Preview

Beowulf's Heroic Super-Hero

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
790 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Beowulf's Heroic Super-Hero
In the story of Beowulf the details of a heroic super-hero is portrayed. The Danish people suffered for twelve years but soon it was over. After many years of suffering Beowulf came to save the people. Beowulf came and faced many battles to prove he was the one that would help the people of Denmark. Beowulf went through three special battles, the battle with Grendel, Grendel’s Mother and the Dragon. All which were very important but the most important battle was the battle with the Dragon. The battle with set the stage for Beowulf’s strength. At the time of the battle with the Dragon, Beowulf was old in age. His strength would be tested because he had not fought in over 50 years. Going into this special battle Beowulf knew what he was up against, “I am old, now, but I will fight again, seek fame still, if the dragon hiding in his tower dares to face me” (lines 626-628) By this it showed that Beowulf honor never left him and would always show. This battle stuck out. Like most battles, Beowulf fought with his famous sword and shield, but it soon ended when the dragon broke the sword and burned the shield with its hot flames. At this moment the battle began a dramatic shift because Beowulf was left with his hands. With the battle with Grendel and Grendel’s mother Beowulf could use his hands easily but yet this …show more content…
In the battle with Grendel he had to prove to the Danish people that he was really there to help him. Beating Grendel proved that Beowulf was not just any warrior but one with honor and integrity. The battle with Grendel's mother was very different. Beowulf went to great depths by plunging into a marsh into the underworld to defeat her. Beowulf went into the monsters territory proving that he would do anything to help the Danish people. 50 years later now old in age Beowulf came back to fight a dragon. This would only prove that no matter what Beowulf's honor never left fulfilling his father's

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Now Beowulf is described as “the strongest of the Greats-greater and stronger than anyone anywhere in this world.” (Lines 110-111) Not only the strongest but this might warrior is also the most courageous of the poem as well. On lines 267 and 268 Beowulf says “[his] hands alone shall fight for [him].” He’s talking about fighting Grendel, the monster in this story, with his bare hands. Which considers him to have more courage than any other character.…

    • 347 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    To sum it all up, In Beowulf, Beowulf is an archetypal hero who ended up being corrupted by the fame and fortune that was gained while doing the Danes a favour and killing their monsters. In Grendel, Grendel was labeled as a monster who tried to be part of a human society; the failure to be accepted as part of the society has forced Grendel to act like how he was labeled.…

    • 72 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    How Did Beowulf Fight

    • 571 Words
    • 3 Pages

    In Beowulf's third and final fight he faces a dragon. The dragon is terrorizing his land and his people. So Beowulf goes to fight this beast, he suits up and takes a shield for the fire. In the fight Beowulf does not go alone he takes several of his best men to go into the fight. During the fight Beowulf is left alone to fight the dragon, his men abandon him. Beowulf is injured, fatally, and does manage to give a fatal blow to the dragon with his dirk but only by the help of one of his men. In the end of the fight the dragon lays dead and Beowulf is buried with some of the treasure from the…

    • 571 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Epic Poetry and Beowulf

    • 1069 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Beowulf is a very courageous character and recounts his acts of courage to every person who will listen. In the poem Beowulf tells of his previous courageous actions in destroying a tribe of giants, defeating sea monsters in the night and returning from battle covered in his enemies blood. Beowulf has come to King Hrothgar to fight an ogre. A monster that has brought misery and death to the Danes for many years. This ogre, Grendel, killed thirty of Hrothgar’s men and caused the great mead hall of Herot to be closed. Beowulf tells King Hrothgar “the monster’s scorn of men Is so great that he needs no weapons and fears none. Nor will I” (lines 262-264) Therefore Beowulf intends to fight the Grendel without his armor or his sword. Beowulf may be so courageous because he believes so strongly in fate shaping his successes in the past. Beowulf believes that if it is his fate to win against Grendel then he will win. If it is his fate to die…

    • 1069 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hero and Beowulf

    • 678 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Beowulf’s first heroic traits were his use of strtength and courage. With his courage he was able to stand up and protect his fellow people and with his strength it helped him defate his eniemies. For example, in the battle with Grendel,”And defate, the tears torn out of Grendel’s/ Taut throat, hell’s captive caught in the arms/ Of him who of all then men on earth/ Was the strongest” (346-349). In this quote Beowulf showed great strength in the battle with Grendel. He made his enemy run for his life. With Beowulf’s strength he had made the people feel safe again. Everyone thought he had amzing courage for coming face to face with the evil Grendel. In addition, “But so massive that no ordinary man could lift/ From its scabbard, broke the chain on its hilt” (488-490). In the quote, Beowulf showed his strength and lifted a sword that no regular man could lift. His strength allowed him to dominate in battle. If it were not for his pure strength or couage, he would not have been able to dafate Grendel or his mother.…

    • 678 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The first battle Beowulf is faced with is against Grendel. Grendel decides to attack because he is jealous and hates the joy and happiness he hears from the mead-hall; he decides to attack out of jealousy and annoyance. Beowulf decides to fight Grendel to not only gain glory for himself and to create himself a good reputation, but also to serve as assistance to the people of Herot. At the time of this battle, Beowulf was youthful and proud; he bragged on how he would be able to defeat Grendel and save the people. Beowulf chose to fight Grendel without any weapons in order to be on the same “playing field” as Grendel who was also weaponless. Beowulf asks the king to fight alone, with the help of his men only. He stays awake, awaiting the…

    • 571 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Beowulf's Legacy

    • 620 Words
    • 3 Pages

    By defeating Grendel, a monster who has never been defeated, Beowulf would add to his legacy. To further his reputation, Beowulf decides to not use weapons or armor because Grendel “has no ideas of the arts of war, of shield or sword-play, though he does possess a wild strength” (Heany 16). Beowulf wants to make sure that his reputation is unquestionable because he does not want people to think that the only reason he defeated Grendel was due to his weapons. Since Grendel “has no ideas of the arts of war...though...possess a wild strength”, Beowulf wants to prove that he is equal if not better in strength than Grendel. In reality, it would make sense to use weapons and armor to fight Grendel. However, Beowulf believes that fighting weaponless would make his legacy greater. Beowulf’s archetypal trait of desire for a lasting legacy can be seen through his pride in not using weapons or…

    • 620 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Beowulf: A Hero

    • 188 Words
    • 1 Page

    According to Emerson's essay he considers Beowulf a hero because he fits all the qualities of the heroes. A hero has to be respected by others Beowulf was respected, when he was fighting Grendel, the Danes wanted to help him; "Many a noble of Beowulf brandished his battle sword old would guard the live of his lord and protector." They are applying that he is very high and mighty. Emerson also says a hero has to have a war-like attitude. Beowulf portrays this when it describes him. “The stout-hearted warrior snatched as he slumbered, seizing hand with-grip”. Emerson also said that a hero has to have fortitude. One sees that he has fortitude when it says; “The foe i must grapple, fight for my life then foeman with foeman.” Emerson said a hero…

    • 188 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Beowulf: A True Hero

    • 383 Words
    • 2 Pages

    “For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others” - Nelson Mandela. Nelson Mandela is a famous leader, who was also the first black president of South Africa. He fought to make a change for a whole country by overthrowing the pro-apartheid government and spent almost 30 years in jail for the his beliefs. Similarly to Mandela, Beowulf fought for the safety of people and their right to live peacefully. It is evident that Beowulf is a true hero that carries the characteristics of which are comparable to Nelson Mandela’s legacy and leadership qualities. While today’s ideal hero may be different from Beowulf in Anglo-Saxon times, many heroes in modern history, like Nelson…

    • 383 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    If a person does not risk death for their society, they will not be considered a hero; one will be considered as just an ordinary person. However, Beowulf proves that he is not just an ordinary person when he performs brave deeds and is faced with death on numerous accounts for the good of his people. Beowulf faces Grendel, a man-eating monster; Grendel’s mother, a water witch; and the dragon, a hot breath and poisonous creature. When Beowulf faces Grendel’s mother in lines 620-623 “And in an instant she had him down, held helpless. / Squatting with her weight on his stomach, she drew / A dagger, brown with dried blood and prepared / To avenge her only son” he sees death right before him. He keeps fighting because in lines 683-684 Beowulf says “No man but me / Could hope to defeat this monster”. When Beowulf faced the dragon in lines 718-722 “The monster came quickly toward him, / Pouring out fire and smoke, hurrying / To its fate. Flames beat at the iron / Shield, and for a time it held, protected / Beowulf as he’d planned; then it began to melt” Beowulf’s life flashes before his eyes again when he realizing that the shield is not going to hold up, and he will die from the dragon. Beowulf upholds the ideals of the Anglo-Saxon society; courage, loyalty, and honor throughout the entire literature of…

    • 1031 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The worst and most feared monsters of the fen are coming for the people, and only one hero can stop them. The epic story Beowulf was originally written in Old English over one thousand years ago, and, since then, has been interpreted into many different versions. Throughout the story, the hero Beowulf defeats many feared enemies and is honored by people for his actions. In his homeland, he later becomes the king and defeats the Firedrake as his final deed to his people. In the novel Beowulf: A New Telling, Robert Nye introduces a version of Beowulf, a courageous and clever hero.…

    • 628 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    How Beowulf Is A Hero

    • 652 Words
    • 3 Pages

    In the poem it proves that, " Flames beat at the iron / Shield, and for a time it held, protected / Beowulf as he'd planned; then it began to melt, / And for the first time in his life that famous prince / Fought with fate against him, with glory / Denied him. He knew it, but he raised his sword / And struck at the dragon's scaly hide." (Lines 720 - 726). Beowulf's' bold actions were not easy decisions, but he stood by his…

    • 652 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Beowulf Epic Hero

    • 893 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Grendel’s mother gets angry when she knows about Grendel’s death. She wants to kill Beowulf. Beowulf has difficulties killing the most powerful monster grendel’s Mother. “Then she carried him, armor and sword and all, to her home; he struggled to free his weapons, and faild” (582-584). This quote shows Beowulf has difficult to killing Grendel’s Mother. Grendel’s mother caught Beowulf very tight and brings him to the battle hall. He is tried to free from her weapons, but he can’t free from her weapon. After so many problems finally he was able to kill Grendel’s Mother. “Caught her neck and cut it through, Broke bones and all. Her body fell to the floor, lifeless, the sword was wet with her blood, and Beowulf rejoiced at the sight” (642-645). Beowulf fights with Grendel’s mother for long time. Finally he able to kill Grendel’s Mother. He use magic sword to kill Grendel’s Mother.Her body fell down the floor. Her blood is all over the floor. Finally Beowulf won the battle. This is the high point of the story. Beowulf fights and defeats the most powerful…

    • 893 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Beowulf As An Epic Hero

    • 379 Words
    • 2 Pages

    He went and threw himself toward Grendel! He fought Grendel with his bare hands! “Prince of the Geats had killed Grendel, ended the grief, the sorrow, the suffering” (lines 404-405). This passage shows bravery let off by Beowulf. Even as Beowulf is nearing death, he fights off a dragon to show his bravery and protect his people.…

    • 379 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Nothing in life is free

    • 657 Words
    • 2 Pages

    When Beowulf encounters Grendel he is as noble as can be and literally fights with his bare body. He wanted nothing but honor for his conquering’s. And in a way it showed what a great hero he really was because he wasn’t doing it all for the money. His defeat of Grendel validates his reputation for bravery and establishes him fully as a hero.…

    • 657 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics