Beowulf Essay

            Upon time and time again heroes have saved lives in countless tales, on pages of books and of our imaginations. Heroes don’t just stop there; they transcend fantasy and make their way into our everyday lives. A hero such as Beowulf reflects a time period where honor, bravado, and fame were highly valued in society. A more modern hero such as a fire fighter symbolizes similar traits and values in the current age. Literary techniques such as pathos, anecdote, and allusion are used to convey to the reader the characteristics of each character and as symbols of the times in which both were created.

Beowulf is a tale of great measures, valor, and rigorous quests. As a character Beowulf presents himself as overly confident when he sets forth on quests unarmed and relying on only the help of God himself. This type of bravado can be mistaken as cockiness, but heroes need confidence. If Beowulf did not display confidence in him he would not be the leading hero, instead another worthy candidate would take charge. Beowulf does the honorable duty of slaying the monster Grendel for the people who cannot seem to do it on their own. Beowulf did not ask for a reward, but to defeat the monster.

Fire fighters accept the recognition that comes with the territory of saving lives, but that does not mean that they are not humbled by their work as well. Fire fighters save lives and maintain parlous fires from spreading. Of course they want to be rewarded with recognition for the work they perform every day. Fire fighters want society to be able to rely on them to get the job done and that they receive support from their community so fire fighters can save lives. Fire fighters are great heroes among the extraordinary.

Throughout the tale, Beowulf faces unimaginable dangers such as fighting off the monster Grendel or the dragon. Anecdote humanizes this concept of fighting these demons to fit modern times. For most cannot accomplish such a task on their own but need aid from another who is more than capable. Pathos appeals to the reader’s beliefs such as when Beowulf prays to God to protect him on his journey to slay the monster Grendel. Which reflects how during these times society, namely Christians, relied on their religion during hardships. Many would say this is a great leap of faith depending on such a higher power such as God, in this case Beowulf or a fire fighter, although most find it worth the risk. The tale of Beowulf illustrates a world of fantasy, monsters and kingdoms included. An allusion to Christianity and Paganism is present throughout the story. Beowulf represents the good and honorable that is Christianity and Grendel represents the evil and jealousy that is Paganism. These beliefs are present throughout many cultures such as Christmas, which is of Christian and Pagan origin.

Heroes are present throughout history, modern times and will continue surpass onto future generations. The reader is brought into this world of a hero through the use of pathos, anecdote, and allusion techniques. Whether the hero is of cultural fantasy such as Beowulf or a modern hero such as a fire fighter they will always be valued by society to accomplish tasks that the ordinary are not capable of.