Beowulf

Aminah Shahid Nawaz
Ms. Livesey- 5
Beowulf Essay
October 31st, 2013

A Heroic Legacy
Self-sacrifice is one of the most courageous things any individual could ever do for his people. Beowulf set the standards high to achieve the title of a true hero. A hero is an entrusted guard of society that people can count on in times of danger. Societies need heroes as protection for people so that they have someone to guard them in a dangerous time. Heroes are also needed because they embody the qualities and powers that societies cherish and they act as models for people to imitate. With the help of God and the rules of the heroic code, Beowulf was able to bear himself as a good man, warrior, and king. In Seamus Heaney’s translation, Beowulf arises as a Christian hero in the battle with Grendel, a secular and Christian hero in the battle with Grendel’s mother, and a secular hero in the battle with the dragon.
During the fight of Grendel, Beowulf serves as a Christian hero when he slays Grendel because he acts as a vessel for God’s strength and righteousness. Beowulf seeks confidence in his strength my suggesting Grendel to fight against him without the use of any weapons but the strength God has blessed him with.
No weapons, therefore, for either this night: unarmed he shall face me if face me he dares. And may the divine lord in His wisdom grant the glory of victory to whichever side He sees fit (lines 677-687).

These lines convey that Beowulf has a dominating strength to overtake Grendel without the help of any weapons. The tone of Beowulf when he dares Grendel to come fight him is intimidating because Beowulf speaks as if he is gifted with invincible strength a strength that is not usual for a human to obtain. Considering Beowulf is a Christian hero he has acquired his almighty powers from God because the divine lord is able to grant victory as he is able to grant one with strength. God believes Beowulf is the fittest for the glory of victory, hence grants him with victory. These lines clearly convey the power God has over mankind and that God is the one who has given Beowulf undefeatable strength to purge the land of evil in a human form rather than as a Godly form.
In the battle between Grendel’s mother and Beowulf, Beowulf plays the role of a secular and a Christian hero by protecting the Danes, revenging the death of Aeschere, and abolish the evil on the Danes and Geats land. As the battle with Grendel’s mother progresses, Beowulf senses a keen strength but with the help of God, Beowulf still defeats Grendel’s mother. “The monster wrenched and wrestled him/ but Beowulf was mindful of his mighty strength, / the wondrous gifts God had showered on him: / He relied for help on the Lord of All, / on his care and favor. So he overcame the foe, / brought down the hell brute” (lines 1269-1274). Beowulf is fulfilling his duties as a Christian hero to protect the people from being harmed and he is also omitting the evils that occupy his land. Beowulf’s mother has set forth to attack Beowulf and his people and is relying for help on the Lord of All to give strength to defeat Grendel’s mother. This quote represents God’s ability to control all occurrences with mankind. Eventually, using God’s strength Beowulf brings down the hell brute. Alongside Beowulf fulfilling his Christian duties he also claims the heroic code to be the guidance of his success and boasts to Hrothgar that he will be revenging Grendel’s mother for Aeschere’s death. He boasts to Hrothgar “Wise sir, do not grieve. It is always better/ to avenge dear ones than to indulge in mourning” (lines 1384-1385). This shows Beowulf as a secular hero because the Heroic code says that Hero should take revenge for the death of a kinsman. Contrary to Christian beliefs encouraging for one to mourn after the death of a kinsman. Beowulf prefers to seek revenge and kill instead of waste time and mourn. Beowulf’s decision to choose revenge over mourn and follow the guidance of the Heroic code over the Christian bible represent Beowulf as a secular hero.
In the battle with the dragon, Beowulf proves himself to be a secular hero by obligating himself to kill the dragon individually to prevent his people from being killed by the monster. After Beowulf fights his final battle with the dragon, he is left severely wounded and fate has nothing left for him but his death. Beowulf leaves as a role model behind for his fellow Geat warriors to look up to after his final battle. Beowulf says
Men at arms, remain here on the barrow, safe in your armor,
…This fight is not yours, nor is it up to any man except me to measure his strength against the monster or to prove his worth. I shall win the gold by my courage, or else mortal combat, doom of battle, will bear your lord away. (lines 2529-2537)
This quote illustrates when Beowulf tells his warriors to stay where they are to prevent getting hurt while in battle and to also bear witness of his actions so his people replicate his footsteps. Beowulf claims that the fight is only his to battle and proves that he wants to be a leader for his warriors to look up to, he portrays a secular hero because he is demonstrating his strength and powers of being a leader to his people. Beowulf proves that his reason of fighting is to present his courage and to protect his people from this monster that has the capability to kill all the Geats. Beowulf announces that he will win golden treasures by his courage to ensure his people that they are ruled by a powerful lord. He also mentions the golden treasure which shows he is a secular hero rather than a Christian hero because of his aim for glory and treasure rather than battling to serve the purpose of pleasing God. Through the sacrifices Beowulf took for the protection of his people he justifies having the title of a hero. Son of Ecgtheow shows the alternating attitude of each battle after being showered with gifts and treasures from King Hrothgar and going from a Christian to a secular hero. Through God’s strength and the rules of the Heroic code Beowulf was able to commit to being a successful king. Through his successes and courageous actions he left a legacy behind for his cowardly Geats to look up to after he passes away from sacrificing his life in the final battle. The importance of having a hero like Beowulf for the Geats is to encourage the cowardly warriors of the Geats to gain courage by looking up to Beowulf. Not only does Beowulf teach his warriors the importance of self-sacrifice, he also teaches the Geats to unite as a group to defend one another in times of danger.

EXTRA STUFF:

received his strength from God the almighty who rules over mankind. “they would crush their enemy and come through/in triumph and gladness.” indicates that by fighting Grendel he is fulfilling God’s will. God is omniscient and has his “hand on earth” because he appoints Beowulf to ensure his work is done without being present. Beowulf saves the Danes from the terror, Grendel by battling him with God’s strength. Hence, saving the Danes is a good righteous and Godly act.
So the Shieldings’ hero, hard-pressed and enraged,
Took a firm hold of the hilt and swung
The blade in arc, a resolute blow
That bit deep into her neck-bone
And severed it entirely, toppling the doomed
House of flesh; she fell to the floor.
The sword dripped blood, the swordsman was elated. (lines 1563-1569)

This quote illustrates that Beowulf feels bloodthirsty pleasures when committing acts of violence. The line “The sword dripped blood, the swordsman was elated.” Shows the overjoyed emotion in Beowulf when he sees the sword drenched with Grendel’s mother’s blood. Lines 1563-1564 “So the Shieldings’ hero, hard-pressed and enraged,/ Took a firm hold of the hilt and swung” show the pleasurable pain inflicted in Beowulf as he gradually stabs Grendel’s mother. “The blade in arc, a resolute blow/That bit deep into her neck-bone” these graphic lines trigger a sense of Beowulf’s bloodthirst as he accurately kills his mother with excruciating wounds and fells “elated” at the end.