Tran 1 Khang Tran Period 0 9/17/11 English 4 The Anglo-Saxon Superman Many cultures, both past and present,

look to inspire their young with stories of brave and powerful heroes to protect their peoples. An English poet, for example, wrote the epic poem Beowulf to motivate an audience invaded constantly by outsiders. The protagonist, Beowulf, demonstrates many characteristics of an inspiring epic hero, such as superhuman strength and immense bravery, that reflects the tenacity of past Anglo-Saxon societies. Throughout the plot, Beowulf performs many feats indicative of his superhuman strength. When Beowulf fights the monster Grendel, he tells Hrothgar and his men that he will do so without weapons and shields. As Grendel arrives and attempts to attack Beowulf, Beowulf instantly frightens him because he... [hadn't] met a man whose hands were harder (275). Beowulf has taken hold of- and pushed back- Grendel's hand, which is capable of snatching up thirty men. This shows that Beowulf possesses a considerable amount of strength, but Beowulf displays an even greater amount when ripping Grendel's arm off. Beowulf's strength far surpasses that of any other character in the book, seeing as many Danes die trying to merely wound Grendel with their weapons, and Beowulf defeats Grendel with only his own physical strength. Another example of Beowulf's extraordinary strength is shown during his fight with Grendel's mother, when he finds a sword on the wall of her battle-hall. The sword is hammered by giants, strong... the best of all weapons but so massive that no ordinary man could lift it (514). However, Beowulf, upon noticing it, immediately unsheathes the sword, lifts it high over his head, and cuts her head off. Deeds such as these successfully demonstrate how strong

Tran 2 Beowulf is compared to his inferior companions and followers. Beowulf is not only able to lift a sword that is far heavier than what any ordinary man can carry, but he can also use it to quickly and efficiently slay large monsters such as Grendel's mother. The immense bravery found in Beowulf both results from and causes his heroic feats of strength. Beowulf's courage is clearly shown when he approaches Hrothgar to accept the quest of slaying Grendel. Grendel, who has already killed many Danes, poses a great threat to Hrothgar's people. Beowulf, having already killed many giants and monsters, goes to Hrothgar and tells him that he expect[s] no Danes will fret about sewing our shrouds... and if death does take me, send the hammered mail of my armor to Higlac (184). This shows that Beowulf does not fear death as many other warriors do, and clearly exhibits his great courage. Beowulf is not hesitant to do what he feels is right, and his bravery encourages him to commit himself to these arduous tasks. As Beowulf grows old while ruling over the Geats, Beowulf's people are terrorized by a dragon that has awakened because of a thief that has stolen from its many treasures. Many people flee Beowulf's kingdom, but Beowulf stays to defend it and tells his remaining followers that he will fight again, seek fame still, if the dragon... dares to face me (610). This boast from Beowulf exhibits his total fearlessness. Although he has grown old since his fight with Grendel and can no longer face the dragon without weapons and armor, Beowulf still demonstrates great courage because he stands against a monster that many people have fled from, and calmly tells his people to wait close for him because he will take all the treasure the dragon has and rid the land of the mighty beast. Beowulf is a superb depiction of an epic hero, illustrating traits such as superhuman strength and courage. These traits make Beowulf an awe-inspiring paragon in both ancient Anglo-Saxon culture and in modern society.