Bravery in Beowulf
From time to time, the definition of a hero has evolved greatly. However, there have been some characteristics that have been retained and used to describe a hero across all cultures and durations. For a character to be termed as an epic hero, there must be defined heroic characteristics. Beowulf is a heroic poetry with the protagonist Beowulf who is a legendary Geatish hero. A hero is someone who fights for others courageously without fear of being killed in the process. Beowulf defended the king of Danes, Hrothgar, against the monster Grendel, known as the descendant of biblical Cain, who had killed many palace's warriors. Beowulf also exterminated Grendel's mother who had come to the king's hall to avenge her son's death by cutting off her head. He was made the king of Geat and ruled for 50 years. The people of Geat saw him as their hero since he died defending them from the fire breathing dragon which wanted to destroy the kingdom. This paper will analyze the courageous actions that Beowulf performed throughout the poem.
Beowulf depicts his courageous nature in different ways. First, bravery leads Beowulf to willingly offer to help king Hrothgar. According to DeGregorio (332), Beowulf was willing to assist the king, unknowing of what he was up against. When he got to Danes, he did not ask the king for any money. Beowulf only requested the king to allow him and his men to battle the monster. He is more concerned with protecting the king's name and keeping his people safe. Going on foreign land to exterminate a dangerous monster, and not demanding for any payment in return is a great act of bravery.
Second, when Beowulf reaches Danes, and they get off the ship, he depicts his bravery when he takes lead and tells the guards that protect the land from raiders who they were and where they had come from. Beowulf wanted to proceed to Herot, a place which they had heard a lot about. When inside Herot, Beowulf further portray his bravery when he explains to Hrothgar of his triumph as a young boy, and his intentions to join Hrothgar in the fight against Grendel and restore peace in Herot. He states, "Now I mean to be a match for Grendel, settle the outcome in single combat." (DeGregorio 311). Further, Beowulf goes ahead to say that he does not fear death, because at last, he will die whether he likes it or not. Through Beowulf's assurance, the king is confident that their worst fear for the last 12 years will come to an end.
Third, Beowulf had enough confidence in his abilities to exterminate a monster that had tormented the community for all those years. Beowulf's kind heart strived to achieve glory by protecting the people of Danes. Beowulf went on a war against Grendel on his own with his fate as the only helper. Beowulf fought Grendel without any weapon because he was sure that Grendel would not be using any weapons. He managed to tear the hand of Grendel. "And bleeding sinews deep in his shoulder snapped, muscle and bone split and broke. The battle was over, Beowulf had been granted new glory," (Farrell 36). Beowulf's fearless and courageous nature gave the people of Anglo-Saxon community when he defeated the unshakable monster, Grendel. The victory of Beowulf in the fight increased his popularity and glory, thus motivating people to get over their fears in life. Thus, the king of Dane ordered for the placement of Beowulf’s glory in Herot hall to show the victory of a mighty hero. " No Dane doubted the victory, for the proof, hanging high from the rafters where Beowulf had hung it, was the monster's arm, claw, and shoulder and all,"( Bloomfield 22). The giant Grendel revealed the terror the citizens of Anglo-Saxon's had towards God since the monster was compared to a heavenly creator. Grendel represented the inhumane actions occurring in the Anglo-Saxon societies of raiding and terminating innocent people. The narrator, a Christian aimed at focusing on Grendel’s punishment from God through his defeat by the hero, Beowulf. The people of Danes view Beowulf as God's representative thus fulfilling the saying, good wins over the evil.
Beowulf’s second and extremely dangerous rival was Grendel's Mother, a monster who dwelled under water. Grendel's Mother was more evil and she was furious with the death of her son. She wanted to avenge her son, thus posing a difficult challenge for Beowulf. Beowulf had a difficult time since he followed Grendel’s mother in her own territory, a place he was unfamiliar with. The monster’s underground dwelling lowered Beowulf's chances of winning since Grendel's Mother was well conversant with the twists of her cave making it easier for her to win. The woman hurled insults at Beowulf, though he remained unshaken. "She welcomed him in her claws, clutched at him savagely but could not harm him, tried to work her fingers through the tight ring-woven mail on his breast, but tore and scratched in vain," (Fisher 180). Beowulf's tremendous power and strength show that he is connected to Thor since he does not sustain any injuries from Grendel mother's vigorous attacks. It is evident that Beowulf is connected to the great mythological God Thor because the hero kills the woman with a very heavy sword, which could not be handled by a normal human being. ," Then he saw hanging on the wall, a heavy sword, hammered by giants, strong and blessed with their magic, the best of all weapons but so massive that no ordinary man could lift its carved and decorated length," (Bloomfield 28). The conquest of Grendel's mother revealed that good deeds will always win over bad things. Beowulf represents good while Grendel represents bad. Additionally, God gives divine justice to the courageous people in the society. Also, when light emerges in the swamp, Beowulf is assured that God is with him and will give him strength. The hope Beowulf had made him win against Grendel's mother who was stronger than him. This win symbolizes the wonders of God to Christians and His willingness to help those who believe in the almighty.
Beowulf's final fight was with the most dangerous dragon, which was feared in the area. Since Beowulf was an old man, he expected the dragon to defeat him due to its strength. However, his urge to emerge victoriously and his courageous soul remained determined to engage the dragon. The dragon had tormented his people for a long time, and he wanted to protect his people. Beowulf had a failure fate which was not predicted in his last two fights. Beowulf knows that the dragon is destined to destroy him, yet he goes ahead to fight the fire breathing dragon because the desire he has is stronger than his fears. This action teaches the people of Anglo-Saxons to not fear death, but fight for themselves and their people. "And for the first time in his life that famous prince fought with fate against him, with glory denied him," (Farrell 46). The Christian story teller insists that people should learn to overcome their fears because the end is always glorifying. The dragon is a symbol of death itself in the Anglo-Saxon community, which requires the courage to overcome. Beowulf's sword breaks upon contact with the dragon," And struck at the dragon's scaly hide. The ancient blade broke," (Fisher, 174). The sword breakage foretells Beowulf's death, but the sword also makes Beowulf victorious for the very last time. Beowulf's death is worthy and of great honor since he dies fighting. He leaves a memorable mark and legacy to be remembered by the Anglo-Saxons community. This gives the people courage and overcomes the fear of death, just like Beowulf did.
Further, Beowulf combines courage with intelligence in his operations. Beowulf knows that Grendel will attack Hrothgar and his warriors in the hall of Herot, therefore, on the night he plans to kill Grendel, he sleeps on the hall together with his warriors because he knows Grendel will attack. According to Bloomfield (34), Beowulf presents Grendel's hand to the people of Danes so that Grendel's mother will get the news and want to avenge her son thus attacking the kingdom. When the mother attacks the kingdom, she kills Hrethgor's most loyal servant. Beowulf follows her to her lair under the lake despite the risks involved. Therefore, it is evident that for a brave person to succeed in their missions, they must be creative to avoid making mistakes which may lead to their failure.
Beowulf is a true legend in the Anglo-Saxon communities. The hero possesses all the qualities of a true hero from the start of the epic poem throughout to the end. Beowulf's bravery character motivates individuals to get over their fears and fight for their freedom. The major examples that show Beowulf's bravery are the three fights. Every monster symbolizes a specific fear that the people of Anglo-Saxon's have experienced over the years, that Beowulf fought and emerged victorious till the day of his death. Even though Beowulf boasted about his achievements and how he was more talented than others, he had heroic traits which made him as a loving and sensitive person. Throughout the three battles, the author emphasized on the fact that good always wins over evil. Beowulf left behind the arm of the monster and the people put a great treasure in his tomb, as a reminder of the importance of bravery. The physical artifacts were a reminder of the peace and stability brought about by Beowulf at a time when the region experienced violence and threats. This reminds the people that if they unite together and follow a strong hero with loyalty, their children will evade the fear that they once faced in Anglo-Saxons. Those who never had enough bravery to help Beowulf would forever be ashamed, but Beowulf's legacy will never be forgotten.
Works Cited
Bloomfield, Morton Wilfred. The Interpretation of narrative: theory and practice. Vol. 1.
Harvard University Press, 1970.
DeGregorio, Scott. "Theorizing Irony in Beowulf: The Case of Hrothgar." Exemplaria 11.2
(1999): 309-343
Farrell, Robert T. Beowulf, Swedes, and Geats. Vol. 18. No. 3. Viking Society for Northern
Research, University College, London, 1972.
Fisher, Peter F. "The trials of the epic hero in Beowulf." Publications of the Modern Language
Association of America (1958): 171-183.
