Why Beowulf Was A Couragous Hero Essay, Research Paper

Fear is an emotion with which we are all are extremely familiar. Imagine that fear is not an option, not an emotion, and does not exist. Imagine being given strength equivalent to that of thirty men. This manifests the saga of the most celebrated hero of Anglo-Saxon times. A hero which people loved and respected throughout the entire region where he lived. He made the people feel they had someone to rely on through times in which failure seemed inevitable. Beowulf is an extremely courageous hero. Imminent danger is confronted in every situation Beowulf faced, but he never reconsidered fighting for what he felt was just no matter the cost. Beowulf showed his people that he was the person they could count on times of bleak distress. There was a dragon-like beast named Grendel that terrorizes the kingdom which Beowulf rules. Since Beowulf is accountable for the well being of his people he sets foot to rid the Geats of this problem. Beowulf s first sign of unmatchable courage comes in the fight with Grendel. Grendel is a large monster capable of snatching thirty men with a swoop of a hand. He is a giant whose superhuman strength and size is unprecedented. Grendel has no fear whatsoever and he is merciless towards his victims. Beowulf lies awake in his bed angered by the altercation that awaits him in the morning. He has no fear and believes victory is in his favor. The men sleeping around Beowulf lie awake because of fear. They are scared of the battle that they will ensue when morning comes. Grendel enters the hall killing when he arrives ” Grendel snatched at the first Geat/ he came to, ripped him apart, cut/ his body to bits with his powerful jaws”(739-741). Beowulf still lied in his bed unfrightend by what occurs and waits for Grendel to come to him. Beowulf leaned on one arm grabbed Grendel s talon and began to crush them inside his own hand. ” Grendel s one thought was to run/ from Beowulf and flee to his marsh and hide there”(755-757). Beowulf full of rage and anger began to beat this monster with his bare hands. Men tried to help Beowulf by hitting Grendel with their swords but it did nothing because he had a spell on him that allowed no objects to pierce his skin. ” The battle was over, Beowulf had been granted new glory: Grendel escaped,/ but wounded as he was could flee to his den”(819-821). Beowulf without fear or hesitation fought this monster and won. This beast had killed many men at a single time, but Beowulf s courage let him prevail in a situation where fear takes over the hearts of many men. Beowulf s next test of courage came when he fought Grendel s mother in the lake, she like Grendel, has incredible size and strength. Grendel s mother wants to kill Beowulf and avenge the murder of her son Grendel. Beowulf jumped in the lake going after Grendel s mother without any thought that would suggest the slightest insinuation of fear. He swims under the water what seems to be two hours. Finally after swimming in these murky waters Beowulf finds his enemy. “Then she carried him, armor/ an all, to her home”(1505-1506). She was an enormous opponent but Beowulf still had no fear and did not want to run from her. In her lair the fight broke out. Beowulf swung his sword at her only to realize that it could not penetrate her skin. Realizing it would not help in his fight he drops his weapon and begins to fight her with barehands. She tried to bite his head but his once beautiful helmet softened the blow luckily saving his head. She beat him to the ground and prepared to finish this intense battle and emerge the victor. “She drew/ a dagger, brown with dried blood and prepared/ to avenge her only son.”(1545-1546). This put Beowulf in a place in where fear would be the only option for all, but not for Beowulf. Then Beowulf saw a sword hanging from the wall so big no normal man could ever hold and use in battle. He then decapitated her with swift and powerful blow. Beowulf had a fight in which a normal person would concede defeat, but Beowulf pressed on and won the day. He didn t run when his weapon was useless, he stood his ground and fought. A coward would not act in the manner Beowulf did; a coward runs away. It takes courage to do what he did, and he did it without considering his own safety.

Beowulf takes part in one more significant battle that tests his courage and ability to fight when necessary. He must do battle with the dragon. This beast is his most vicious of opponents. It is a powerful adversary, stronger than Grendel or his mother, and breathes fire that strengthens his ability to fight. Beowulf brings many soldiers with to this battle so victory would be much easier to achieve. Beowulf s men desert him on the way to the fight, out of fear. Still this did not phase Beowulf s intent on pursuing the fight. “The rocky cliffs: no coward could have walked there!”(2541). This refers to his trek to the fight through the cliffs in order to reach the tower which is the dragon s domain. They say no coward could cross these cliffs and only a man of Beowulf s stature could perform such tasks. Beowulf fight with dragon is like a war between giants because of the tremendous strength of both sides. Beowulf begins to falter in his fight with dragon and receives wound in which no normal human could bare “Watching for its chance it drove it tusks/ Into Beowulf s; he staggered, the blood/ came flooding forth like rain”(2691-2693). This would be reason enough for someone to retreat from battle, but not Beowulf. His courage was unscathed by this, and he staggered on. The only on brave enough to follow behind their courageous king was Wiglaf. With his help Beowulf was able to cut the dragon in half. After this long battle Beowulf lay dead like the dragon but he achieved his goal but, in the process he sacrificed his life which is the most ultimate sign of courage. This epic poem was written about an unquestionable hero named Beowulf. This man showed the true attributes that pertain to a hero. He faces certain death in situations and he does not flinch or quiver in fear. He knows no meaning of fear or any situation that could manifest it. He goes in to situation a believing in himself, no matter the who the opponent is, that he will cease the day. The courageous demeanor he portrays is the sign that only a genuine hero could bare. He never turned his back because he was courageous and knew that what he was fighting for was just. He shows at the end that no matter what the cost, no matter the strength or size of his opponent, he is courageous enough to give the ultimate sacrifice for the greater good; which is why he is a courageous hero.