Essay on heroism in "Beowulf"

Sometime around 700 A.D., in England, an unknown Anglo-Saxon scop wrote a great song about heroes, monsters, and fate. This story is called Beowulf, and is the earliest known piece of English writing. It tells of fantastic monsters, larger-than-life heroes, and treasures beyond belief. In it, a young Geat warrior-prince named Beowulf decides to help a neighboring country led by king Hrothgar rid itself of a giant monster, named Grendel. Grendel had plagued Denmark for …

…describes for us the "perfect" Anglo-Saxon hero in telling stories of great accomplishments through Beowulf's bragging and then backing up his words, in its theme of generosity when the characters share fabulous wealth, and finally because of all characters submitting to their fates in sex and the city. Beowulf is the poem to read if you wish to know more about the Anglo-Saxons: it tells us exactly how all heroes and great men should act.