Beowulf :: Epic of Beowulf Essays

Beowulf, the Hero   &9The epic poem Beowulf, which was told from propagation to generation honoring modern Anglo-Saxon beliefs, describes a combatantic man who saves a village in their time of need. By definition a hero is a man of exceptional quality. Exceptional quality doesnt thus far begin to describe the man that is Beowulf. Beowulf has many heroic characteristics from his super benignant strength to victoriously slaying monsters and some other ferocious beasts. He has pure leadership skills and commonly boasts of his achievements. Beowulf emerges as the true Anglo Saxon hero who risks his career for the lives and well being of others. Others perceive Beowulf as a hero with his physical strength and stories of his glorious feats. Through all of the differences Beowulf fought he befogged only two, and his last defeat would be the death of him. The first battle Beowulf befogged was his competition with Breca. Unferth was an unbeliever of the strength and de termination of Beowulf. Unferth taunted Beowulf one shadow only to be, in return, taunted back. "Are you the Beowulf that strove with Brecarisking your lives on the lonely deepof sea swimming with out-streched armswith plowing shoulders parted the wavesseven darknesss you toiled in the tossing seahis strength was the greater, his swimming the stronger" (389-400). As Beowulf explained in his feud with Unferth, "We gripped in our give naked swords, as we swam the waves, guarding us from the whales assaultfreezing squalls, and the falling nightdown to the bottom a savage sea beast fiercely dragged meand so I was granted to slay with the sword edge nightclub of the nicors" (413-443). Basically Beowulf is trying to explain that the only reason he lost to Breca was because he had been swimming for seven days straight and he stop along the way to kill nine sea creatures to make it easier for other travelers of the sea to get by. This was one of the first heroic acts B eowulf preformed. Through the eyeball of an Anglo Saxon, Beowulf saved them from having to deal with the sea creatures, because the sea plays a major character in the life of the Anglo Saxons.  &9Beowulf came to rescue the Anglo Saxons from a ferocious monster who was terrorizing their town. Beowulfs uncle is king of the Geats and so he is sent as an emissary to help rid the Danes of this monster, Grendel.