The Inferno and Beowulf
The Inferno and Beowulf are two classical texts of literature that were written in different cultural contexts. For this reason, the two poems have striking differences between them.
Dante the Pilgrim and Beowulf
In Dante's poem, Dante the pilgrim character changes as he travels through his journey. The character of Beowulf in Beowulf remains static throughout the story. Through analysis of the two characters, Beowulf can be considered as more of a modern hero than Dante the pilgrim.
A Modern Hero
A modern hero is a character that is celebrated by the community for the heroic acts that bring good to the entire community. A hero is determined by the actions and accomplishments achieved that separates them from the common characters in the work of literature.
Courage and Selflessness in Beowulf
From the analysis of the two poems, courage and selflessness are the characters of Beowulf that make him more of a modern hero compared to Dante the pilgrim.
Courage in Beowulf
A modern hero is associated with great courage and bravery. Heroes show courage in their actions that are aimed at ensuring the good of the society. In many cases, modern heroes are depicted in battles where they bravely overcome difficulties and defend their country and its people from enemies.
For characters to achieve the status of a hero, they must overcome the daunting odds. Their determination to face the challenges and accomplish greatness make them heroes.
Courage in Beowulf's Actions
From the poem Beowulf, the actions of Beowulf reveal that he was courageous. Beowulf's courage is further explained by the fact that he was a warrior. There are no courageous people like the warriors.
In the poem, Beowulf defied the odds by killing the monsters that had troubled a village for long. In the first battle with the monsters, Beowulf fought Grendel without any weapon and tore its arm (Beowulf 810-820). This act of a man fighting a monster without any weapon is courageous.
When Grendel's mother attacks the village in revenge, Beowulf followed her to her cave and fought fiercely with the monster, later killing her (Beowulf 1580-1590). Following the monster to its hiding place is an act of courage in itself.
In the first canto of the Infernal, Dante the pilgrim wandered in the forest filled with great fear (1.6-16). He is lost, most probably due to fear. When he encountered a leopard, a lion, and a she-wolf, Dante the pilgrim did not fight. Instead, he ran away (Inferno 1.36). This act shows that the character lacked courage as opposed to Beowulf who fought the monsters even without weapons. Analyzing the two poems, Beowulf is more courageous than Dante the pilgrim and therefore fits the description of a modern hero.
Selflessness in Beowulf
A modern hero aims at ensuring the welfare of other people by performing selfless actions. The actions of a hero bring good to others in the community. They do not seek to advance or fulfill their personal needs and desires, but their actions are driven by the concern for others.
The primary goal for modern heroes is to help others. Therefore, a modern hero helps and protects others by facing dangers and challenges. The two poems offer a distinct contrast of the goals of the two heroes.
Selflessness in Beowulf's Actions
In Beowulf, Beowulf is depicted as a selfless person who faces danger to help others. His actions were meant to bring greater good to the people. In the story, the Danes were terrorized by monsters, Grendel and his mother. The demons killed the villagers every night, and any effort by the Danes to defeat the monsters was unsuccessful (Beowulf 115-125). The people lived in fear.
Hearing the news, Beowulf sympathized with the people and went to help. In this act, Beowulf's goal was to kill the monsters so that the village can live in peace.
On the other hand, Dante the pilgrim undertook the spiritual journey for his personal reasons. The lessons learned in the story about evil and punishment are aimed at advancing his spiritual purity. He did not intend to undertake the journey for the greater good of others. It is not mentioned that his journey was supposed to bring the best of the community.
Therefore, Beowulf is more of a modern hero compared to Dante the pilgrim.
In Conclusion
In conclusion, this paper analyzed courage and selflessness as the traits that make Beowulf a modern hero. A modern hero is a character that performs great deeds by overcoming odds, mostly for the good of others. Modern heroes do not seek to advance their self-interests, but their actions are aimed at helping others.
Beowulf showed courage by fiercely fighting the demons that terrorized the Danes, while Dante the pilgrim was terrified of the lion, leopard, and she-wolf. Also, the actions of Beowulf were meant to help others, implying that he was selfless. The journey of Dante the pilgrim was to enrich his spiritual experiences, and it is not mentioned that he did that for the benefit of others. Therefore, courage and selflessness make Beowulf more of a modern hero compared to Dante the pilgrim.
