I've read the classic Beowulf countless times. I am reading it again for my British Lit. class. I really believe he isn't a hero, a lot of people say otherwise, opinions?
2007-09-19 00:29:04 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Mythology & Folklore
I know why he is said to be a hero. I am completely aware of his sacrifices and what a hero is said to be. (although I disagree on many notes)I just want some opinions, not really an explaination. I truely believe that althought he saved the Danes as well as his fellow Geats from monsters, dragons, and giants which is extremely brave, it was all out of greed and selfishness. If a hero is ANYTHING I believe they are completely selfless.
2007-09-19 10:38:20 · update #1
I have to admit, I'm curious as to why you think he isn't?
Edit: Ah. Well you have to look at this in the context that it was meant to be written. The values and thought process, the worldview of these people was completly different. Your name was everything. To loose your name was to loose yourself. It wasn't about being "nice". It was about being immortal, proving his worth to his community, making his name. It was about HONOR. In that sense he was a hero. He embodied the values of THOSE people at THAT time. The story is over 1000 years old. You have to change your thinking to understand the story.
2007-09-19 01:46:03 · answer #1 · answered by ~Heathen Princess~ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A hero is defined as a person who is killed (or otherwise hurt, destroyed, etc). only because he always does the right thing for the right reason. The "right reason" is always something that, according to the hero's way of thinking, as well as his society's way of thinking, is something of which God would approve. A hero is not meant to be a perfect person, just the best a person can be, in his or her time.
2007-09-19 03:09:18 · answer #2 · answered by Anpadh 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am homeschooling my child and he chose Beowulf for Literature (as well as part of our History class). I took him to be a hero. I think this is the first time I've ever seen anyone say they didn't think he was a hero.
2007-09-19 02:06:20 · answer #3 · answered by River 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you kill the dragon(or in this case a monster of some kind) you must be a hero.
2007-09-19 07:54:30 · answer #4 · answered by Anna 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I guess it would depend on the times.what would be considered a hero then would not be now.
he did protect the people from an evil of some sort.
I can't wait to see how the newBeowulf movie will be
2007-09-19 00:40:38 · answer #5 · answered by soulburner 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He is understood to be a hero because of his sacrifice. "Take ye the dragon's treasure," he told his men, and surrendered to his fate: to die of the wounds he sustained in killing the dragon for the sake of his people.
2007-09-19 10:31:05 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
How do you understand the heroic? Is it abour moral excellence? The accomplishment of mighty deeds? Conformity to one's system of convictions? Your own understanding of heroism would be a helpful reference for your interlocutors.
2007-09-19 02:05:18 · answer #7 · answered by Timaeus 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He protected people from three monsters. How is that not heroic?
2007-09-19 01:44:15 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree, he is an anti-hero.
2007-09-19 00:36:42 · answer #9 · answered by bgee2001ca 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋