In the Anglo-Saxon epic, Beowulf, the Geat warrior and main character, Beowulf, incarnates the perfect example of an Anglo-Saxon hero with his sense of what is right and wrong, as an epic hero he shows his superhuman strength. Throughout the narrative, he argufies with multiple antagonists and ultimately snaps, slashes, and swash his way to epic fame. Beowulfs characteristics of courage, pride, and obsession with personal glory are well defined along the narrative poem and truly rank him as an Anglo-Saxon epic hero.
Within Beowulf dwells courage, his personal monster that roars to meet larger-than-life challenges. Like all epic heroes, Beowulf bravely opposes evil monsters to rescue people in need: Moreover Beowulf representing a beleaguer community facing evil farces that lurk in the cold darkness, decides to travel upon the open sea and his braveness is recognized when Wulfgar said My lord commands me to tell youthat having come to him from over the open sea you have come bravely and are welcome. (126-130) When he knew that Harot had been attacked, Beowulf wanted to show his loyalty to the Danish King. Beowulfs courage is indeed represented by his thoughts as we can see in My hands shall fight for me, struggle for life, against the monster (172) when he has been told that the monster, Grendel, who snatched and smashed thirty men, did it without a weapon. To sum up Beowulfs courage can be considered to a truly epic hero because of his compromise to protect and represent a community or society by risking his life.
With warrior-to-warrior pride, Beowulf boastfully commands fame for his superhuman victories, as he protects himself as an epic hero. He misses no opportunity to extol his greatness when talking to Unferth and by replying to Unferths accusations he said: No man swims in the sea as I can, no strength is a match for mine, after this sentence Beowulf explains what really happened when they were boys, but he led Unferth know that he had a superior strength than any human, monster, or creature of evil. As well as he defeated Brecca he defeated Grendel by penetrating his arm. His greatness can also be seen when defeated Grendels mother, going to the mountain lake, lair of Grendel and his mother. Beowulf found out that his sword wasnt strong enough to open the evil soul that Grendels mother had, he finally saw a magical sword and cut Grendel mothers neck and left to Harot with her head. Accordingly to these two actions, Beowulf was rewarded by gaining not only admiration but also respect. His strength and braveness took him to the point of becoming a subject for bards who told stories about his strength and braveness.
Taking pride to the level of obsession, Beowulf seeks glory at all personal costs, and stands for the ideal of its people- qualities of an epic hero. After fifty years Beowulf had been called to protect the community that he once protected against Grendel and his mother; his obsession of becoming the most important epic hero drew him into a trip about a dragon that had been wakened after a thief stole a jewelry cup from his treasure. He knew that it was going to be a struggle and for the first time he was denied glory in battle. After slaughtering the dragon with Wulgraf help, Beowulf asked to be taken to the dragons layer, where he witnessed the great treasure before he died; his obsession to accomplish was so perseverant that he never gave up until his destiny was fulfilled. Before he passed away he courageously said I give thanks that I behold this treasure in front of me, that have been thus allowed to leave my people so well endowned on the day I die he was proud of what he had accomplish thus knew his tale was coming to an end for he was getting older and weaker. Therefore his pride among the people made him into the greatest epic hero of all societies and his ashes along with the dragons treasure were placed, in a huge tower by the sea.
In conclusion were able to say that Beowulf an Anglo-Saxon hero unequaled upholds the ideas of his fellow warriors by personifying courage, pride, and greed for glory. Likewise his actions were to represent the community, he also tried to present the real him and his abilities, Beowulf fits the role model of an epic hero.
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