A leader must be able to teach those followers. Beowulf was a leader among leaders. He showed time and again in this epic that he was a hero able to accomplish peace and honor those among him. He had a sense of responsibility that came from his strength and the respect others gave him. He was a selfless man, warrior, and king all men revered and looked to in the worst of times and I am sure in the best of
The Geats epic King was a picture perfect Anglo-Saxons hero. He was the strongest man on earth while showing courage, wisdom, and faith to his people. Along with strength he had the super powers to help him fight his battles and gain all the glory at the end of the day. Even though Beowulf followed all the "standards" of an epic hero he still showed some unique characteristics. In the end he became an inspiration for all the people of the land because
Beowulf Beowulf is an ideal hero in this time. He personifies extraordinary strength, courage, loyalty and a seeming indifference to death. Insomuch, it is those very same qualities that lead him to an impressive amount of pride in himself, which could quite possibly cause the demise of the kingdom he had ruled for fifty years. Beowulf displays his first traits as a hero in the passage [The Hero Comes to Heorot] (197-198) where he is described as “like no one else alive” and “the mightiest man on earth.” It is also in this passage, that he announces his intentions to save Heorot from Grendel (199-201). When he is speaking to Hrothgar, he tells him that his people have supported his decision to come and
Beowulf Argument: Hero Without Faults? There are many extraordinary people some great heroes and some everyday people like you and I. No matter how extraordinary there is still imperfection and fault among these special individuals. For example in the epic Beowulf written during the Anglo-Saxon time period the renowned hero Beowulf is the greatest warrior to ever walk the face of the Earth. To the people he is an almighty force that can’t be stopped and he appears perfect in everyway.
As a Knight of the medieval time period you had to live by the Chivalric Code. This code was a code of conduct and stated that knights or nobles must be brave warriors, virtuous Christians, and must fight selflessly for justice. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Gawain attempts to live up to the Chivalric Code but falls short at moments not only for fear of losing his life but also because of his individuality. In the beginning of the legend Gawain is nothing more than the nephew of King Arthur and his life is not greatly valued. A mysterious Green Knight rides into Arthur’s hall and challenges anyone who is willing to a simple contest.
Another heroic trait of Beowulf is loyalty. For instance, the lines 165-166 clearly demonstrate the attribute of loyalty when Beowulf says, “That I, alone and with the help of my men may purge all evil from this hall.” This illustrates loyalty because not only does Beowulf use his hands to defeat Grendel, but he keeps his word strong to the king. This creates a bond of loyalty between them. Furthermore, the aspect of bravery is again revealed on lines 191-192 when Hrothgar says, “Beowulf, you’ve come to us in friendship, and because of the reception your father found at our court.” Loyalty is portrayed here
I am old now but I will fight again. Seek fame still, if the dragon hiding dares face me” (624-628). Describes this leader’s heart and love for his people, because he is the king he no longer needs the fame and glory he already has this. But he proves to be responsible and goes to take on the dragon without any aid of his people. Beowulf is a hero in every way.
Often times in literature, characters are exposed more for the sins they commit, than the heroic deeds they perform, or for their achievements. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the main character Gawain, although a very modest, but courageous character for accepting a terrifying challenge from the mysterious Green Knight, his bravery is soon forgotten as the poem goes on. Through symbolism and nature, the reader is provided that Sir Gawain, although has had faults, he is still seen as a hero. In the beginning of the poem, during a New Year’s Eve feast at King Arthur’s court, a mysterious green knight interrupts the festivities, by proposing a challenge to the King or any other brave man, that he will allow whomever accept the challenge to strike him with his own axe, on the condition that the challenger seek him out in exactly in year at the Green Chapel to accept a blow in return. When the King does not accept the challenge right away, the
All of these traits add up to be strengths because they all aid him in finishing his tasks. None of the suitors even left a scratch on Odysseus. Odysseus shows off all of his talents in this battle. Strength won it for him though. In conclusion, Odysseus is a hero because he uses human and super human strength to overcome his enemies, including super intelligence.
He shows braveness in this fight because he tells everyone that this is his fight and no one else should help him, which no one did. He fought a dragon all on his own and won. I believe this is one of the greatest qualities a hero can show;