Examples Of Honor And Glory In The Epic Of Beowulf

I am happy to present to you as gifts. It is still upon your grace that all favor depends. Beowulf gives his treasures to his king (Beowulf, 87). Honor and glory are two key elements that many righteous knights share, and Beowulf is the most righteous of them all. These characteristics are what drives Beowulf and the plot is this epic. In ancient times there was a hierarchy and as a knight, everything was done to serve the lord of the realm. To be a knight is to have honor and uphold oneself in a manner thats respectable. A knight is a representative of his kingdom and his lord, and he must conduct himself in a manner that is pleasing to his king. A knight must also seek out glory for his kingdom. So to obtain riches, land, or conquer†¦show more content†¦According to Richard Schrader, â€Å"God sent the young man[Beowulf] to prevent a recurrence and gave him glory which spread widely.† (Schrader, 493). Everything that a knight does is for the glory of his land, peopl e and most of all for God. English Literature tries to convey that if a person acts within their duties and perform righteous acts, then he will be blessed. And even as Beowulf becomes a king, these attributes are not lost to him. He displays honor and valor as the lord of his own realm. His subjects follow him because of this and honors his image (Beowulf, 101). And as a hero, these qualities must follow him always. It is evident that the Christian religion heavily influenced in the creation of Beowulf. All success is because of God, and it meant to be that way (Schrader, 24). All virtuous men of honor praised god for their efforts, and they glorified his name. As you can see, these elements show up repeatedly and indirectly throughout the story. Although being constantly virtuous and brave isn’t something the average person can accomplish. This is why Beowulf was constructed the way he was, to set him apart from your average man. Readers recognize this from his honor and g lorious acts and he is seen as a hero. For example when Beowulf went to kill Grendel’s mother, he brought back her head as a badge of honor. Although it was probably extremely gross and bloody, her head symbolized hisShow MoreRelatedBeowulf : An Epic Hero894 Words   |  4 Pages The character of Beowulf demonstrates several characteristics that make a great epic hero. Throughout his lifetime he displayed several characteristics such as honor, bravery, physical superiority, leadership, and glory. These characteristics all formed how the Anglo-Saxons believed one should live their life. Along with the valorous deeds that Beowulf accomplished he is considered to be a prime example of an epic hero. 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