Epic Poem "Beowulf" Written by Thesis

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He is not afraid to battle Grendel and his mother; in fact, he seems to welcome the challenge. This is important to the story because it helps back up the poet's tales of bravery and courage, and helps show that Beowulf is indeed an epic hero. A hero has to be brave in battle, and understanding off the battlefield, and Beowulf is both. He is not afraid to rise to Unferth's challenge because he is sure of himself, and this is a characteristic of a hero as well.

This challenge also helps the reader understand the characters even more. Beowulf shows not only that he is heroic, but also that he can argue and persuade with the best of them, when he takes Unferth's challenge and explains what really happened in the seas. He says, "I had greater strength at sea, withstood in the waves more woes than any man. Being young and rash, as youth is prone to be, we two promised, and then pledged, that we would venture our very lives out on the ocean -- and so we did" (B, 55). Thus, he shows his strength and heroism, but he also shows that he will not back down from a challenge, something that Unferth cannot say.

Without Unferth, Beowulf would still be a mighty hero, but Unferth helps flesh out his character and show that he is brave, but also clever and able to communicate.
By the end of his dialogue, Unferth's challenge is answered, and the group go back to celebrating. The people respect Beowulf, and this scene helps show why. He is quick on his feet, not afraid to answer a challenge, and clearly braver than the man doing the challenging. Therefore, by the end of the scene the reader knows more about Beowulf and his character, and knows that with that kind of character, he will certainly win over any challenge he faces. Unferth, on the other hand, just looks like a jealous coward who cannot face a great challenge like Grendel......

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