Beowulf’s Heroism The poem Beowulf was written down around the year 1000 CE, but is said to take place around 6th Century CE. Transformation is the key theme of this poem as Beowulf is transformed from a young warrior, to an elder, wiser king during a 50-year time period, while still portraying heroic qualities along the way. Three key events that demonstrate his transformation are Beowulf’s conflicts with Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon. The poet shows that Beowulf is a much different person as he grows up, but he remains the same hero throughout the entire poem. According to the Anglo-Saxon culture, there is a heroic code that demonstrates the qualities of a heroic individual.
Beowulf and his people displays these virtues in his own actions and words during different circumstances throughout the tale. Beowulf was "the strongest of the Geats" and also "greater and stronger than anyone anywhere in this world". Beowulf is shown to be the strongest among the strong. Physical strength was very much envied by the Anglo-Saxon culture. Beowulf could slay the greatest monster of all, Grendel.
He mentions that he would rather fight with dragon with no weapons at all like he did with Grendel. However, since he is now much older, he is incapable of doing so. Before departing from his men, Beowulf says, “This fight is not yours…I shall win the gold by my courage” (2532-2536) this statement displays the warrior character of Beowulf. He is a man that is capable of great things because he has the courage to take risks that most men would not dare to even consider. Not only does this signify the
As one of the oldest surviving pieces of literature, “Beowulf” has been studied and critiqued numerous times (Snell, 2012). It follows the adventures of Beowulf as he fights all kinds of terrible monsters and achieves his glory, all in the form of an epic poem. This piece of literature is sometimes ambiguous to young readers, as it makes use of Old English. But it’s when you see past all those difficult words that you can truly fathom the hero’s desire to make a name for himself and to be remembered. Throughout his exploits, Beowulf has made certain that his past achievements are known.
In contrasr to Beowulf, Grendel is envious, resentful, and angry toward all human kind for the fact that he feels as thou God blesses all b ut the ogre he is, and thinks he could never be blessed. Although Grendel's feautures are like a common man having two arms, two legs, one head, etc. he is very much larger than an average male and can defeat many at a time. His magic charm is his source of protection from weapons. After a defeated battle Grendel is known for devouring the deceased body off the spot or carries others back to where he resides and shares feast with his mother.
This means he has superhuman strength, and that is a big trait when it comes to an epic hero. He also has superhuman ability like when he pulled out the sword. "Then he saw, hanging on the wall, a heavy sword, hammered by Giants strong and blessed with their magic the best of all weapons but so massive that no ordinary man could lift its carved and decorated length." (Beowulf 513-527). He pulled out the sword that nobody else could.
Beowulf Good vs. Evil The epic poem Beowulf is one of the oldest existing pieces of English literature, which can be dated back to 700 A.D. One of the main themes of Beowulf is the struggle or battle between good and evil. This is a theme, along with other themes in the poem, that is still used today in literature, which is remarkable as the story has been around for so long. In the poem, ‘good’ is clearly represented by the Geat warrior Beowulf. On the other hand, ‘evil’ mainly refers to the monsters that Beowulf had fought, including Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the fire dragon.
Another character trait of Beowulf is his physical strength. His strength is unparalleled, as he is able to defeat each of his opponents and performs acts of supreme endurance. In the quote, “My hands alone shall fight for me” (line 267), shows that Beowulf is confident in his strength and knows he is the toughest. Beowulf is mainly thought of as a hero because of his strength and ability to defeat the evil that threatens the kingdom of Herot. In this quote, “He drew it from its scabbard, broke the chain from its hilt and lifted it high over his head” (lines 532-538), shows the reader that Beowulf is stronger than any normal man.
If one is brave, they’re generally arrogant. Beowulf was very arrogant, in that he is constantly saying he’s the strongest man alive and that no man’s strength is a match for his. Being boastful is a strong suit of an epic hero. If one thinks or knows they can do something, it gives them the determination and drive it takes to get the job done. Beowulf brags about his many, many battles, even in his later years.
The hero will be faced with challenges. They believed that good will always defeat evil. Such as Beowulf he was brave, strong, and an epic hero. Beowulf was boastful he faced many challenges, such as “Drove 5 great giants into chains, chased all of that race from earth”. Beowulf describes an epic hero during the period of Anglo-Saxons.