In Beowulf, Wiglaf does embody many
of the epic hero qualities, as my colleague documents so well. Beowulf's men are
also good examples of epic heroes. Hrothgar, not as
much.
When Beowulf was preparing to go fight Grendel, he
chose his men carefully. They were under no obligation to go with Beowulf, as this
was his battle, not theirs. They were honorable and respectful and brave once the
battle with Grendel began. Despite the fact that Beowulf wanted to battle alone, in
hand-to-hand combat, his men attempted to fight on his behalf. Their efforts were
ineffectual, of course, since Grendel had cast a spell to protect himself from their
weapons. But they were there and prepared to fight. Later, when Beowulf followed
Grendel's mother to her ocean lair, his men kept vigil on the shore for their leader.
They were unwilling to assume he would not prevail in this battle. These warriors did,
indeed, exhibit the same qualities as their heroic
leader.
Hrothgar, on the other hand, could not be
considered an epic hero. He hadgiven up the battle against Grendel, allowing him to
wander his lands and kill at his leisure and pleasure. While he may once have exhibited
the kind of valor and bravery needed to be called an epic hero, those days are gone.
Instead, Hrothgar is now simply waiting hopefully for someone to come to their rescue.
Beowulf does so, and that's when Hrothgar shines. He is a welcoming host, treating
Beowulf and his men as honored guests. Once Beowulf has completed his tasks, Hrothgar
is true to his word and bestows praise and lavish gifts on him. To that degree, he's
more of an epic host than an epic hero.
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