HaleyOLeary

EnglishIV
04/03/2016

ThroughoutreadingBeowulf,therearemultiplereferencestoAngloSaxonvalueslike
family,power,andtheheroicactionsofwarriors.Beowulfistheidealwarriorregardingthe
heroiccodeheisloyal,humble,strongandcourageous.HedefeatsGrendelandsavesHrothgar
andhispeople,anaccomplishmentthatleadstohisfameandfortune.Beowulfalsochallenges
thedragonbyhimselfandeventuallydiesaheroicdeathwhilesimultaneouslykillingthe
dragon.Throughoutthepoem,thethemeofheroismisstronglyrepresented,specificallythrough
Beowulfandhisescapades.
BeowulfsfirstactofbeinghumbleiswhenheasksHrothgarifitisokforhimtofight
GrendelfortheDanes.isthatyouwontrefuseme,whohavecomethisfar,/theprivilegeof
purifyingHeorot(430431).BeowulfkindlyasksHrothgarforhisblessingtoridtheDanesof
theirevil.Beowulfwentoutofhiswaytohelpandsaveanothercountryfromperilanddoom.
BeowulfdoesnotexpectgiftsorpraisetohelpHrothgarandturnsdownaroleofroyalty,
Beowulfisextremelyhumblewhichisalargeattributeofwhataheroshouldhave.
Courageisawaytodefineahero,andBeowulffitsthatdefinition.Beowulfrunstowards
thefightinsteadofawayfromit.NotonlydidBeowulfdefeatGrendel,whichiswhathesaidhe
woulddo,butoncewordofGrendelsmothersplantoavengeherson,hecourageouslydecides
tobattleher.Iguaranteeyou:shewillnotgetaway/nottodensundergroundnorupland
groves(13921293).BeowulfmakesapromisethathewillfinishofftheevilinDenmarkfor

good,whichiscourageousbecausehecanperishatanypointduringthebattle,andheknows
thataswell.
Beowulfisloyaltohisfamily,hisfriends,andhispeople,eventhethiefthatawokethe
dragonwhobeganhisreignofterrorontheGeatpeople.Beowulfgoesonhisowntoattackthe
dragonsonoman,woman,orchildwouldgethurt.Thisfightisnotyours,/norisituptoany
manexceptme,tomeasurehisstrengthagainstthemonster(25322534).Beowulfacceptshis
fateandgoestobattlethedragonaloneoutofloyaltytohispeoplehecouldhavejustgivenup
thethief,butheprotectsallGeats,goodorevil.
Beowulfexhibitsalldefinitionsofaheroandhasbecomesynonymouswiththeword
hero.Beowulfneveracceptedgiftsorwealthforhisgooddeeds,buthedidthemtoprotecthis
peopleandpeopleofotherlands,suchastheDanes.ThestoryofBeowulfdepictsthe
AngloSaxonvaluesoffamily,power,andheroicactions.Bydisplayingthesevalues,Beowulfis
atrueAngloSaxonhero.

WorksCited:

Heaney,Seamus.
Beowulf
.London:FarberandFarber,1999.Print.