Beowulf

4 Pages 1056 Words

Beowulf as hero of the time

Every hero is known for taking a big journey. Beowulf’s journey begins when he decides to leave his home in the land of the Geats and travel to Denmark to help the Danes fight the creature named Grendel, which has been attacking them for twelve years. Once arriving Beowulf announces that he is the son of Ecgtheow, a man known for winning his battles. The assumption can be made that he is trying to live up to his father’s reputation. His leadership skills are superb and he is even able to boast about all his achievements. In his argument with Unferth, Beowulf explains the reason he "lost" a simple swimming match with his youthful opponent Brecca. Not only had he been swimming for seven nights, he had also stopped to kill nine sea creatures in the depths of the ocean.
Beowulf’s first encounter with Grendel is at night when the warriors are asleep. Beowulf is there, watching Grendel, waiting for him to strike. The creature picks up a warrior and swallows him completely, then decides to strike Beowulf but Beowulf seizes his vicious claw and holds on to it. At this point Grendel is confused and fearful as he tries to pull away. Grendel is in such agony that he finally rips from the grasp and runs away, leaving a bloody trail and his severed arm. Beowulf’s ability to beat the monster with his bear hands shows his super-human strength and courage to put his people before himself. After passing a day of mourning over her son, Grendel’s mother goes to heorot seeking vengeance for his death. She bursts into heorot and devours one man, then snatches the arm of her son that is mounted on the wall and returns to her home in the dark moors. Beowulf is summoned from his sleep and is led to the moors by Hrothgar. At the bloodstained lake the search party finds the head of the warrior Aeschere as well as the serpentine creatures that inhabit the murky lake, and they shake with fear. Beowulf simp...