Beowulf

In the first half of the ancient epic of Beowulf , the eponymous protagonist portrays the traditional and conventional ideals of a morally righteous hero : good , seemingly fearless , bold and daring , loyal to his nation , strong in body and spirit , and willing to become a martyr for justice . As a king in the latter portions of the epic , Beowulf is also ideal . Beowulf is a great warrior himself , and thus could be respected without reservations by his greatest soldiers . Beowulf 's reputation as a warrior preserved the peace in his own country

Most

importantly , Beowulf is a hero-king , willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of his country (as he did in his fight with the dragon . He was also one to avenge unjust deaths . He is willing to risk himself for what he believes to be moral , good , and just

Part of Beowulf 's heroism also lies in his adherence to his moral code which is strongly tied to his religious convictions . However , Beowulf 's morals and values might not seem as such from a modern perspective because Beowulf 's morals and values are strongly tied to the mixed Christian and pagan ideals of the time

There are many references to religion (and thus morality ) in the epic It has strong Christian elements , such as the of Grendel 's mother as having descended from Cain , one of the early villains of the Christian Bible . However , the epic also has a generous helping of pagan concepts . Beowulf frequently calls upon God , but also speaks of Wyrd the ruler of all ' Pagan practices , such as cremation and drinking of blood , are also depicted . From a modern perspective , Beowulf is a pagan tale with some Christian aspects...