Preview

Beowulf As A Tragic Hero

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
366 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Beowulf As A Tragic Hero
Throughout the history of Humans there have been a collection of well-known Heroes, often mythical that make their mark on our psyche. Many of these heroes share many characteristics along with flaws. In the story of Beowulf he is portrayed as an ideal canon for a Germanic hero. He is brave, loyal and skillful in battle. Throughout the entire saga Beowulf did not falter in the face of great danger. This is represented very well when he battled grendel’s mother in the bottom of the river. As Beowulf grows as person he begins to mature and becomes a caring and great king. Although, most Germanic heroes seek to find their own personal glory Beowulf becomes responsible for the entire empire he rules.
This sets him apart from Odysseus because

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Beowulf As An Epic Hero

    • 379 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Beowulf is such a unique and distinctive character. He shows people the true definition of an epic hero. He is the type of hero that people would look up to. He is a confident leader for many, and that is what makes him who he is. Beowulf’s main characteristics are loyalty, bravery, and strength.…

    • 379 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

    The entire cast of characters in the Scandinavian epic tale Beowulf all possess archetypal qualities that make them less complex in psychological development than the standard characters in the majority of literature in existence. Beowulf, the hero from the land of the Geats, acts as a representation of good, while each of the monsters he consecutively faces are forms of evil. Since Beowulf appears to be an unstoppable force for the good of the people, it would be difficult to see how he could not be an ideal hero. However, archetypes are not perfect; they lack the depth of character development and only act as the standard form of something. Beowulf still falls victim to mankind’s failings, such as the desire to be famous and to be remembered forever. He wants nothing more than to have his name be sacred and his image godly. The word ideal means “a conception of something in its perfection”. With that in mind, Beowulf is not an ideal hero because, like every man with power, he contains flaws that make him far from a standard of perfection.…

    • 1224 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Throughout the story, Beowulf displays many qualities of a hero. Beowulf is a story about a epic hero who comes from across the sea to save another kingdom from a monster. Beowulf shows qualities only displayed from an epic hero: he is honorable, brave, strong, was born from a noble family, fights for god, has followers, accepts challenges, and many more. I’m going to tell you about a few of these qualities.…

    • 433 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The epic poem of Beowulf represents a Germanic ideal of heroism and virtue important to the early tribes outside the Roman Empire. In this culture, men who faced difficult challenges, the strongest and bravest warriors, were exulted chieftains and often looked to for leadership. While many might consider Beowulf a proud and arrogant man, he was a hero to the Germanic tribes. The character of Beowulf embodies the very values and ideals of what a hero was to the Germanic peoples. Through his respect to kinship, bravery, honor, strength, and intelligence, Beowulf offers to Germanic men a model of a great warrior and leader, a model every man should strive to emulate.…

    • 881 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the historic epic Beowulf, its title character, Beowulf, is perceived as an unconventional as well as a traditional hero in current society. Beowulf, the son of Ecgtheow and Hygelac's thane, is presented as a fearless warrior to the audience. This acknowledgment of Beowulf causes the readers to instantly recognize that Beowulf is a well-respected man. Beowulf's magnitude is seen at the very beginning of the poem as the narrator states, "The man whose name was known for courage, the Geat Leader" (Heaney 25). Beowulf is announced to the Danish people with magnificence. Before proving Beowulf's heroic qualities, the viewers are conscious of the fact that Beowulf is a great warrior and the son of a well admired man. It can be distinguished that…

    • 731 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Beowulf Vs Today

    • 780 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Beowulf's traits, good and bad, define him as a hero by Anglo-Saxon standards. But his arrogance, greed and selfishness contradict the modern, humanistic image of a hero. When it comes to Beowulf getting what he wants, nothing will stand between him and his goal. No amount of lives lost is too many for Beowulf, and the high cost to others only contributes to his glory. In his own time and culture, he was the ultimate hero of legend because he saved his people from monsters attacking them. But he falls far short when compared to today’s standards of selflessness, in which heroes are defined by risking their lives for others, and thus valuing their own less. Today’s heroes know that he may not make it out of the…

    • 780 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Why Beowulf Is A Hero

    • 518 Words
    • 3 Pages

    In the story Beowulf, there was a lot of events that happened. Beowulf helped the people of Herot. One of the events that happened, Beowulf killed Grendel and that wasn't even for his people. Beowulf went out of his way and saved them, that just who Beowulf is. A lot of people have argued about Beowulf being a hero or not. Beowulf risked his own life to protect the danes. He was the only one strong enough to kill Grendel and to take him down. Not only did he kill Grendel but killed Grendel’s mother too. Being a hero is saving one other, standing up for other people and having confidence. Beowulf showed all the signs of being a hero. If it wasn’t for Beowulf,…

    • 518 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Beowulf by Gareth Hinds is graphic novel based on the Anglo-Saxon epic from 1000 A.D. This work tells the story of a warrior-prince named Beowulf, who completes various heroic tasks throughout the epic story. How to Read Literature like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster teaches the reader the real qualities and characteristics it takes to be a true hero in literature. In his quests Beowulf proves that he is a true hero in literature.…

    • 951 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    How Beowulf Is A Hero

    • 652 Words
    • 3 Pages

    In the epic poem of "Beowulf" the main character is the hero in the land of the Geats and the Danes. Beowulf is helpful, courageous, and determined. He proves to be the bravest and most daring. On his journeys he shows how being a hero is not only determined on brute strength, but by interior qualities as well. Beowulf is helpful to the Danes by freeing them from their 12 long years of panic and terror.…

    • 652 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Beowulf Is A Hero

    • 67 Words
    • 1 Page

    Throughout history, humans have always looked for a courageous and strong person that they can call on and label him or her as their hero. In the Epic poem Beowulf, origin unknown, the titular character Beowulf was a warrior who preformed epic feats against the terrors of Geatland. Beowulf, the main character allows his physical strength, noble qualities, and his victories to characterize him as a hero.…

    • 67 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Beowulf As A Hero

    • 167 Words
    • 1 Page

    Beowulf has many of the characteristics to classify him as a hero. For example he’s brave, sacrificial, strong, caring and patient. Evidence from the text where Beowulf shows/develops these characteristics are:…

    • 167 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory 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
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Part A- Beowulf like all epic hero’s is strong loyal and brave. These characteristic are what define Beowulf, and instill fear is his enemies. He boasts about “(driving) / five great giants into chains” (248-249) and “In the blackness of night, hunting monsters” (251). Beowulf protects his followers and king, and is proud of his accomplishments. He strives for greatness, his words are arrogant but his actions shine through his overbearing pride and give him the capability to be heroic. (Part B) Beowulf is an epic hero; he takes great pride in his actions, unlike Grendel who feels jealous of humans which causes him to be spiteful towards them: “ Grendel snatched at the first Geat / He came to (and) Ripped him apart” (313-314). Grendel’s pride lays in the fear he instills on humans, without pride Grendel would be a monster with no motive to kill. Furthermore, Beowulf’s pride stems…

    • 379 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    What is a hero? Many people have different definitions of what a hero can be for example Beowulf. In the story Beowulf, Beowulf the hero is described as a great fighter and a man of tremendous strength. In my opinion a hero is not what the story describes a hero as. my definition of a hero is a good person who does something nice or saves somebody. A hero can also be someone you look up too. The Hollywood's definition of a hero is way different than my definition of a hero their definition of a hero is somebody who saves lives, has supernatural powers and are always protagonist in the stories. Some traits a hero has to make him a hero are they are nice, brave, have powers, caring and are patient. My definition and Hollywood's definition of…

    • 743 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays