He was also a more heroic leader than either Hannibal of Julius Caesar, due to their vicious and uninspired tactics. Alexander the Great was by far the most heroic and event-making individual of his time and was unparalleled in his achievements. Alexander was an established military leader who achieved many conquests during his time in power. He was
Nina Ybarra Mr. Butler English 12CP 1-27-2015 Beowulf the Epic Hero A true hero does not fear death and will risk all that he is to protect people from great danger. Beowulf is an epic hero and tells a great story about a legend who overcomes all difficulties; almost as if he was immortal. All heroes share their characteristics of their preparedness to die, this is what marks their actions heroic. Throughout the epic Beowulf exhibits various characteristics that makes him an epic hero. One of the characteristics Beowulf demonstrations is his capability of deeds of great strength and courage.
Beowulf brags about his many, many battles, even in his later years. Beowulf was not only a brave, arrogant fighter, but he was also a traveler. An epic hero is one that is prepared at all times to do as commanded. “So Beowulf chose the mightiest men he could find, the bravest and best of the Geats, fourteen in all and led them down to their boat; he knew the sea, would point the
The most moral of them all was clearly the knight from the General Prologue. He displayed everything and more of what was expected from a knight. Chivalry, fidelity, and generosity were just a few of the characteristics that the narrator described of the knight, but the one thing that stood out about this knight was about his true loyalty to his sovereign. Due to his loyalty he was extremely valued, “full worthy was he in his sovereign’s war,” (Chaucer, “General Prologue” 2). He displayed his worthiness on the field of battle by not only fighting courageously, but also in a consistent manner, sticking by his sovereign’s side no matter the circumstances.
Beowulf depicts the traits of an ideal hero. He can be described as a fearless fighter with tremendous strength and an honorable man willing to risk it all. The strength of Beowulf is similar to the almighty power of thirty men. For example line 111 quoted, “And stronger than anyone anywhere in this world.” Beowulf was easily compared to superheroes only seen on TV! He is brave, and he has confidence bordering on absurdity.
In any Greek story, honor has been held at high importance. For any soldier, honor and glory were attained through heroic action on the battlefield. The hero’s duty was to fight for high country so he was constantly preparing for battle. The Homeric hero stood for certain principles. He believed that men should fight together, respect every other soldier, and also respect their opponent.
To have such awe inspiring powers so as to gain the trust and respect of your men to the extent that they would indeed take greater pleasure in their deaths than that of their leaders is truly incredible. This is the recognition point for the reader in which he or she can truly tell that Beowulf was a true hero to many people. Not only had Beowulf become a figure of fame in his life, but he had obtained the ultimate honor: Beowulf had become a legend, and, in that, Beowulf would forever continue to be a hero and to demonstrate his talent for generations to come as he had successfully saved his people, the Geats and the
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.
As a leader, Washington practiced the drive to go beyond status to serve and bring commitment to a cause. His internal motivation caused Washington to take responsibilities seriously and show optimism in the face of failure. This transposed into a moral leader of patriotism and honor. An example of his independent drive was recognized when titled as the commander in chief. Not the only one in consideration, he had many positive qualifications for the job including his serious political commitment to the position as he had a long list of leadership positions (Brookhiser 22).
The good warriors show loyalty to their “ring-givers” and will often stand by their side in the face of battle. However, others show their fear. All in all, loyalty, honor, and generosity are what sets everyone apart from evil and are most important in the culture of Beowulf. You will see these traits in a good King as well. A good King would be someone who gives his thanes treasure for their efforts in battle.