Beowulf: an Epic Hero and His Legendary Quest

Introduction

If you were to be asked to describe a hero, would you say your mum, a surgeon that performed a miracle surgery? Or would you say a strong, brave male who lurks the streets looking for citizens to help? The depiction of a hero has changed over the course of history. However, their characteristics, personality, and physical capabilities greatly differ from the epic heroes to the heroes of the modern day. Most people in the 21st century would refer to epic heroes as ‘braggarts’ because they are known to always boast about their adventures, treasures, or battles. Now, heroes are more like ordinary people. A firefighter is a modern-day hero and could reside in the home next to you. Modern heroes are not out looking to accomplish great deeds. Their actions are often spontaneously performed, whereas epic heroes look for people or villages in distress. Epic heroes also work for a reward, while most modern-day heroes do not.

Beowulf: An Epic Hero and His Legendary Quest

In most instances, heroes exemplify not only what society considers remarkable and impossible feats but also the ideals of that society. Throughout history, the definition of a hero has changed concurrently with the values, morals, and challenges of humanity. Presently, Google defines a hero as, 'a person who is admired for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities'. In the eighth century, a hero was defined by his courage, constancy, and self-sacrifice. The epic poem 'Beowulf', one of the first works of English literature, chronicles the adventures of Beowulf, the perfect example of an Anglo-Saxon epic hero. The poem explores Beowulf's heroism in three progressively difficult feuds against Grendel, Grendel's mother, and a dragon. With every victory, Beowulf further validates his place as a hero in the hearts and minds of Geats and Danes alike. Being an epic hero contrasts with modern heroes because of the differences in society. At that time, Beowulf lived when the problems of society were not terrorism, disease, or injustice. People worried about rival armies and great monsters. In defining a hero, there are three fulfillments to evaluate: the person must overcome extremely difficult obstacles, show great courage, empower and inspire the people, and typify the traits of a hero.

Heroic Characteristics and Motivations

Throughout the poem, Beowulf was largely encouraged by his desire for honor and fame undeniably, but this pursuit of fame was not of personal interests and material wealth. Instead, it was earned through fighting for his people or protecting others, during which process he demonstrated his strength and bravery. Fame is most important to a warrior like Beowulf to establish himself, but Beowulf never lets fame overdevelop into egocentricism and overconfidence, because fame means responsibility and greatness, pride is purely a desire to be great regardless of its harmful costs. In other words, generosity (distributing wealth to his followers and people) and interests of community, rather than greed for personal wealth and selfishness, are the way and purpose of Beowulf when pursuing his honor. When the dragon takes vengeance by ravaging the countryside at night, burning the land and buildings, including Beowulf's own mead-hall, Beowulf realized immediately the threat it brought to his kingdom and people. Therefore, he decided to fight the dragon with 11 Geatish warriors, not purely out of pride really, but also out of the heavy responsibility of a king to protect his people from harm as far as possible while he himself undertook the risk of death. Ten of the eleven warriors, however, betray Beowulf (only Wiglaf stayed and helped), which serves as a foil to the honorable deeds and morals of Beowulf and Wiglaf. As a result, Beowulf and Wiglaf won fame through their valorous fight while the ten warriors brought eternal shame.

Beowulf's Impact and Legacy

Beowulf’s life meaning was further fulfilled as his fights became a representation of general good and justice — his attempts to minimize violence in his violent social environment were distinctive. Though often considered violent and bloody in the fights, Beowulf is certainly different from the war-mongering conqueror Scyld, whose funeral is depicted at the beginning of the epic. Instead of gaining fame by conquering neighboring peoples like most other kings at that time, Beowulf did not seek conflict. Beowulf was indeed a warrior who is eager for fame, but he is not praised for his conquests but for his courage, kindness, mildness, and graciousness, though the peace he tries so hard to maintain is, to the end, vulnerable and not long-lasting. In the poem, the three major violent fights were between monsters and Beowulf, and those fights are epitomes of the great fight between good and evil, human and inhuman. The first fight unfolds was between Grendel, destined to be evil as his jealousy for humans being able to enjoy life drives him to perform evil acts, and Beowulf, the embodiment of all possible heroic virtues. Grendel is condemned to darkness and misery as he is depicted to be the descendant of Cain. He has no desire to end the feud, pay compensation for those he kills, or make peace with their families. Beowulf thus by defeating Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon, became a representation of the belief that good will eventually defeat evil, likely influenced by the author's Christian worldview. Moreover, Beowulf was presented as the protector of humanity. He is against violence between humans, or more precisely, against the Northern European culture he lived in of continual violence and revenge between peoples. As he recalls his life, Beowulf is proud of having maintained peace for fifty years: “I have guided my people for fifty winters, no folk-king … dared to meet me with war-friends… neither sought contrived conflicts…[no] murderous bale against my kindred.”

Self-Realization and the Human Condition

Beowulf reached self-realization through continual fights against obstacles throughout his life regardless of the destined end. He did not fear death and that is one of the signs of being a hero. He knew that death could be around the corner with every step he took but always dove headfirst into challenges. Beowulf mentions several times throughout the epic that fate stands with him because of his courage. No one can defeat Grendel, as he is told, but he lets no fear stop him because he himself would determine his action, and he believed in his power, which was indeed proved in his following victories. Before he went on the final march to the dragon, sitting on the cliff top, he already foresees the incoming death. He is sad at heart, “unsettled yet ready, sensing his own death,” while at the same time he feels his “spirit would spin free from his body.” In spite of this self-awareness, he still pursued his own purpose, went to beat the dragon, and sustained fatal injuries. He viewed personal resistance as a bridge to transcend the limitation of life and regards the destruction of personal tragedy in exchange for people’s happiness as a realization of personal value. As he went through a series of battles and died eventually, his struggles against fate were continuous and fierce by not giving up any chance to fight over the enemy. Beowulf’s ending was often considered a tragedy because of his inevitable fate of death, but he resisted the god of fate that dominates humankind and it is through this resistance that the subjective human power is emphasized.

Conclusion

Beowulf as perhaps the oldest English literature was deeply rooted in ancient northern European cultural and social background and was written essentially by a Christian priest. It is widely considered a work that reflects the tragic cycle of violence and revenge that would finally lead to the decay of northern European societies and to praise the superiority of as well as promote the Christian worldview. Beowulf was depicted as a typical ancient epic hero who was imbued with outstanding power and moral virtues and who fought for fame and treasure (which is particularly important to northern European culture), and thus was inevitably a relic of a past. However, the hero Beowulf together with the worldview presented in the poem was far more than endless brutal killings, revenges, and pursuits of treasures. More importantly, Beowulf strived to find the meaning of his life regardless of his understanding of its transitory character and its destined destruction, through fighting for his honor and people to fighting for higher justice and general good, and finally reaching self-realization, which can inspire contemporary society and individuals when searching for their purpose in life.

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