Heroes In Beowulf

Imagine hearing of a faraway land in turmoil due to a terrible creature. This is the case for Beowulf in Beowulf a New Telling by Robert Nye, Hrothgar a king in the land of danes builds a great hall called hall Herot but soon after a monster known as Grendal angered by the light and happiness of the hall begins to attack the people in the hall at night. News of the attacks spread to the land of Geads where a young man named Beowulf decides to go to the land of Danes and defeat Grendal. A hero is someone who is willing to risk something of their own in order to help others. Beowulf is a hero because he was willing to risk his life to help the land of Danes and because he helped someone when they really needed it.

My first reason Beowulf is a hero is because he risked his life to help Hrothgar and the land of Danes. Beowulf risked his life when he fought Grendal who was almost impossible to kill this can be seen when the text says “Man after man went into those terrible jaws and still Grendal came on unsatisfied his green eyes glaring his slimy skin not even scratched by the hacking axes”(pg 15). From this passage it is clear Beowulf was risking his life when he fought
After word of Grendel attacking hall Herot spread to the land of Geads he decided to help Hrothgar by sailing to the land of Danes and killing Grendal. After hearing the stories of Grendal he was determined to help Hrothgar and the land of Danes this can be seen when the text says “When Beowulf had heard all the stories about the dreadful deeds of the demon Grendal he was determined to go and help Hrothgar”(pg20). From the above passage it is clear that he was not afraid to risk his life to help someone who needs it. Even though he was not obligated to help Hrothgar and the land of Danes he was determined to because he knew it was the right thing to