughout the narrative we see Hamlet hesitate to kill Claudius, he may be finding it hard as Claudius is the King and also a relative.
After all the stories they had heard describing William in various ways, they couldn’t believe his true appearance. Going back to Medieval times, knights were too follow the code of chivalry. To be a chivalrous man, one had to be respectful, honorable, and humble. A Medieval hero is a man who is self aware, and understands that he is flawed. It is someone who believes that, “It’s not about winning the game, it’s about how you play ”.
He was the mightiest man of valor in that same day of this our life, stalwart and stately. A stout wave-walker he bade make ready. Yon battle-king, said he, far o'er the swan-road he fain would seek, the noble monarch who needed men! (III,8-13) Beowulf would put his life at risk if it meant he would be helping people feel safe and secure. After the courageous battle that ensued between Beowulf and Grendel the monster’s mother attacks the Danes as an act of revenge against her son’s murderers.
The green knight appears to be arrogant and challenges the king and his companions to take his challenge. The green knight is clever because he plays on their pride to get them committed to his game. King Arthur promises to take the game even if he doesn’t know what it is yet. This is the story of Sir Gawain first adventure as a knight who takes a challenge that he is not very sure about. At this point in the story, Sir Gawain who is also Arthur’s nephew asks the king to allow him to take the challenge.
He does not reveal this fact, but uses it as an advantage, as get to increase his reputation and also seem more courageous than he actually is. Beowulf, withholding the true reason he chooses not to use a sword presents Beowulf’s character as a gloryhound. Because Beowulf chooses not to use a weapon during his man versus man physical conflict with Grendel, the reader gets to experience an unadulterated and fair battle between good and evil (theme). The reader witnesses the battle between Grendel’s claw, which embodies the suffering and terror of the Danes, and Beowulf’s fists. The completely level battlefield reinforces the good versus evil theme, as darkness goes face-to-face with its most powerful adversary yet.
Preceding the battle with Grendel, the hero shows his worthiness to the Danes’ king in his opening speech by stating “my lord Higlac might Christopher 2 think less of me if I let my sword go where my feet were afraid to” (169-171). By going into battle unarmed he is showing his abilities and loyalty to his ruler. Still as a young warrior Beowulf has his share of obligations to the afflicted people as many moral challenges lie ahead. In the first battle the man-fearing monster, Grendel, is introduced and ambushed in the mead-hall he so
According to the Anglo-Saxon culture, there is a heroic code that demonstrates the qualities of a heroic individual. These qualities include being able to share feuds, hating peace, and have hospitality among other themes. Although many people may question Beowulf’s effectiveness as a hero, he proved that the heroic code is very broad and that there is not one specific way to demonstrate heroic qualities. At the beginning of Beowulf, a big, demon-like creature named Grendel who is described as a “God-cursed brute” (line 121), attacks Daneland and King Hrothgar’s newly built monument, Heorot. Heoret is a symbol for fortune and prosperity, however this demon is not allowing the Danes to celebrate in it.
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. This reflects that Beowulf is not motivated by personal gain (considered heroic), but instead by a lingering luster for immortality. This appears prominent as name and fame often dominate his thoughts before battle, such as during the speech he gives before facing Grendal’s mother, “I shall gain glory or die”, suggesting that his prestige is worth more than his life. This courage and bravery in the face of death was not only an admirable trait of an Anglo-Saxon warrior, but it was
Macbeth is a tragic hero because he needs no pity from the people around him and also from the readers of the play. Macbeth is a brave and loyal person who is loved by the King of Scotland, there for readers like him leaving no reason for anybody showing pity for him. By doing this it is getting him closer to becoming more like a tragic hero. During the beginning of the play Macbeth displays his bravery and loyalty by successfully defending the king from the Scottish rebels and the Norwegians. The king displays no pity for Macbeth instead he rewards his great loyalty to him by rewarding him with the title of the Thane of Cawdor.