Certainly he is in search of fame. Though this is true it must not discount his brave actions. He gains his fame truthfully by doing battle with menaces to society. He does not lie or manipulate to achieve fame, he uses what is rightfully his, his bravery. Beowulf's bravery differs from that of King Arthur's for several reasons.
a quick wit accompanied by extraordinary intelligence and a perspicacity for the journeys he must endure and the adversaries that he will have to thwart. Although, epic heroes are created to be a personification of perfection, they also have flaws. These flaws can be used against them by their enemies or even themselves. An essential part of becoming an epic hero is over conquering those flaws or learning to work with them. The two texts that we read contained to easily distinguishable epic heroes.
Beowulf shows bravery in line 158 “… Death was errand.” He states that he will fight to his death. He will not back up from his fight with Grendel even if it might cost him his life. Beowulf also shows courage in line 154 “… I drove five great giants into chains.” By Beowulf’s statement he shows how he is not afraid of fighting anyone. Beowulf shows courage which makes him fit the image of an epic hero. Beowulf is also considered to be a leader.
In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, one of the main characters, Gawain, goes against the typical qualities of a hero. Heroes are stereotypically thought of as brave strong men who fight for their stance on a presented issue and also save the day by their actions. However, Gawain goes against this stereotype by making the poem feel like a lighthearted comedy about heroism as he faces hardships. In addition, another character that faces challenges as a hero of modern world is Shrek. Unlike the difficulties Gawain faced, Shrek has managed gaining his house back and fighting for the woman he falls for.
The fact that not all thanes could be as courageous and have so many heroic achievements for their countries and rulers is why Beowulf seems so ideal and extraordinary. Beowulf's many achievements told throughout the story gives him the appearance of the most faithful of thanes, who has climbed the social ladder not because he has meant to do so, but because he wishes to protect his country and others and give all the credit to its rulers. This sort of behavior gives him a kind and generous nature that can be traced to a kind of chivalry. Chivalry can also be considered a very important role in the creation of a thane's reputation and popularity. Through Beowulf's chivalry, generosity, friendship, and popularity, all of his kingdom and of others knew him for his heroism and loyalty.
Even though the marlin was indeed his friend as well as his equal, the old man knew he still needed to capture and kill the fish to regain his acceptance from the other fisherman. This was very hard for the old man to do. The sharks come about to represent defeat and death. The sharks tried to defeat Santiago’s success by eating the poor marlin. ‘’Now they have beaten me, he thought.
Definitions and Quotes of a Hero “A mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability.” “A man admired for his achievements and noble qualities.” “Someone who fights for a cause.” (My Favorite) "A hero isn't just someone who saves someone's life, that's just courageous. A hero is someone who saves the moment." “A man of distinguished valor or enterprise in danger, or fortitude in suffering; a prominent or central personage in any remarkable action or event; hence, a great or illustrious person.” “The ordinary man is involved in action, the hero acts” “A ‘hero’ is someone who puts his or her own life or safety at risk, in order to help others. This can be in a battle or in any desperate situation.” “A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is braver five minutes longer.” “A hero is a man who is afraid to run away.” “The hero sees values beyond what's possible. That's the nature of a hero.
Being a Hero Speech Essay This is a speech of a man persuading the members of the audience into becoming a hero. He does not just go on ranting about becoming a hero, but he successfully describe what it takes to be a hero or examples of them. This is important in persuasive speeches because if the audience does not know what the speaker is talking about, then there is no purpose behind the speech. He does well in describing what a hero is and that is someone who is known for his feats of courage with a sense of nobility in purpose. This persuasive speech had a good attention-getter and a clear preview or purpose statement that leads smoothly into the speech.
When I hear the word hero, I think of someone who is idealized for their courage and bravery, having outstanding achievements, and having noble qualities. Policemen and firefighters are heroes to me. Heroes can come in all different shapes and sizes and that’s important for some people to understand, just because they aren’t super tall and lusty doesn’t mean that they can’t be a hero. In the earliest English epic poem, “Beowulf”, the hero is Beowulf. As a hero, the Anglo-Saxons made Beowulf have certain hero characteristics.
What is a Hero? When I think of a hero, I automatically think of a tall, intelligent, and handsome young man. In reality there is more to being a hero than huge biceps and an attractive face. A hero is a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities. Despite the general consensus, a hero is any person from all races, ages, and sizes that has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act.