Essay: Why is Beowulf considered a great hero?

A great hero is one who is willing to sacrifice his life in order to save his people. True heroes have qualities and values that sets them aside from others including honor, selflessness, strength, etc. In the epic poem, Beowulf, the protagonist Beowulf comes to save Hrothgar’s kingdom from a monster named Grendel. He is considered to be a hero based off of his previous ventures during his youth and has come to prove himself once again. Beowulf is a great hero because of his loyalty, strength, and courage.
Beowulf is great hero because of his loyalty. Beowulf arrives Hrothgar’s kingdom after hearing word of Grendel’s attacks on the Hall of Heroes. Beowulf promises Hrothgar that his people should rest while he and his comrades “will grapple with that frightful fiend, hand to hand, until Death takes one of [them]” (Rosenberg 390). Despite all the bloodshed by Grendel’s hand, Beowulf keeps his word to the king and slays the monster. This makes him a hero because he could have backed away from this task, but instead he persevered in order to save the kingdom. Another true act of loyalty is displayed after that attack by another creature. After Grendel’s mother attacks and kills Hrothgar’s best friend, Beowulf reassures him that his “blood-thirsting battle-sword will sing its greedy war-song” (Rosenberg 399). Despite only traveling across the sea to kill Grendel, Beowulf stays behind in order to avenge another loss and kill Grendel’s mother. By swearing his loyalty to King Hrothgar, Beowulf is considered a true hero because he puts aside his own safety in order to help others. He stays loyal to his principles and keeps his promises,therefore making a true hero.
Furthermore, Beowulf is a great hero due to his strength. Beowulf has a larger than life quality about him; therefore, he is more capable than others to kill the monsters. His strength is displayed as soon as he arrives when the coast-guard challenges Beowulf by saying, “one of you is the greatest warrior…and if looks do not lie, he is matchless among noble men” (Rosenberg 389). Immediately, Beowulf is recognized for his physical appearance of strength. He is recognized as hero due to his strength because without it, he would not be able to defend his people. A hero knows how to take advantage of his god given qualities in order to defeat their enemies. Another example of his strength is his fight with Grendel. After going back and forth, Beowulf wins the battle by “[ripping] Grendel’s arm from the rest of his body” (Rosenberg 394). With this superhuman strength, he is able to save and protect his people, making him a hero. It would be understandable if Beowulf’s adversaries were human, however he only fights monsters. This further proves his acts of heroism because he does not always fight with the advantage of his strength. Instead he also fights with creatures known for tormenting and killing humans easily in a battle.
Lastly, Beowulf is considered a hero because of his courage. This poem includes three quests that Beowulf must overcome with his courage. During his first battle with the monster Grendel, Beowulf demonstrates his courage. Moments before the fight, Beowulf begins to remove “his gleaming ring-meshed battle-shirt” and his “sharp-bladed battle-sword” (Rosenberg 393). Because Grendel fights without weapons, Beowulf decides to fight fairly and not receive the upper hand with his armor. He is heroic enough that he is willing to fight the monster without anything to defend him. The last battle with the dragon demonstrates Beowulf’s courage as well. Foster says that Beowulf entered “the battle in which he knows he will die.” This demonstrates his heroism because he would rather go down fighting instead of backing away from a fight like a coward. Knowing his death is imminent, Beowulf still does not falter. In the end, Beowulf is wounded and ends up dying; however, “death for a warrior is honorable, and courage must be shown through deeds, even if it means death” (Garcia). A common belief in myths is that one should die while in battle in order to be be respected and be recognized even after death. Beowulf fought hard like a true warrior should and in the end he received a burial of a great hero.
With all these qualities and traits, Beowulf is a hero. Beowulf displays acts of heroism through his allegiance to his people and values, bravery, and his superhuman like strength. Throughout the battles with Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon, Beowulf possesses qualities that made him a hero. He never backs off from a fight and makes sure to protect the king and his loyal companions. Although Beowulf dies in the end, he is still recognized as a great hero to his people.
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