The Epic Hero Beowulf
The Hero Beowulf It is very common that a favorite tale told to a small child before he goes to sleep is actually a great epic story that has lived on for many centuries. The tale of Beowulf is just that. Beowulf was written during the Anglo-Saxon era, when heroic deeds and loyalty to one's leader were traits of a person that lived on forever, by means of poets and writers. Beowulf tells the story of a hero: one that faces many great battles with many great enemies, conquering one after the next only to finally face his death, in his battle against the dragon. Up until the end of Beowulf's life he was constantly looking to be the hero. Beowulf, through the years, has lived on as a legendary hero, conquering all obstacles as though he were immortal. However, his mortality is exposed by his death, the same death that makes him a superhero, working and fighting evil for the people, and as a person. Beowulf, by all means, is a hero. A hero fears not, death, nor destruction of his own being, but instead risks all that he is for what he believes to be right, moral, and just. In the time of the Anglo-Saxons' reign of England it was noble and expected for a person of high honor to be more than loyal to his king. In fact, it was consider
indeed conquer his next conflict then he is temporarily built with self-esteem derived from accomplishment; only to be taken away by the next battle he fears, for he may not be able to conquer the next. Heroes in general have low self-esteem. They must do their heroic acts for everybody else in hopes to be known, because they really don't know their selves. In the end, Beowulf dies. Death comes for everybody and Beowulf is no exception, thus proving his mortality, making him no more special or significant in life than the next person. Indeed, Beowulf is a hero. His desires to exist as important, in a world filled with unimportant people, succeeded, through time, as he desired. Beowulf's story lives on, thousands of years after the actual days when Beowulf lived. His battles against the monster Grendel, his mother, and the dragon, go down in history as heroic battles. The first two were victorious; however, in the third fate takes action and brings death's cold touch to Beowulf. All of Beowulf's heroic deeds and battles make him the superhero he desires to be. Perhaps what makes Beowulf live today, forever a legend of our past, is the fact that he did die, making him a mortal being; living and dying with the people, for the people, and as a person. ed noble to be loyal to anything that was significant to humanity. In Beowulf, Beowulf is loyal to Higlac. "Higlac is my cousin and my king...(142)" says Beowulf in his preparation to do battle with the threatening monster, Grendel. Loyalty to the Anglo-Saxons
Some common words found in the essay are:
Grendel Beowulf, Beowulf Beowulf, Loyalty Anglo-Saxons, Indeed Beowulf, Beowulf Beowulf's, Hero Beowulf, Higlac Higlac, beowulf lived, heroic beowulf, beowulf beowulf, heroic deeds, beowulf human, beowulf tells, comes beowulf, people person, monster grendel, beowulf loyal,
Approximate Word count = 1023
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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