Middle Ages and Beowulf Essay examples

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Superman can be qualified as a hero because he has heroic qualities and is regarded as a model. Same as, Beowulf, the epic character can also be considered as a hero due to his heroic traits. Each of these heroic traits emphasizes an Anglo Saxon value. These heroic characteristics are loyalty, bravery, and honor. These three heroic traits that Beowulf had were very important to the Anglo Saxon. The loyalty Beowulf shows to the Danes illustrates the importance of loyalty to the community of the Anglo-Saxons. Also his bravery and honor also illustrates how the Anglo Saxon values the important brave ones. Not only did Beowulf’s heroic traits was important to the Anglo Saxons but it also made him a true hero. Even though Beowulf is a modern hero, some might say he is not because he fails to show his bravery to save an innocent one when Grendel striked a Geat warrior. One of the heroic traits that made Beowulf a hero was loyalty. Loyalty is the state of being loyal. In the poem, Beowulf shows loyalty when he tells Hrothgar why he is at the land of the Danes. He said, “My one request is that you wont refuse me, who have come this far, the privilege of purifying Heorot, with my own men to help, and nobody else” (429-430). This means that he came to the Land of the Danes to defeat Grendel for them. This shows loyalty because he cares for the Danes. In addition, Beowulf shows he was being loyal to the Geats when Grendel’s mother went to the mead-hall to seek vengeance for her son’s death. He said, “I guarantee you, she will not get away.”(Heaney Line 1319) When Beowulf said this, he promises that Grendel’s mother will not get away with Aeschere’s death. Beowulf loyalty to the Geats truly makes him a hero. Not only was bravery a heroic trait but respect was one too. Respect was carry throughout the whole medieval age. Sir Gawain shows his respect by asking his lord to let him take his place. He said, “Would command me to step from the dais and stand with you there, that I might without bad manners more down from my place” (130-131). This tells readers that he was asking his knight to let him step down to take his place. By doing this, this shows respect because knights in the middle age respect the people by class. In addition to his respect, he shows it when he talks to the King's lady at the Green Chapel. In the poem, it said, “And she pressed the sash upon him and begged him to take it, And Gawain did, and she gave him the gift with great pleasure and begged him, for her sake, to say not a word, and to keep it hidden from her lord” (259-267). The lady gave Gawain a lucky jewelry and told him to keep it a secret. Gawain shows respect to the lady by taking the charm and by promising her that the secret is only to be between them two. Gawain showing respect makes him a hero. Loyalty was not only shown by Beowulf but by the Anglo Saxon too. Loyalty was a big deal in the Anglo Saxon Tribes. It was like a protection to the community. The Anglo Saxon would depend and trust others around them to keep them safe. Also they would use fences to protect their whole Tribe. “The Anglo Saxons tended to live close to their animals in single- family homesteads, wooden buildings that surrounded a communal court or a warm, fire lit chieftain’s hall” (Document B). By living close together and it shows that the Anglo Saxon were keeping each other safe. Therefore they valued loyalty. In addition to loyalty, bravery was another heroic trait that Beowulf had. Bravery is being able to go against the odds and possibly risk your life in the process. In the poem, Beowulf shows bravery when he is about to attack Grendel’s mother. He said, “If this combat kills me, take care of my young company, my comrades in arms” (Heaney Line 1480). When Beowulf said this, its shows that this battle may be his last because Grendel’s mother is a tough one to fight. Even though it might be his last battle, he still has the courage to go kill
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