Websters dictionary defines a hero as one greatly regarded for his achievements or qualities. This is only a rough definition, and applies only somewhat to Beowulf. A hero is usually the main character; he is, according to Mr. Renn, a man who fights for the right reasons, usually confident and possessed of superhuman abilities, at least as it applies to Beowulfs time period. Less common in that period in time is the idea of hubris, a fatal weakness on the part of every hero. Beowulf exhibits all of these characteristics Beowulf fights for the right reasons at the beginning, or at least the right reasons as 6th century Norse warriors wouldve reckoned the term.
He defeats Grendel for several good reasons, but primarily to repay a debt of honor owed to Hrothgar because of his father Ecgtheow. The text brings up in lines 406-407 So you have come here, because of past favors, to fight on our behalf!… and continues into the section left out of the He then proceeded to kill Grendels Dam in vengeance for the death of Aeschere. In this, he acts as a champion for a friend of his new kinsman, Hrothgar. This is slightly less honorable, yet enough so that he wins; after all, Grendels Dam was only avenging her son, as stated in lines 975-976: mournful and ravenous, she resolved to go on a grievous journey to avenge her sons death. In the final battle, he is still fighting for mostly the right reasons: gold for his people, as depicted in lines 1916-1920: With these words, I thank the King of Glory, the Eternal Lord, the Ruler, for all these treasures here before me, that I have been able to gain them for the Geats, and a sense of destiny, that it was the fated hour.
The Essay on Great Heroes in Literature: Beowulf and Odysseus
“You can do it Superman, you can do it!” Superman is one of America's most idolized super heroes. Okay, so no regular human could take on what Superman does, but does it mean that we can't still watch his heroic ways every week at seven o'clock? Superman is our modern day hero, one that everyone wants to be like but realizes that that they will never be able to fly through the air to save a ...
His reward for this battle was an honorable death in battle, and, in essence, immortality. He is also supremely confident throughout the text, from the very first time he meets Hrothgar, where he declared And now, I shall crush the giant Grendel in single combat (lines 375-376), to the final battle with the dragon, where he announced I will fight again, the old guardian of my people, and achieve a mighty exploit if the evil dragon dares confront me, dares come out of its earth-cave! (lines 1725-1728).
In any other situation, with any other man, this wouldve been egotism, bordering on pure insanity, but since its a hero, this is normal confidence; he does, after all, have the ability This leads me to my next point; Beowulf is exceptionally powerful. It is related in by Hrothgar that in the grasp of his hand that man renowned in battle has the might of thirty men. (lines 333-335).
He has exceptional abilities, just as every classic hero Finally, there is the idea of hubris, or a fatal flaw; in this case, it is his pride. Hrothgar recognized this early in the play and warned Beowulf of it in lines 1386-1429.
Part of this speech is exceptionally important: He suffers no setbacks until the seed of arrogance is sown and grows within him, while still the watchman slumbers; how deeply the souls guardian sleeps when a man is enmeshed in matters of this world (lines 1399-1403) and Arm yourself, dear Beowulf, best of men, against such diseased thinking; always swallow pride. This is part of the pedagogical part of this myth, but many see it as a foreshadowing of Beowulfs death, and see pride as one of the reasons
