Beowulf Essay

A hero is someone idolized for their courage, protector of their people, and highly recognized for their achievements. Both Beowulf and a present common man by the name of Jorge Muñoz encompass these characteristics, yet they emerge from very distinct circumstances. Throughout the first American epic, Beowulf, the character is idolized and seen as perfection. Beowulf, like all heroes, overcomes a multitude of obstacles in order to aid his people, to protect them from harm, and to give them a sense of safety and homeliness. Beowulf and Jorge Muñoz are two honorable men whose stories are similarly told, yet extremely unrelated.

Jorge Muñoz is a hero in present time, not idolized but seen as a major aid to the people of Queens, and as exemplary for a multitude of immigrants around the globe. Like any hero, Mr. Muñoz has been recognized for his kindness, his open-heartedness, and his overall contribution to society. Jorge, and ex-illegal immigrant, is a hero to the hardworking, starving, and almost homeless men who search for work everyday on the corner of Roosevelt Avenue and 73rd Street in Queens, NY. Jorge's dedication to helping his people resembles Beowulf's devotion to helping Hrothgar in his fight against the monster Grendel. The only difference is that Jorge faces multiple monsters at one time, monsters by the name of hunger, "low-budget," and homelessness. Another difference between our two heroes is the way the men are repaid. Beowulf, once having beat the monster(s) receives a multitude of material objects, gold, treasure, goods, while Jorge is content with the gratitude he receives from the men, hearing the many "thanks," and the smiles of satisfied stomachs. Another drastic difference between our two heroes is humility. Beowulf is filled with arrogance, cockiness, and pride, while Mr. Muñoz transmits a positive and a very humble energy. Muñoz is a common man, made extraordinary by his decision to take control, for acting on a memory of what he went through as an illegal immigrant, for simply wanting to assist people less fortunate than himself. Like all heroes, both men are acknowledged on a wide spectrum. Beowulf is known throughout countries for his heroic defeats, and holds the title for being an amazing and well-established man in combat. On the other hand, Jorge has been recognized within his county, by becoming a CNN Hero, and even worldwide when recognized by President Barack Obama and allocated with the Presidential Citizens Medal. The thing about our two heroes is that they will go through every effort to complete a project/task, they will not allow themselves to let people down no matter what, they don't dare quit, even if they will lose their life, even if they waste their entire income on feeding someone else, they simply do not give up.

Although the content of their stories are incomparable, the way the stories are told is slightly similar. The stories are similar in the way that both men are depicted as honorable, they do not seem to have any faults. Both men are depicted as perfection, or as close as a human can be to perfection. Commitment, our heroes are not shown as lousy promise-keepers, rather they are punctual, never failing to complete a task, no matter what the circumstance, or what secondary factor may arise. However, if both stories were told from a feminist point of view, Beowulf  would change drastically while the true story would not. Beowulf would inevitably lose all the over exaggerated, hyperbolic element it embellishes, rendering Beowulf as an average man who probably competed against such "monsters," as presented, with full gear and an army of men. Jorge would still be the same man bearing the same giving heart. The stories are similar in the way that the men seem perfect, perfect enough to make the story seem unbelievable, fictional. Both men have acquired heroic strength, although faced with distinct situations, they are depicted using their strength for the greater good.

A hero is someone that has done something truly heroic, battle an infinite amount of wars, defeat monsters, or feed the hungry who are at a loss of luck. Beowulf fulfills this requirement, and so does Jorge Muñoz. Their stories are on different poles, on different sides of the heroic spectrum, yet they both embody true heroic characteristics; to acknowledge that others need help, and to have the courage to act upon their instincts.