The hero figure is central to the rich oral and written literary traditions of early English literature. The stories are graphic, with the lines blurred between fantasy and reality, at times requiring a cautionary, For Mature Viewers only rating. Beowulf exemplifies honour, valour, strength, and bravery. In Society now, Heroes come in all shapes and sizes. Terry Fox, a great Canadian Hero, ran with unfathomable strength and persistence, and the willingness and bravery to never give up. In this paper I will discuss the Heroic qualities that Beowulf displayed in the epic poem "Beowulf" and comparing modern day heroism in culture today.
The first heroic trait that Beowulf displays is his willingness to aid others. Beowulf leaves his homeland to help King Hrothgar in defeating; "the vicious raids and ravages" (152) of the demonic creature named Grindel. Beowulf was not summoned to help the King of Denmark, but felt like it was his Heroic duty to destroy the Evils of Grindles reign of terror.
Beowulf geography.
Beowulf wrestles with Grendel 1933
Beowulf & Grendel"in his day, he was the mightiest man on earth,
Highborn and powerful. He ordered a boat
That would ply the waves. He announced his plan:
To sail the swan's road and seek out that king,
The famous prince who needed defenders.
Nobody tried to keep him from going,
No elder denied him, dear as he was to them." (197-203)
Similarly, thousands of volunteers and fireman left for New York in the wake of September eleventh. Both Beowulf and these men and women were willing to postpone their own lives and travel far away from their home for the sake of something beyond themselves.
The second defining characteristic of a hero is his/her physical stature. In Arthurian literature, King Arthur was known for demonstrating fantastic feats of strength and physically quality's that no mortal...