Heroes and their relevance in the past and present modern society
After the disappearance of the Celts comes the emergence of the Anglo-Saxon era. Anglo-Saxon life is influenced by the need to protect the clan and home against foreign invaders. All groups, from kingdom to family, from adults to children, are organized around a leader who commands defense against enemies. This leader represents an epic hero, who has superior physical strength and is supremely ethic, who leads everyone to a better life, a life without fear. An epic hero is clearly described in an anonymous poem, Beowulf, which was composed between the years of 700 and 750 to glorify people’s desire for a hero. In modern society, nowadays heroes are somehow relevant to epic heroes, who live for one purpose, protect their countries with their lives. Beowulf, “a story of dream and legend, of monsters and of god-fashioned weapons, of descents to the underworld and of fights with dragons, of the hero’s quest and of a community threatened by the powers of evil” (page 19), paints the pictures of the Dane kingdom under King Hrothgar fighting for peace. The battles are triumphantly succeeded under the command of Beowulf, a hero of the Danes. Although Beowulf is an ancient poem, its heroic ideas are not completely alien to modern society. In fact, Beowulf, with its heroic code, demonstrates its relevance to modern society. Beowulf’s theme, portrayed through the battles for hope and dream, for peace and protection, and for future and a better life, establishes a sturdy pertinence to modern society through heroism.
A hero is destined to eradicate the outside enemies to maintain the peace of his country, to fulfill the needs of everyone. In Beowulf, Herot, under King Hrothgar’s rule, is under attack by Grendel, a ruthless beast, “He slipped through the door and there in silence/ Snatched up thirty men, smashed them/ Unknowing in their beds, and ran out with their bodies,/ The blood dripping behind him, back/... [continues]
After the disappearance of the Celts comes the emergence of the Anglo-Saxon era. Anglo-Saxon life is influenced by the need to protect the clan and home against foreign invaders. All groups, from kingdom to family, from adults to children, are organized around a leader who commands defense against enemies. This leader represents an epic hero, who has superior physical strength and is supremely ethic, who leads everyone to a better life, a life without fear. An epic hero is clearly described in an anonymous poem, Beowulf, which was composed between the years of 700 and 750 to glorify people’s desire for a hero. In modern society, nowadays heroes are somehow relevant to epic heroes, who live for one purpose, protect their countries with their lives. Beowulf, “a story of dream and legend, of monsters and of god-fashioned weapons, of descents to the underworld and of fights with dragons, of the hero’s quest and of a community threatened by the powers of evil” (page 19), paints the pictures of the Dane kingdom under King Hrothgar fighting for peace. The battles are triumphantly succeeded under the command of Beowulf, a hero of the Danes. Although Beowulf is an ancient poem, its heroic ideas are not completely alien to modern society. In fact, Beowulf, with its heroic code, demonstrates its relevance to modern society. Beowulf’s theme, portrayed through the battles for hope and dream, for peace and protection, and for future and a better life, establishes a sturdy pertinence to modern society through heroism.
A hero is destined to eradicate the outside enemies to maintain the peace of his country, to fulfill the needs of everyone. In Beowulf, Herot, under King Hrothgar’s rule, is under attack by Grendel, a ruthless beast, “He slipped through the door and there in silence/ Snatched up thirty men, smashed them/ Unknowing in their beds, and ran out with their bodies,/ The blood dripping behind him, back/... [continues]
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