By definition, a hero is a man of exceptional quality. Exceptional quality does
not begin to describe the hero that is Beowulf. Of the tale of the same name,
Beowulf could be described better as a saint, or a savior. His self-imposed
purpose in life is to help others, and eventually sacrifices his own life in
doing so. In the short time period in which we have joined Beowulf, more heroic
acts are presented than any normal man can have accomplished in his entire
being. Beowulf’s motive for crossing the sea to visit Hrothgar was to repay a
favor that was owed by his father, Scyld Scefing. Known to Beowulf was the chaos
that which had been implemented by the demon, Grendel, on the kingdom. His plans
were to rid the people of this nuisance. But this feat would not be as simple as
first thought. Beowulf was able to overcome Grendel with minimal effort, but
this was only the beginning of his quest. Next, the demon's mother had to be
rid, and the battle was not as simple. Finally, Beowulf was to face the Dragon,
who not only was the hardest battle, but also would be the end of Beowulf. The
combined efforts brought peace to the kingdom once again. Destroying the
presence of evil in the kingdom of Hrothgar is an exceptional feet, but what
makes Beowulf stand out is his purpose. He fought, neither for the glory nor
riches, but for his father and the sake of the people. Beowulf sought no
compensation for his services; the mere satisfaction of helping others was well
enough. This quality alone is exceptional enough to make Beowulf a hero among
heroes.