Beowulf

The epic poem, Beowulf, is one of the oldest European epics in existence. When Beowulf was written, the writer incorporated many of the ideals of the Anglo-Saxons. Some of these ideals included loyalty, bravery, selflessness, and justice and were demonstrated in the hero. Both the characters Beowulf and Grendel represent aspects of both good and evil, Christianity and Paganism, and what occurs when they collide with one another. A characteristic of an epic poem is the concern over struggles that humans face, which is presented in a serious manner. The hero often embodies the religious, national, and cultural values of his homeland and abroad. The premise of the story is quite simple: the Danes were in distress because of the great monster Grendel, so Beowulf, a native of the Geats, sails to engage in battle with Grendel and become victorious in saving the seemingly faithless Danes. Throughout the epic, there are many instances where examples of the thirteen epic conventions are used in the writing of Beowulf and in describing both the ideals of the Anglo-Saxons and the underlying challenges with mortal problems, such as good versus evil.

Beowulf, as an epic, can be demonstrated through examples in the writing of the story. Beowulf is often described as a national hero who embodies the ideals of his race or nation. He is referred to as, "...the strongest of the Geats, greater and stronger than anyone anywhere in the world," and is shown as displaying courage in his message to Hrothgar to return, "The precious gifts you gave me" to Higlac is he should die in his battle with Grendel's mother. Each of these examples helps define Beowulf as an epic poem.

An Anglo-Saxon hero must embody certain characteristics and ideals in order to be truly considered a hero. Beowulf is depicted as being very brave. "I've never known fear", "Then Beowulf stood, still brave, still strong" and, "...everything hidden in that tower, will be mine or war will sweep me to a bitter death!" display Beowulf"s strong bravery and his desire to prevail. Even until the very end, Beowulf fights without fear, seeming to always know that he will be the victor. Another quality Beowulf shows is his loyalty to his king and to his people. He speaks, "...I sold my life for this treasure, and I sold it well. Take what I leave...lead my people, help them," to Wiglaf as his last dying few words. As mentioned before, Beowulf wishes to have his possessions and gold to his Higlac so that "...may he see in their golden brightness...that here in Denmark I found a noble protector." He also minds that Higlac "...might think less of me if I let my sword go where my feet were afraid to," and does his best to represent his land and people with all his strength and courage. Beowulf can be perceived as an example of Anglo-Saxon heroism even until the final battle in which his life finally leaves him.

Finally, the hero story that is associated in Beowulf runs hand in hand with the illustrated project that accompanies these examples. The coming of Beowulf was a main point of the story. This coming is illustrated as how the story is able to move on to the final battle from this moment. He is the strongest and bravest of known soldiers and this is why his coming is so pivotal. Secondly, his valor and victory are illustrated in his fights with both Grendel and his mother. Beowulf's bravery and loyalty never leave