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ophndsfa79gbyse8t97 the hero beowulf
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Beowulf
Beowulf exemplifies the traits of the perfect hero. The poem explores heroism in two separate phasesyouth and ageand through three separate increasingly difficult conflictswith Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dra Although we can view these three encounters as expressions of the heroic c there is perhaps a clearer division between Beowulf’s youthful heroism a unfettered warrior and his mature heroism as a reliable king. These two phase his life, separated by fifty years, correspond to two different models of virtue, much of the moral reflection in the story centers on differentiating these models and on showing how Beowulf makes the transition from one to the oth In his youth, Beowulf is a great warrior, characterized predominantl his feats of strength and courage, including his fabled swimming match aga Brec Br eca. a. He also also pe perf rfec ectl tly y embo embodi dies es the the manne manners rs and and valu values es dict dictat ated ed by Germa Ge rmanic nic her heroic oic code, code, includ including ing loyalty loyalty,, courte courtesy, sy, and pride. pride. His def Grendel and Grendel’s mother validates his reputation for bravery establishes him fully as a hero. In first part of the poem, Beowulf matures li as he possess possesses es her heroic oic qualit qualities ies in abunda abundance nce from from the start. Having Having pu Denmark of its plagues and established himself as a hero, however, he is read enter into a new phase of his life. Hrothgar, who becomes a mentor and fat figure to the young warrior, begins to deliver advice about how to act as a w ruler. Though Beowulf does not become king for many years, his exemp career as a warrior has served in part to prepare him for his ascension to throne. The second part of the story, set in Geatland, skips over the middl Beowulf’s career and focuses on the very end of his life. Through a serie retrospectives, however, we recover much of what happens during this gap therefore are able to see how Beowulf comports himself as both a warrior an king. The period following following Hygelac’s Hygelac’s death is an important transitional transitional mom for for Be Beowu owulf lf.. Inste Instead ad of ru rushi shing ng for for the the thro throne ne himse himself lf,, as Hr Hrot othu hulf lf do Denmar Denmark, k, he suppor supports ts Hygelac Hygelac’s ’s son, son, the rightf rightful ul heir. heir. With With this this gest loyalty and respect for the throne, he proves himself worthy of kingship. Sign up to vote on this title In the final final episod episodet ethe he enc encoun ounter ter with the dragon dragonth thee poet poet ref Useful Not useful further on how the responsibilities of a king, who mustact for the good of people and not just for his own glory, differ from those of the heroic warrior light of these meditations, Beowulf’s moral status becomes somewhat ambigu
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ophndsfa79gbyse8t97 the hero beowulf
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Wiglaf
Wiglaf, one of Beowulf’s kinsmen and thanes, is the only warrior br enough to help the hero in his fight against the dragon. Wiglaf conforms perfe to the heroic code in that he is willing to die attempting to defeat the oppon and, more importantly, to save his lord. In this regard, Wiglaf appears reflection of the young Beowulf in the first part of the storya warrior wh strong, fearless, valiant, and loyal. He embodies Beowulf’s statement from early scenes of the poem that it is always better to act than to grieve. Wiglaf t represents the next generation of heroism and the future of the kingdom. bravery and solid bearing provide the single glint of optimism in the final par the story, which, for the most part, is dominated by a tone of despair at what future holds.
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