Essay on heroism in "Beowulf"

Sometime around 700 A.D., in England, an unknown Anglo-Saxon scop wrote a great song about heroes, monsters, and fate. This story is called Beowulf, and is the earliest known piece of English writing. It tells of fantastic monsters, larger-than-life heroes, and treasures beyond belief. In it, a young Geat warrior-prince named Beowulf decides to help a neighboring country led by king Hrothgar rid itself of a giant monster, named Grendel. Grendel had plagued Denmark for over twelve years, murdering the Danes in their sleep. Beowulf fights an epic battle against Grendel, finally ripping off h…