The epic poem Beowulf describes the most heroic man of the .
            
 The hero, Beowulf, is a seemingly invincible person .
            
with all the extraordinary traits required of a hero. He is able to .
            
use his super-human physical strength and courage to put his people .
            
before himself. He encounters hideous monsters and the most ferocious .
            
of beasts but he never fears the threat of death. His leadership .
            
skills are superb and he is even able to boast about all his .
            
achievements. Beowulf is the ultimate epic hero who risks his life .
            
countless times for immortal glory and for the good of others.
            
     Beowulf is a hero in the eyes of his fellow men through his .
            
amazing physical strength. He fought in numerous battles and returned .
            
victorious from all but his last. In his argument with Unferth, .
            
Beowulf explains the reason he "lost" a simple swimming match with his .
            
youthful opponent Brecca. Not only had Beowulf been swimming for seven .
            
nights, he had also stopped to kill nine sea creatures in the depths .
            
of the ocean. Beowulf is also strong enough to kill the monster .
            
Grendel, who has been terrorizing the Danes for twelve years, with his .
            
bare hands by ripping off his arm. When Beowulf is fighting Grendel's .
            
mother, who is seeking revenge on her son's death, he is able to slay .
            
her by slashing the monster's neck with a Giant's sword that can.
            
only be lifted by a person as strong as Beowulf. When he chops off her .
            
head, he carries it from the ocean with ease, but it takes four men to .
            
lift and carry it back to Herot mead-hall. This strength is a key .
            
trait of Beowulf's heroism.
            
     Another heroic trait of Beowulf is his ability to put his peoples .
            
welfare before his own. Beowulf's uncle is king of the Geats so he is .
            
sent as an emissary to help rid the Danes of the evil Grendel. Beowulf .
            
risks his own life for the Danes, asking help from no one. He realizes .
            
the dangers but fears nothing for his own life. After Beowulf had .
            
served his people as King of the Geats for fifty years, he goes to .