length: 560 words 1.6 double spaced pages beowulf as the ideal anglo saxon beowulf is a hero who embodies the ideal characteristics in the anglo saxon culture these characteristics all come together to make up an epic tale. He possesses the virtues, traits and beliefs that were respected in the anglo saxon culture. Beowulf displays these virtues in his own actions and words during different circumstances throughout the tale. Beowulf was the strongest of the geats and also greater and stronger than anyone anywhere in this world. Beowulf killed grendell grendell had never come to such a match among a stronger person that shepherd of evil, guardian of crime knew at once that nowhere on earth had he met a man whose hands were harder. Beowulf did not need to tell anyone that he was fearless he showed them how fearless he was.

Beowulf needed no sword or shield to protect him from grendell when he killed grendell with his own hands my lord higlac might think less of me if i let my sword go where my feet were afraid to, if i hid behind some broad linden shield: my hands alone shall fight for me, struggle for life against the monster. Beowulf jumped in the water to fight grendell's mourning mother, he did not know where he was going yet, he went for glory and fame showing no fear. Beowulf displayed that he was very resourceful, as well as, the other traits listed. He shows how intelligent he can be when he was fighting grendells mother and he became weary and became stumbling. In the midst of a battle, beowulf almost dies if it were not for his woven mail shirt he wore on his chest. Then he saw, hanging on the wall, a heavy sword, hammered by giants, strong and blessed with their magic, the best of all weapons , lifted it high over his head and struck with all the strength he had left, caught her in the neck and cut it through, broke bones and all. Beowulf shows how he was resourceful and came back from almost losing the battle to winning it desperately with the heavy sword.

Beowulf displays the characteristics of a wise leader who can take charge in any situation. He is willing to risk his own life for the safety of his own people to fight his last battle as an old man. Yet, even as an old man knowing that he is not as physically strong as he was in his youth he is still fearless i mean to stand, not run from his shooting flames, stand till fate decides. In conclusion, beowulf is characterized as a fearless warrior with physical strength and a resourceful leader.

summary: discusses how the anglo saxon culture is reflected through beowulf. The structure of the poem also follows the definition of an epic, while still providing details about the anglo saxon culture. It has a national hero beowulf as its subject, takes place over a long time period and many places, and has christian elements present. The definition of an epic states that it must be a long, narrative poem, and it must take place over many time periods and places.

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Beowulf corresponds with this description by taking place over many locations at different times. It then switches to a mead hall, an underwater lair, and finally, back to the mead hall. Even though beowulf is viewed as the cornerstone of modern literature, it is also a prime example of an anglo saxon literary work. The anglo saxon era was defined by a heroic code found in the people of that culture bowler 19.

This code was exemplified through qualities such as bravery, honor, and strength bowler 19. In the epic poem beowulf, the character beowulf depicts an anglo saxon warrior traveling the lands fighting fierce monsters to glorify himself and achieve his ultimate goal of fame sparknotes: beowulf n.p. Since beowulf was written during the anglo saxon period, beowulf follows the virtues most important to the anglo saxon culture.

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The character beowulf exhibits his first act of bravery by journeying to herot to vanquish it of the havoc reeking monster called grendel. Beowulf: an anglo saxon herobeowulf could, more than easily, be described as a typical anglo saxon hero. When looking at the common traits of an anglo saxon hero, anyone can see that beowulf would be able to be classified as one. Beowulf the anglo saxon culture as illustrated in beowulf beowulf is an epic poem, which takes place in ancient denmark and geatland and describes the adventures of beowulf, a geat hero. The anglo saxon x27 s had similar beliefs to that of the dane and geat x27 s, so the poem gives us some idea of what the anglo saxon culture was like. Beowulf gives the reader an insight into what it might have been like to live during the anglo saxon period of history. I wonder if this is what would really have happened.violence and gore played a big part in the literature during the anglo saxon age.

In the anglo saxon age, warriors, or anybody for that matter, would boast over their accomplishments, some of which were probably even lies. The anglo saxon herothe hero stands as an archetype of who we should be and who we wish to be. Beowulf: an anglo saxon herobeowulf could, more than easily, be described as a typical anglo saxon hero. How is beowulf structured? how does this structure relate to the theme or themes of the work as a whole? beowulf is loosely divided into three parts, each of which centers around beowulf rsquo s fight with a particular monster: first grendel, then grendel rsquo s mother, then the dragon.

One can argue that this structure relates to the theme of the epic in that each monster presents a specific moral challenge against which the anglo saxon heroic code can be measured and tested. Beowulf rsquo s fight with grendel evokes the importance of reputation as a means of expanding one rsquo s existence beyond death. Grendel rsquo s great and terrifying nature ensures that beowulf will long be celebrated for his heroic conquering of this foe. His subsequent encounter with grendel rsquo s mother evokes the importance of vengeance. Just as beowulf exacts revenge upon grendel for killing hrothgar rsquo s men, so too must grendel rsquo s mother seek to purge her grief by slaying her son rsquo s murderer.

Beowulf rsquo s final encounter with the dragon evokes a heroic approach to wyrd, or fate. Though he recognizes that his time has come and that he will thus not survive his clash with the dragon, he bravely embraces his duty to protect his people, sacrificing his life to save them. Alternatively, one might make a division of the text into two parts, examining youth and old age as the two distinctive phases of beowulf rsquo s life. Along these lines, the gap of fifty years between the first two conflicts and the last marks the dividing line. One of the main thematic points highlighted by such a division is the difference in responsibilities of the warrior and of the king.

As a young warrior, beowulf is free to travel afar to protect others, but as an old king, he must commit himself to guard his own people. Additionally, whereas beowulf focuses on the heroic life early on, seeking to make a name for himself, he must focus on fate and the maintenance of his reputation late in life. What role does patriarchal history play in this world? why does it matter to the warriors who their ancestors were? the obsession with patriarchal history manifests itself throughout beowulf, which opens by tracing hrothgar rsquo s male ancestry and constantly refers to characters as the sons of their fathers. An awareness of family lineage is one way in which the heroic code integrates itself into the warriors rsquo most basic sense of identity.

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By placing such an emphasis on who their fathers were and how their fathers acted, the men of beowulf bind themselves to a cycle of necessity governed by the heroic code. For example, because beowulf rsquo s father owed a debt of loyalty to hrothgar, beowulf himself owes a debt of loyalty to hrothgar. In this way, patriarchal history works to concretize and strengthen the warrior code in a world full of uncertainty and fear.

One might contrast this socially accepted version of patriarchal history with the various alternative models that the poem presents. Grendel, for example, descends from cain, the biblical icon of familial disloyalty, and the avenging of his death is undertaken by a female relative rather than a male one. For instance, shield sheafson is an orphan, and the last survivor represents the end of an entire race. Beowulf is similar to both of these characters mdash his father died while beowulf was still young, and beowulf himself dies without an heir. Both hrothgar and hygelac depend on the loyalty of others if their sons are to inherit their respective kingships.