Beowulf Group

Question:

qbice1480
qbice1480
Student
High School - 11th Grade

What are important characteristics within Beowulf that make Beowulf an epic hero.  Give specific examples.

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Posted by qbice1480 on Tuesday December 11, 2007 at 3:40 PM and tagged with beowulf, epic, epic hero.

Answers:


  1. luannw Teacher
    High School - 11th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    An epic hero has to perform heroic deeds.  Beowulf kills Grendel, Grendel's mother, and the dragon all of which are heroic deeds that no one else was able or willing to take on.  The foes that Beowulf fought were all beyond human strength and capabilities and required superhuman abilities to bring down.  Beowulf performed these deeds for the good of others which is another quality of an epic hero.  In the end though, it was the human mortality of Beowulf which brought him down when the  poison wound caused by the dragon resulted in Beowulf's death.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/beowulf

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    Posted by luannw on Tuesday December 11, 2007 at 4:47 PM