The Courage of Beowulf Essay - 812 Words

In the epic Beowulf courage is an on going theme that is shown throughout the entire story. By definition courage is the state or quality of mind or spirit that enables one to face danger, fear, or vicissitudes on ones own will and determination. There are many things form the epic that could be used to prove this statement, but I chose to use the section entitled quot;The Final Battle.quot; In this section there are two great speeches given by both Beowulf and Wiglaf. I believe that in both of these monologues courage is portrayed by the two warriors, and it is easy to see why. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In Section 14, lines 674-685 Beowulf says, nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;quot;....I feel no shame,†¦show more content†¦Butnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;those days are over and gone and our lord must lean on younger arms. And wenbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;must go to him, while angry flames burn at his flesh, help our glorious king! Bynbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;almighty God Id rather burn myself than see flames swirling around my lord.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;And who are we to carry home our shields before weve slain his enemy and ours,nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;to run back to our homes with Beowulf so hard pressed here? I swear thatnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nothing he ever did deserved an en d like this, dying miserable and alone,nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;butchered by this savage beast: we swore that these swords and armor were eachnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;for us all!...quot; When Wiglaf is saying this to the rest ofShow MoreRelatedCourage Quotes In Beowulf704 Words   |  3 Pagespoem Beowulf by Seamus Heaney, the main character Beowulf displays his courage throughout the whole story, defeating monsters left and right. Beowulf first displays his courage during his fight with the evil monster Grendel. In the poem, Beowulf challenges the beast to duel and says that he will fight him with no weapons and armor to show his courage. â€Å"No weapons, therefore,/ for either this night: unarmed he shall face me if face me he dares† (Heaney 683-685). This shows how much courage BeowulfRead MoreCourage Quotes In Beowulf750 Words   |  3 Pages Beowulf’s Courage In the poem Beowulf, by Seamus Heaney, Beowulf shows his courage throughout the story as he faces challenges after challenges. Beowulf’s confidence is shown when he battles. Beowulf announces that he will fight Grendel, the evil that has been lurking them for a long time. Nevertheless, Beowulf says he will fight with his bare hands instead of using weapons (Lines 400-490). This shows how he is brave enough to challenge Grendel with a single combat with only hands and in the endRead More The Courage of Beowulf Essay829 Words   |  4 Pages Courage is a theme that is shown throughout the entire epic of Beowulf. By definition courage is the state or quality of mind or spirit that enables one to face danger, fear, or vicissitudes on ones own will and determination. There are many things form the epic that could be used to prove this statement, but I chose to use the section entitled The Final Battle. In this section there are two great speeches given by both Beowulf and Wiglaf. I believe that in both of these monologues courageRead MoreA Warrior Essay : The Importance Of Courage In Beowulf1275 Wor ds   |  6 Pagesdangerous. Courage goes along with loyalty because a warrior needs to keep their sense of courage and loyalty when following their leader into battle or anything. After Hrothgar’s counsellor Aeschere was killed by Grendel’s mother, Beowulf used his courage to fight and avenge King Hrothgar’s close counsellor, (1384-1397). Beowulf not only uses his courage, but he also raises Hrothgar’s courage and again brings back the fact they obey and must follow the heroic code. As stated before, Beowulf, and hisRead MoreBeowulf s Heroic Qualities That Convey His Nobility And Courage887 Words   |  4 Pages Beowulf exemplifies heroic qualities that convey his nobility and courage. The poem named Beowulf has no known author. The author of the poem is known to be a Anglo-Saxon poet. The poem, Beowulf, is an Old English epic poem. The character, Beowulf, is a noble hero who offered to help King Hrothgar by fighting a demon named Grendal. He fought many enemies before and while becoming a king. Beowulf is a loyal and noble hero to the people of Geats and Danes. Epic heroes are defined with specificRead MoreWhy Is Beowulf Considered A Hero?983 Words   |  4 PagesMay 2016 Why is Beowulf considered a hero? Beowulf, an epic hero of his time, has some people that don’t think he should be considered a hero, but I think otherwise. He killed many monsters, and creatures from various places, saving the people who live(d) there, and this is the definition of a hero, â€Å"a person, typically a man, who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.† That definition really describes Beowulf because of the outstandingRead MoreThe Epic Of Beowulf By William Shakespeare1176 Words   |  5 Pagesnearly fifteen movies that were made after â€Å"Beowulf†. It may be due to the fact that â€Å"Beowulf† is one of the most famous epic poems in the English Literature history. It is also the oldest surviving epic poem to date. â€Å"Beowulf† was written in 10000 AD in Old English by an author who remains unknown. In â€Å"Beowulf†, there are many important literary elements that help empathize the main motif of the poem. The m otif of this poem is courage. Beowulf is about courage and it is shown through the charactersRead MoreVengeance And Vengeance In Beowulf1017 Words   |  5 PagesV is for Vengeance Anglo-Saxon culture consisted of receiving fame, glory, and wealth through acts of vengeance and courage. â€Å"Beowulf† portrays these parts in great detail and shows how destabilizing it can be. Through acts of vengeance, a never ending war occurs. It is said in â€Å"Beowulf† that old tongues poke and prod youngsters to wars with incendiary comments like, â€Å" That sword, that previous old blade over there, I think you know it friend. Your father carried it, fought with it the time he couldRead More Beowulf: A Hero Essay782 Words   |  4 PagesBeowulf: A Hero Beowulf is a hero during the Middle Ages because of his generosity, strength, power, and courage. A hero is one who places himself or herself at great risk while performing acts of courage. Beowulf is a hero that put his life on the line for an entire kingdom. He has heroic and superhuman qualities. He must prove his worthiness of a superior warrior. He is recognized for his strengths and power of protecting his people. Beowulf is faced with three forces to fight, Grendel (a monster)Read MoreComparing Beowulf, The Wanderer, And The 13th Warrior1731 Words   |  7 Pagesa hero than just being strong or intelligent. An epic hero in my eyes is oneself who comes to portray the beliefs of the society in which the tale/story is depicted. A few great examples of the Anglo Saxon epic hero are the literary characters in Beowulf, The Wanderer, and The 13th Warrior. These are all outstanding examples of Anglo-Saxon epic heroes because they all came to show the evident characteristics bravery, loyalty, friendship. In the Anglo-Saxon culture and literature, the meaning