Beowulf - the Ideal Hero

Achilles, Beowulf, Gilgamesh, Samson and Heracles can all be characterized as heroes. However, each of these characters embodies different attributes that earn them the heroic distinction. This paper will seek to show that Beowulf is the "most" heroic figure based on his adherence to the heroic ethos. Also, the character of Gilgamesh will be used as a means of comparison to further showcase the heroic nature of Beowulf.

The heroic ethos is a set of values that prioritize and glorify the valor of an individual. The motivation of the hero is to garner fame and immortality in legend, resulting in feats of excellence. Characteristics of the heroic ethos include service to people in the upper level of the hierarchy (e.g. relationship between lord and thane), a special relationship to god (special does not necessarily mean positive as in the case of Heracles and Hera), greatness in warfare/slaying, loyal, courageous, indispensable, and (almost) invulnerable. For the hero, the highest good is glory and the highest evil is shame.

Beowulf, the son of Ecgtheow and Hygelac's thane is introduced by Heaney as a valiant warrior. The reader immediately notices that Beowulf is well respected. The tone of the work suggests that even the narrator holds him in high esteem, "the man whose name was known for courage, the Geat Leader" (Heaney, 11) (the chapter is entitled "The Hero comes to Heorot"). Beowulf is introduced with grandeur. He is allowed to mention his own name and goes on to describe some of his feats, "They had seen me boltered in the blood of enemies, when I battled and bound five beasts, raided a troll nest and slaughtered sea - brutes" (Heaney, 13). Before actually seeing him in action, the reader is aware that Beowulf is a great warrior whose father is well

respected. From the initial introduction, it is expected that Beowulf will be able to accomplish super human tasks.

Similarly, Gilgamesh is also given a grand introduction. He is described as, "the strongest one of all, the perfect, the terror" (Ferry, 4). However, the overall view of Gilgamesh is not as honorable as Beowulf. The people of Uruk are lamenting to the god Aruru: (Ferry, 5)

"Neither the father's son nor the wife of the noble

is safe in Uruk; neither the mother's daughter nor the warrior's bride is safe. The old men say:

Is this the shepherd of the people? Is this

the wise shepherd, the protector of the people?

There is no withstanding the desire of the Wild Ox."

This shows that even though Gilgamesh is supposed to be the "perfect," he is far from it. Unlike the praise and admiration for Beowulf, Gilgamesh's character is being questioned right from the beginning of the text. Is this the classification of a great hero? Does the reader expect great things from Gilgamesh? Not really. This classification of Gilgamesh enables the reader to see that he is flawed and will more than likely experience later difficulties.

Courage is a major component of the hero's artillery. Up to his death, Beowulf's courage was boundless. He competed with Breca in a swimming match on the open seas; he fought Grendel, Grendel's mother, and finally, the dragon that caused his death. In each situation, Beowulf displayed strength, wisdom, and faith. In all of his expeditions, he never really showed resistance. It can be argued that he was reluctant in the last battle with the dragon but this is to be expected since he was considerably older. In the fight with Grendel, Beowulf used his arm strength to accomplish his task. He was able to rip off Grendel's shoulder and arm:

"The monster's whole body was in pain; a tremendous wound

appeared on his shoulder. Sinews split and the bone lappings burst. Beowulf was granted the glory of winning; Grendel was driven

under the fen - banks, fatally hurt, to his desolate lair" (Heaney, 22)

One cannot help feeling sorry for Grendel. However, it is the hero's duty to carry out his task and Beowulf accomplished his with strength and courage. The same episode is seen with Grendel's mother. Even though he had to fight in a mystical body of water, Beowulf triumphed. At a time when everyone else in his company including the boastful Unferth proved cowards, he was able to prove his worth. Beowulf is able to fight with all of his might because he is a strict follower of the heroic code. He knows that failure would lead to shame and disgrace for himself and his lord, Hygelac; "A warrior will sooner die than live a life of shame" (Heaney, 72).

At the end of the text, Beowulf faces his death with courage. Even though he is an old man and knows that he will die, he still fights with all of his might for glory and immortality through story (as characteristic of any great warrior - this is also seen in with Hector and Helen in the Iliad). Before going into battle, Beowulf says,

"This fight is not yours,

nor is it up to any man except me

to measure his strength against the monster

or to prove his worth. I shall win the gold

by my courage, or else mortal combat,

doom of battle, will bear your lord away" (Heaney, 64).

Beowulf dies with his request to see all of the treasure that he has earned for his nation by defeating the dragon. Unfortunately, he did not live long enough to enjoy the full sight of his winnings. Beowulf dies a noble death. He fights for his honor and dies defending it. This is the major characteristic of a true hero.

In accordance with the heroic ethos, the feats of Gilgamesh pale in comparison to those of Beowulf. Firstly, unlike Beowulf, Gilgamesh had a companion, Enkidu when he actually accomplished his tasks. These included killing Huwawa and the Bull of Heaven. In both of these tasks, Enkidu played a major role. He had to continually encourage Gilgamesh along the way. Unlike Beowulf who completed all of his feats on his own with no doubt in mind, Gilgamesh could only accomplish a task with the help of Enkidu in both the mental and physical aspects. He constantly had recurring nightmares of being defeated. His fears materialized itself in his dreams:

"Did you call out