The Old Man and Sea

Jennifer Yu

Mrs. Charlton

English III - Period 2

27 September 2017

Beowulf

        Heroes deserve our thanks and remembrances. They are just people, normal people like us. However, Heros represents justice and power, they are capable to do the greatest thing. They also educate people to know right from wrong and people learn the good qualities and spirit from them. In addition, when people meet difficult times, heros always bring hope to them. Beowulf is an old English epic written between 975 to 1025. It was a story about Beowulf who was a hero in people’s minds. In the end of the book, he became the king of Geatland, he helped people against the monster and became a hero that everyone looked up to. Beowulf is a christ-like hero, he has different roles that destined fate to take in whole life, he destroys all evil and owns everything as a hero, he keeps peace and dies in serving his citizens as a king.

        Beowulf is a good warrior who always despites all risks and fights with evil that irritates people, and this is one of the important traits that can demonstrate Beowulf is a Christ-like hero. In the beginning of Beowulf, Grendel is a demon “Whom the Creator had outlawed and condemned as outcasts”(106-107). By describing the disaster that Grendel creates, the poet shows the sorrows and sadness that people have everyday. Also, nobody in this kingdom could against this horrible monster. Then, Beowulf decides to come to this kingdom and save these poor people in Danes after the news had spread overseas. “He announced his plan: to sail the swan’s road and search out that king, the famous prince who needed defenders”(198-201). When Grendel comes again, Beowulf has a intense fight with him and he breaks off Grendel’s arm and wins the battle. After he defeated Grendel, he heals people’s sadness. And all the things he did are not he supposed to do, because he is willing to service people. Thus, this is a good evidence which fights off evil force that can demonstrate Beowulf is a Christ-like hero.        

Christ-like heroes always represent hope. When people have difficulty, they always bring hope to people. The Danes suffer the disaster from Grendel, the king and people have no idea how to wipe out this monster. Therewith Beowulf’s appearance raises hopes in Danes, the king could not restrain his excitement: “Now Holy God has, in His goodness, guided him here to the West-Danes, to defend us from Grendel. This is my hope, and for his heroism I will recompense him with a rich treasure”(381-385). Then, Beowulf becomes the king of Geatland, he represents the hope in Geatland.  After he rules the kingdom for fifty winters and falls, “they[people in Geatland] were disconsolate and wailed aloud for their lord’s decease. A Geat woman too sang out in grief; with hair bound up, she unburdened herself of her worst fears, a wild litany of nightmare and lament: her nation invaded, enemies on the rampage, bodies in piles, slavery and abasement”(3148-3155). According to this quote, people live in a peaceful and warless land under the Beowulf’s kingdom that is full of hope. However, this nation is no longer safe after Beowulf’s death because other nations will come fight for this land and many innocent people will lose their life in battles. People become hopeless and start to worry about their fates. Hence, it supports that Beowulf represents hope, which demonstrates that he is a Christ-like hero.