Definition Of A Modern Hero In Beowulf - 744 Words

The Anglo-Saxons were one of the first groups of people to use and write the English language and settled in what is now Great Britain. The Anglo-Saxons wrote many epics depicting what they thought heroes were, but is their definition of a hero the same as our own? A good example of an Anglo-Saxon hero is Beowulf, he travelled to Denmark with a group of warriors to fight a monster named Grendel that was terrorizing a city, he also killed Grendel’s mother and a dragon to save the people in the city. He may seem like a modern hero, he’s saving the people in danger, he shows leadership, and has the bravery to do so, but there are distinct differences between the Anglo-Saxon hero and a modern hero and those differences also show up in Beowulf.†¦show more content†¦That quote expresses the biggest difference between the Anglo-Saxon hero and the modern hero, in this story the only thing that Beowulf cares about is if he becomes famous. Since Fame and glory is all tha t matters to Beowulf he is shown to be especially selfish and cold-hearted, a trait that most modern hero’s don’t show. The last reason Beowulf isn’t considered a modern hero is because he is materialistic. At the end of the story when Beowulf is killed by the giant dragon he is sealed in a tower with all of his riches â€Å"Then the Geats built the tower, as Beowulf had asked†¦ And the riches he and Wiglaf had won from the dragon, rings, necklaces, ancient, hammered armor- all the treasures they’d taken were left there, too.†(843-852). This quote shows that Beowulf wanted his people to erect a tower in his name and put him in it just so he could be buried with his spoils of war, his lust for gold and materials is yet another example of why he isn’t a modern hero. What it means to be a hero has changed profoundly over time, a hero to the Anglo-Saxons are fame driven, materialistic, arrogant people whose only goal is to be talked about f or centuries. The modern hero is also all of those traits, but they tend to not express it as much and try to seem as â€Å"selfless† as possible. A modern hero is supposed to be a person whoShow MoreRelatedModern Definition Of Hero In Beowulf714 Words   |  3 PagesAccording to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the modern definition of â€Å"hero† is â€Å"a person admired for achievements and noble qualities† or â€Å"one who shows great courage.† Over centuries peoples views of what they consider a hero has transformed. Alfred de Vigny’s claim that â€Å"there are no heroes and no monsters in this world† makes it clear that he defines â€Å"hero† in a different way. Despite de Vigny’s claim that there are no heroes or monsters today, I believe there are, due to the selfless acts madeRead MoreHeroes : The Green Knight And Oedipus1156 Words   |  5 Pages A hero is seen as a selfless and courageous individual who saves the day. 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Thirdly, a hero can also be described as a person noted for specialRead MoreHarry Potter And The Sorcerer s Stone969 Words   |  4 PagesA hero can be defined as someone who places themself at great risk, while performing acts of courage. This definition can be related in the epic poem, Beowulf, and the novel, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer s Stone. In each story, both leading characters are born destined to defeat the most evil creature in their world. Beowulf is the oldest surviving epic poem in the world. â€Å"Beowulf† was written in 1000 AD, in Old English form. In t his poem the main character, Beowulf, challenges an evil monsterRead MoreWhat Makes a Hero Essay example583 Words   |  3 PagesWhat Makes a Hero After spending over a week reading the story Beowulf, we can all come to the conclusion that he is a hero. Sure, he saves countries from monsters, has incredible strength and wisdom, and is fearless- the typical fictional hero. 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