Masculine Heroism: The Past Limiting the Future

In Beowulf, heroism is portrayed through both a male character, Beowulf, and also a female character, Grendel’s mother. Although the mannerisms of both characters are vastly different, Beowulf is well respected and honorable; while Grendel’s mother is depicted as a, “hellish hag,” (line 1345), both characters display strength, wisdom, and courage in their actions. Their ancestors’ past helps shape these characters’ own actions, in that both are different from their peers and stand up for what they believe in—loyalty, vengeance, and bravery. In Beowulf, we can see how this epic poem’s explanation of Anglo-Saxon time and history connects the time period’s feuding, fighting, and resolving techniques with the group of inset narratives - the many instances of the feuds between the Geats and the Swedes and the appearances and actions of Grendel’s mother - to show how heroism can be defined by masculinity with the past limiting the future.