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Jaycie Dardeau
November 12, 2013
2
Different Reasons Although Anglo-Saxon heroes are brave, loyal and do good deeds, modern heroes improve society without expecting acclaim. Anglo-Saxon heroes are not as relatable because of the almost immortal personality they possess.
Modern day heroes and Anglo-Saxon heroes do have some qualities in common. They improve their community, are loyal, and have imitative. The main difference between the two is the reasoning behind their good qualities. In lines 605-607 of Beowulf it states “But Beowulf longed only for fame, leaped back into battle… If weapons were useless he’d use his hands, the strength in his fingers. So fame comes to the men who mean to win it and care about nothing else. This shows that Beowulf is completely invested in victory so his glory will live on for years to come. True modern day heroes are fully focused on making the world a better place and do therefore not even want fame although it may eventually come to them.
Modern day heroes don’t always have the physical strength that is required in Anglo-Saxon heroes. Instead, they use their bravery and wisdom to achieve their goals. On the other hand, in lines 172-175 Beowulf states “…my hands alone shall fight for me, struggle for life against the monster. God must decide who will be given to death’s cold grip.” With this statement, he proves that he obtains wisdom by saying that God makes the ultimate decision, but he also shows that he relies on his physical strength to destroy the monster.
Present day heroes are very modest don’t believe they are doing anything more than what another everyday person would do. This makes their amazing works of kindness seem even greater. In the Anglo-Saxon culture, the heroes are very egotistical. Beowulf exemplifies this when he says “They have seen my strength…Have watched me rise from the darkness of war, dripping with my enemies’ blood.” This made Beowulf seem unbeatable and awe-inspiring. Anglo-Saxon and

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