The Heroic Transformation Of Beowulf - 2008 Words

The Heroic Transformation of Beowulf The poem Beowulf presents the transformation of Beowulf from a brave warrior to an honorable King. The evolution of Beowulf shows how he fulfills his obligations to the warrior’s heroic code and then transcends into a King who loyally protects his Kingdom. Beowulf’s transformation is shown through a progression of three increasingly more difficult conflicts he must overcome- first with Grendel, then Grendel’s mother and finally against the mighty dragon. These three events are seen as the three agons in the hero s life(Chickering 64). Through these adverse events Beowulf will change from brave young warrior to noble King. This paper will examine the manifestation of heroism in the poem†¦show more content†¦He is willing to cross a boundary alone in order to protect the stability of his kingdom even if he must die in order to do so. However, instead of using his bare hands this time like when he killed Grendel bec ause he â€Å"does not know the warrior s arts (681), Beowulf uses better judgment and uses weapons to defeat the mother. At this point it appears that Beowulf is maturing by making better decisions. Beowulf transitions from warrior to king in the second part of the poem. Instead of relying on his own beliefs and practices, he emulates the heroic king Hrothgar. Beowulf becomes more concerned with the lives of his subjects and takes a more conservative ruling stance. Hrothgar prepares Beowulf well to take over the thrown and teaches him to honor his warriors, protecting his people and maintain a stable Kingdom. Hrothgar reminds Beowulf of the Greek tragedians and teaches that pride without humility will result in a tragic fall (Chickering 1383). He also teaches Beowulf about Christian beliefs like wealth is accumulated through the grace of God and should be shared unselfishly (Chickering 1384). Beowulf becomes more heroic and valuable to his people as he transitions to a wise ru ler. Beowulf must learn to navigate unity with his own men, as well as other Kingdoms and powers. Beowulf demonstrates his maturity when Hygelac dies (Chickering 1389). Instead of claiming the throne as his own like he may have done as a young man, he choosesShow MoreRelatedThe Anglo Saxon Era Of Rich History And Reflected Literature1486 Words   |  6 PagesAnglo Saxon Period began in 449 and ended in 1066 AD. This was a time of Viking conquering other nations, patriotism, and Pagan to Christian religious conversion. There are only few recorded authors of this era as a result of literary works such as Beowulf, Wife’s Lament, and The Seafarer being passed down orally through generations of time. The literature serves as a reflection of this ancient time rather than having an impact on this time period. 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