Hero and Noble Birth

Epic Hero Essay

Beowulf is an epic hero with extraordinary strength. A true hero does not fear death, but instead risks all that he is for what he believes to be right and moral. Epic heroes are of noble birth and fight for people. They will travel far distances to accomplish what they are setting out to do. Heroes all share the characteristic of their willingness to die in their effort to accomplish their heroic act, making the act in it heroic. Beowulf is an epic hero because he is born of noble birth, fights for what is right, and portrays superhuman abilities. In the epic poem Beowulf, it states that he is born of noble birth. Beowulf is the son of Beowulf traveled all the way from Norway to Denmark to speak to King Hrothgar about him taking on Grendel. King Hrothgar sent Wulfar, one of his thanes to greet him. When he greets him, he approached by saying, "My Lord, the great king of the Danes, commands me , To tell you that he knows of your noble birth and that having you come to him from over the open Sea you have come bravely and are welcome."(P24 line 127). His being of noble birth gives him the ideal characteristics to be destined to fight Grendel for King Hrothgar. After serving his people as King of the Geats for fifty years, he believes that it is his responsibility to defend his land. He wants to do what was right, and he is determined to do so. Beowulf has a strong belief in fate. If he dies in battle he believes it’s because it is his destiny to do so. He realizes the dangers but fears nothing. This is what makes Beowulf a true hero. Beowulf goes into battle in hopes, or fate, to destroy a dragon, which is terrifying all of his people. Beowulf shows many superhuman abilities. He shows strength, power, extreme bravery, as well as many others. Beowulf can hold his breath for long periods of time, and he is known for his swimming as it says on (P27line267) “No man swims in the sea As I can, no strength is a match for mine.” Beowulf showed superhuman strength by choosing to fight Grendel barehanded because he said it wasn’t fair to fight him with weapons, because Grendel used no weapons. In the fight with Grendel, Beowulf bare handedly rips Grendel’s arm off, this portrays superhuman strength. Throughout the poem, Beowulf is shown as a true epic hero by the many things he says and does. He shows: loyalty by protecting his people; bravery by taking on several monsters with very few people; and nobility by knowing the outcome could well possibly be death, but he is willing to fight to death for the people that he cares for. Although Beowulf is arrogant in the way he told about all he had done and how great he was, he proved that he is a true epic hero by fighting Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the Dragon to protect his kingdom.