Beowulf is not a hero, although he seems to fit the criteria. Beowulf is brave, strong, and has good intentions in his heart. Beowulf knows what he must do, but it does not make him heroic. Beowulf comes from an era where there are no guidelines for heroism or honor. He cannot see that by killing Grendel’s mother, Beowulf has become a monster himself. Many different characteristics define Beowulf as anything but a hero, including Beowulf’s attitude towards certain events in his life to his behavior with the dragon and Grendel’s mother.
The first reason Beowulf can be seen as anything but a hero is because of Beowulf’s attitude during certain events of his life. Beowulf criticizes Grendel’s mother by calling her the “cursed creature” (line 711). Beowulf also talks about how he has heard that she is half-human, half-monster(721). Beowulf does not have good intentions for Grendel’s mother, and can even say that she deserves to die for what she has done to so many people(707). Beowulf feels as if it is okay to kill Grendel’s mother since she is not human. Beowulf turns her into a monster herself for simply doing what comes naturally to her: killing people.
Beowulf makes no efforts into trying to understand why Grendel’s mother is killing people, Beowulf just assumes that she is evil. Beowulf even calls Grendel’s mother a “she-devil” (698) and wonders if Grendel’s mother will transform into something other than the monster Beowulf has already made her out to be(699). Beowulf generalizes an entire race of beings as a whole for the actions of one individual. Beowulf also tries to destroy Grendel by going after his mother, not even caring about Grendel himself. Beo does not have any sympathy or thoughts towards Grendel, someone Beo believes deserves death.
Beo believes that he can kill two birds with one stone by taking care of both monsters at once. Beowulf’s attitude towards Grendel’s mother makes Beowulf seem as if he is the one that is the monster, not Grendel or his mother. Beowulf generalizes monsters as evil, based on simply what they are, not based on any actions they have done. Beowulf generalizes a race for the actions of two individuals and kills them both without hesitation. Another reason Beowulf cannot be seen as a hero is that he lacks empathy or the ability to sympathize with those who need help.
Beo lacks these traits because Beo does not make much effort into thinking about how he can help Grendel at all. Beo also views Grendel as someone who deserves death instead of trying to understand Grendel’s life. Beo is not worried about Grendel at all, Beowulf only worries about Beowulf himself. Beowulf is so preoccupied with the problems that he fails to see what needs help in this situation: Beowulf is the one who needs help against Grendel and his mother, not Grendel or Grendel’s mother. Beowulf only cares about how Beo will save Beo from physical harm because Beo views himself as invulnerable to anything else(431).
Beowolves generalizing monsters might be a trait seen frequently in today’s society because of how prevalent racial profiling is. Racial profiling occurs when people make assumptions based on race instead of the individual’s actions. Beowulf is an example of racial profiling, Beowulf generalizes monsters as evil and Beo does not care about Grendel at all because Beo views him as a monster that deserves death. Beowulf has even referred to Grendel’s mother as “she-devil” (698) and wonders if she will transform into something other than what Beo already thinks she is(699).
Beowulf does not think about who Grendel or his mother are, he only sees them as monsters which is why Beowulf can be called racist against monsters. Furthermore, Beowulf lacks empathy towards the dragon after finding out that his housekeeper/lover has been killed. Beowulf refuses to fight the dragon because Beo fears for his life. Beowulf only sees the dragon as a threat, not as someone who wants revenge on Beowulf because of what Beo did to his mother. Beowulf’s lack of empathy towards Grendel and Grendel’s mother shows that Beo is also unable to show empathy towards women.
Beowulf may seem like a strong leader, but it lacks many key traits people look up to in an idolized hero such as strength. A hero Beowulf is not: Beowulf has problems with Grendel and Grendel’s mother and does not sympathize with either of them. The Beowolves generalizing monsters might be a trait seen frequently in today’s society because of how prevalent racial profiling is Beowulf does not show empathy towards Grendel or Grendel’s mother. Beo is not a hero for facing his problems head-on and Beowulf only views monsters as evil. Beowulf is not a hero.
The battle between Grendel and Beowulf shows Beowulf’s desire for pride over the desire to help others. Be Beowulf’s pride causes Beo to commit many errors in heroism Beo believes he is a hero because Beo wants to save Beowulf from physical harm Beo believes Grendel deserves death Beo does not try and understand Grendel or his mother Beo has some empathy towards the dragon until something more important comes up Beo abandons the battle with the dragon after finding out that his housekeeper/lover has been killed Beo views caretaker as replaceable Beowulfs lack of empathy towards those who need help makes him a bad leader.
Beowulf is not a hero for committing so many errors in being a hero, instead, Beos lack of strengths make Beowulf no better than the monsters Beo kills Beowulf is not a hero Beowulf’s lack of empathy and pride over physical harm makes Beowulf seem like the villain in Beowulf, not Grendel Beowulf lacks the courage to face his problems instead of running away from them Beo runs away from Grendel after Beo almost defeats Grendel Beo runs away from Grendel’s mother when she chases him down one night Beo also abandons the battle with the dragon after finding out that his housekeeper/lover has been killed.
In conclusion, Beowulf is not a hero for committing so many errors in being a hero, instead, Beo’s lack of strengths makes Beowulf no better than monsters.
