Beowulf Essay

Prompt: Compare Beowulf with a modern hero, both as characters and as symbols of the times in which both were created.  Support your thesis with at least three (3) literary techniques and three (3) textual examples that strengthen and illustrate your ideas for your readers.

    Heroes are known to act as symbols for different values and ideas that are important in specific time periods. Beowulf is perhaps one of the oldest heroes to be written about. Throughout the text there are hints at what traits are desirable to have within that time period and which people were considered the alphas. The same can be said for Movies like Hancock and characters such as Batman. Not only are the desirable qualities quite different, but so are the "monsters" they face.

    The characterization in Beowulf made it very clear that an extreme amount of confidence and bravado was desired in heroes. Beowulf had a confidence that in our society would come across as hubris especially when he was boasting to Unferth that "Truth I[Beowulf] claim it, that I had more might in the sea than anyone else". Strength and bravery were the most desired characteristics. While those still play an important role in our society, more often we have the case of heroes being "ordinary people who do extraordinary things". Characters such as Hancock and Batman may have accomplished great feats that most could not but they still have a level of relatability that is hard to reach with Beowulf. They have flaws such as Hancock's alcoholism and their respective fears of inadequacy.  Heroes in modern times are admired for their ability to overcome the flaws that hinder most people. In Beowulf's time, flaws went almost completely unacknowledged because that wasn't viewed as desirable of a hero. Beowulf was written without much internal conflict. He saw a threat, such as Grendel, and went to eliminate it. Heroes in our society often face multiple internal conflicts that set them apart from ancient heroes like Beowulf.

   A major difference also lies within the way these different versions of heroes go about battling evil. Firstly, Beowulf would always be matched up against old school, evil monsters such as Grendel with  claws and razor sharp teeth. Hancock and Batman each face evil human beings with weapons and razor sharp intellect. The representations of evil itself have changed as much as the heroes. Part of Beowulf's heroism was his ability to go into a dangerous situation relying purely on himself without extra precautions like a bullet proof latex suit designed to withstand any threat that is commonly worn by heroes today.

    While these aspects clearly differ, some truths about heroes are still relevant today. Heroes are those willing to sacrifice anything be it love, happiness, or even their own life purely for the benefit of others. Beowulf showed this in his final battle where he gave every last breath he had against the dragon to let his people live another peaceful day. This is why firefighters and marines are called heroes just like Beowulf and Batman are. Heroes are those who are first to sacrifice so hopefully others don't have to.