Beowulf: Heroism :: Epic of Beowulf Essays

Beowulfs author is unknown, as argon his motives and inspiration for the creation of the poem. Written some four hundred years before the Norman conquests, it is comprised of three thousand, one hundred and eighty-two lines, dramatically reproducing the timeless struggle between good and evil, along with all the variations that construe with such a story. By far one of the most admirable qualities presented to the reader is the notion of heroism, and the importance of honor. The quality of character was a major element of the heroic man in the world of which the story is set. In relation the personality, James V. McConnell wrote "Let us define personality as the way in which a person thinks, behaves and adjusts to his or her environment. Such a definition would include the persons traits, values, motives, attitudes, emotional reactions, abilities, self-image and intelligence as well as the persons overt behavior patterns." (McConnell, page 610). He then went on advertize to say, "A complete theory of personality would not only detect the individuals present style of adjustment but pass away some notion of how the person got that way and where he or she was going." throughout the poem, the author allows the reader to see, in action, the true workings of heroes. Men and women who switch aside their own personal needs and desires for the better of others. During this time partnership sustained a strong honor code. The actions that an individual amassed over their life sentence was the title by which they were known to the rest of the land, both good and bad. A lot was asked of rulers concerning the protection and expansion of the empire, abilitys and Queens were known by their conquests and bear of the subjects around them. In the prologue we are introduced to a loved and heroic King by the name of Shild. " How Shild made slaves of soldiers from every land, crowds of captives hed defeat into terrorlived to be rich and much honored. He ruled lands on all sides wherever the sea would take them his soldiers sailed, returned with tribute and obedience." (Raffel, line 4). This fraction of the prologue clearly defines the times, in that it immediately sets up the reader for the level of splendor in the tone of the author, in the expression of dignity that accompanies King Shilds conquests. His life was associated with greatness and at his death his tribute was great.