Beowulf, Too Good to Be True
Beowulf, Too Good To Be True
Throughout the poem “Beowulf,” the narrator paints a picture of the perfect hero in the form of the protagonist, Beowulf. Many literary critics have come to the conclusion that “Beowulf” is a stereotypical story of good versus evil. Critics such as Herbert G. Wright present some of their claims that Beowulf is a hero who is greater than man and in someways, Christ-like, and others such as, Robert Stevick and Marie Padgett Hamilton portray the many Christian motifs and metaphors that are present in Beowulf. While all of this can be seen in the text through an analysis of the symbols, further analysis also shows that Beowulf is a flawed hero, but a hero never-the-less, and although Beowulf can be united to the divine he is still a mortal man who has become idealized by the continuous telling of the tale. Critics say that Beowulf is the prime example of a perfect hero. Peter F. Fisher, author of “The Trials of the Epic Hero in Beowulf,” proclaims, “The importance of his illustrious ancestry is emphasized, making of him a figure of heroic stature and lineage; but more important is the account of his mysterious arrival and departure, suggesting a divine origin” (173). It is Fisher’s assessment that a hero is the product of ancestral heros and that the mystery behind Beowulf’s timely appearance in tragic events suggests divine intervention. Other characteristics of a perfect hero is that he typically does not fear death and is willing to do whatever he needs to in order to save his people and protect them. He is also strong, courageous, faithful, and loyal. In Beowulf’s case his heroic qualities are so extreme that it is questioned whether he is truly a man, a myth, or God. Not only does Beowulf possess hero-like strength, but according to Hrothgar, the King of the Danes, his strength is so superior to the normal man it is instead compared to the strength of thirty. When Beowulf first meets Hrothgar, Hrothgar tells
Throughout the poem “Beowulf,” the narrator paints a picture of the perfect hero in the form of the protagonist, Beowulf. Many literary critics have come to the conclusion that “Beowulf” is a stereotypical story of good versus evil. Critics such as Herbert G. Wright present some of their claims that Beowulf is a hero who is greater than man and in someways, Christ-like, and others such as, Robert Stevick and Marie Padgett Hamilton portray the many Christian motifs and metaphors that are present in Beowulf. While all of this can be seen in the text through an analysis of the symbols, further analysis also shows that Beowulf is a flawed hero, but a hero never-the-less, and although Beowulf can be united to the divine he is still a mortal man who has become idealized by the continuous telling of the tale. Critics say that Beowulf is the prime example of a perfect hero. Peter F. Fisher, author of “The Trials of the Epic Hero in Beowulf,” proclaims, “The importance of his illustrious ancestry is emphasized, making of him a figure of heroic stature and lineage; but more important is the account of his mysterious arrival and departure, suggesting a divine origin” (173). It is Fisher’s assessment that a hero is the product of ancestral heros and that the mystery behind Beowulf’s timely appearance in tragic events suggests divine intervention. Other characteristics of a perfect hero is that he typically does not fear death and is willing to do whatever he needs to in order to save his people and protect them. He is also strong, courageous, faithful, and loyal. In Beowulf’s case his heroic qualities are so extreme that it is questioned whether he is truly a man, a myth, or God. Not only does Beowulf possess hero-like strength, but according to Hrothgar, the King of the Danes, his strength is so superior to the normal man it is instead compared to the strength of thirty. When Beowulf first meets Hrothgar, Hrothgar tells
Cited: Beowulf. Trans. Seamus Heaney. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2000. Fisher, Peter F. “The Trials of the Epic Hero in Beowulf.” PMLA 73 (Jun. 1958): 171-183. Gould, Kent. “Beowulf and Folktale Morphology: God as Magical Donor.” Folklore 96 (1985): 98-103. Hamilton, Marie Padgett. “The Religious Principle in Beowulf.” PMLA 61 (Jun. 1946): 309-330. Kahrl, Stanley J. “Feuds in Beowulf: A Tragic Necessity?” Modern Philology 69 (Feb. 1972): 189-198. Kroll, Norma. “Beowulf: The Keeper of Human Polity.” Modern Philology 84 (Nov. 1986): 117-129. Whallon, William. “The Christianity of Beowulf.” Modern Philology 60 (Nov. 1962): 81-94.