How Is Beowulf An Epic Hero

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Beowulf is an epic that was written a long time ago by an unknown person. The biggest question that arises is if Beowulf is an epic hero or not. An epic hero is defined as a brave and noble character in an epic poem, admired for great achievements or affected by grand events, and has one tragic flaw. Some qualities of an epic hero include, superhuman strength, performing brave deeds, risking death for the greater good, being significant and glorified, and being on a quest. Beowulf is an epic hero because he is admired for saving Herot by killing Grendal and Grendal’s mother, and his tragic flaw is his unwillingness to back down from battle, he also has superhuman strength, and he performs brave deeds while risking his life for the greater…show more content…
Beowulf chooses to fight him with his bare hands, without any armor or a sword. "I have heard moreover that the monster scorns in his reckless way to use weapons; therefore, to heighten Higlac's fame and gladden his heart, I hereby renounce sword and the shelter of the broad shield, the heavy war-board: hand-to-hand is how it will be, a life-and-death fight with the fiend." (Beowulf 433-440) Beowulf ends up ripping Grendel’s arm off and kills him. Then the Danes throw Beowulf a huge feast to show him thanks. “Meanwhile, a thane of the king's household, a carrier of tales, a traditional singer deeply schooled in the lore of the past, linked a new theme to a strict metre. The man started to recite with skill, rehearsing Beowulf's triumphs and feats in well-fashioned lines, entwining his words”. (Beowulf 866-873) Then Grendel’s mother seeks revenge on Herot. Beowulf fights and kills her. The Danish people reward Beowulf and his men with all sorts of gifts. They do this because Beowulf and his men are their heroes and they ADMIRE them. When Beowulf fought the two monsters he was risking his life for the greater good, “None of them expected he would ever see his homeland again or get back to his native place and the people who reared him. They knew too well the way it was before, how often the Danes had fallen prey to death in the mead-hall.” (Beowulf 691-696) this was a very

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