Is fame or glory the only significance in life? During the Anglo-Saxon period, it is common to seek fame because it is alleged to be the utmost accomplishment possible for someone. Fame means that immortality could be attained and that is extremely important. In the poem Beowulf, the character Beowulf illustrates an ideal example of the desire to achieve fame. Beowulf is a young adventurer eager for fame and is also classified as an epic hero. An epic hero is someone who is on a quest, risks his or her life for glory or fame, and embodies the ideals or values of his or her culture. Clearly Beowulf possesses all of these essentials of an epic hero throughout the poem.

One of the essentials that Beowulf possesses is the unquenchable desire for a quest. Beowulf is measured as an immense quest seeker by rapidly taking the initiative to accept the first mission to kill Grendel just by “[hearing] how Grendel filled the nights with horror” (112). Grendel is a horrifying bayou creature of massive size that goes around slaying people from Herot. In spite of hearing Grendel’s appearance and actions, it does not intimidate Beowulf because the challenge is graciously accepted.

Immediately, after hearing about the events that occurred, Beowulf swiftly reacts to the situation by accepting an additional quest. These are just some of the signs that verify Beowulf as a true epic hero.

Another sign that verifies Beowulf as a true epic hero is the role of a risk taker. By acquiring various quests, involves an enormous amount of risk or danger. Beowulf certainly experiences a great deal of risk throughout the battles. For example, Beowulf arrives at the lake preparing to fight Grendel’s mother without a clue of any sudden events that may occur: “Beowulf, anxious to take part in battle, leaps into the lake without waiting for anyone’s assistance. While Beowulf is in the lake for hours, the water exceeds its normal height until at last Beowulf arrives at the muddy bottom” (466-470). Beowulf has no idea of what might be in the lake waiting. It could have been a trap just to get Beowulf down there to be killed. But Beowulf took a vast risk and moves down to slaughter Grendel’s mother and comes out victorious. Also, proof that classifies Beowulf as a risk taker is when the last battle is accepted. Beowulf receives honors and rules Geatland for fifty years peacefully, until a dragon menaces the kingdom. Although Beowulf is an older man, determination increases the drive to accept the battle and slay the beast. By ta

Some topics in this essay:
Epic Hero, epic hero, grendel’s mother, true epic hero, true epic, beowulf possesses, strength beowulf, super human strength, preparing fight grendel’s, fight grendel’s mother, characteristics epic hero, poem beowulf, lake waiting, beowulf’s strength, fight grendel’s, strength battle,