Beowulf Is the Perfect Example of a Perfect Hero
In the epic of Beowulf, Beowulf displays various heroic traits throughout the poem. Beowulf, throughout the story demonstrates his heroic ways by protecting the town. From the very beginning, Beowulf takes up a leadership role among his peers. With his tremendous ego, overwhelming confidence, and extraordinary bravery, Beowulf seems to be second-to-none when it comes to leading a group of people. He enters numerous confrontations, such as the one with Grendel, Grendel's mother, and the demonic dragon at the end of poem. Throughout each of the battles, Beowulf demonstrated his unflawed characters every step of the way. Despite the conflicts that he faces, Beowulf displays all of the correct traits that make him the ideal epic hero. When Beowulf arrives in King Hrothgar's kingdom, it is immediately evident that Beowulf has a tremendously large ego and very sure of himself in every regard. When in the hall with King Hrothgar and his men, Beowulf is boasting about his past accomplishments. Although it may seem like a cocky and over-confident thing to do, the Anglo-Saxon traditions regard it as being prideful. To boast is a way of establishing one's greatness and is encouraged as a way to spread renown. As Beowulf continues to boast, Unferth, a jealous warrior, begins to ridicule Beowulf about a contest he had lost in the past. Beowulf responds by saying: "The fact is, Unferth, if you were truly as keen and courageous as you claim to be Grendel would never have got away with such unchecked atrocity." Beowulf then continues by simply telling his side of the story, which reveals that he had fought numerous monsters and made the seas safe for fishermen before he finished the contest. This makes Beowulf an even greater hero as he is able to belittle a warrior who is showing disrespect while further growing his own reputation. Beowulf's confidence is another one of the main traits that made him the epic hero that he is. At the beginning of the epic, the horrible