“Oh isn’t Beowulf the monster?” My
younger sister asked me once while talking about the story. An automatic no
came out when I thought about it more and realized that though he is not the
monster, I cannot fully accept him as a hero either. Reading the whole story I
felt this way and could not quite place why until reading Grendel. The
fact of the matter is, is that I do not find him to be entirely likable and do
not see him as a true hero in the sense of the word. The way that he is depicted
and viewed as by Grendel was very similar to the way I already felt about him. What
was it that made him unlikable to me?
According to the Miriam-Webster
definition of the term, Beowulf is a hero. He is a mythical or legendary figure
with strength, he is admired for his achievements, and he is the central
character, yet he still seems to be lacking.
When we meet him, Beowulf takes it
upon himself to sail to Heorot Hall along with some companions to help defeat
Grendel, although no one really asked him to. So he sails to the land of the
Danes, not entirely sure of the danger, but sure that if he is not allowed to help,
that Hrothgar will “endure woes and live with grief for as long as his hall
stands,” (Heaney 21). So, to begin with, Beowulf comes to an enemy land without
being asked and assumes that he is the one only one who will really be able to
help Hrothgar.
After defeating Grendel Grendel’s
mother attacks. Beowulf recognizes that it is out of grief for her son’s death,
and that it is unlikely to really happen again because of that; yet, when asked
to defeat her as well, he decides to kill her too- essentially letting himself
get put into a dangerous situation for no other reason than pride. Even later
with the dragon when he knows he is old and may not make it, he still goes to
his possible deathbed- not out of duty, but more out of a pride.
Throughout all of his life, it
seems that his main motivation in doing great deeds is more because he is aware
of the image that it will provide (that of a hero) and not just because it
would be the right thing to do. In a time of superheroes who do things because they
feel it is their responsibility to do so and are aware of the cost that it may
take on their personal life and image (think Batman deciding that it is for the
best he is viewed as a villain), Beowulf comes off more as a stereotypical jock
who wants the fame associated with being good at something than the ability to
know that he did something because he believed in it. This image is especially
felt in Grendel as Grendel could be viewed similarly to the kid who is
not accepted because he is different and who is defeated by the jock, Beowulf.
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| I guess I wasn't the only one who felt this way |
I agree with your post Zoe, my idea of a hero is someone who does the right thing in any circumstance even if it comes with no reward. Beowulf is not the ideal hero; he comes off as a renegade who is self serving in most cases. Sure, Beowulf does the right thing by helping Hrothgar defeat Grendel, and by slaying the dragon who was tormenting his town; however, Beowulf was performing these acts for his own glory. His self-serving arrogance was his downfall in the end. He wanted everyone to know about his victories by boasting nonstop, but a true hero would let his actions speak louder than words, and humbly receive praise when it is deserved.
ReplyDeleteBeowulf is certainly not a hero when defined by today's standards, but back then when the epic was conceived, that was the hero. He very much embodies traditional exaggerated tendencies of the male persona, and that is one of the reasons why he is so revered. He is the ultimate man's man, and his boastful attitude only serves to prove his status as the titular hero. Would Beowulf be well received as a hero in our current society? Most likely not, he would be thought of as an arrogant lying dick that needs his ego taken down a few notches, but his heroic actions would still be appreciated. I wouldn't call him a villain more of an ass whole.
ReplyDeleteThis is actually a very true connection that you made, and at the same time shows the reason for Beowulf's death. I wouldn't contribute his death to his age or depleting strength, but to his great hubris and need to be praised for his accomplishments. In Southey and Coleridge's "The Devil's Thoughts" poem, they say a very interesting quote. "And the Devil did grin, for his darling sin is pride that apes humility". This shows that a bringer of death and sadness is also someone who loves to see humans boast such as Beowulf does, meaning the shadow of death lurks and follow Beowulf along with his boasts. It almost seems that every time Beowulf does make a boast, someone ends up dying.
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