Saturday Morning the Anglo-Saxon Way
             Beowulf is what I think of as the superhero of all superheroes. He exudes strength and courage as a warrior and this is displayed in any challenge or task he faces. The description of the struggle between Beowulf and Grendel allows the reader to imagine the strength that Beowulf actually possesses. They describe Grendel as unbeatable,"...the choicest iron in the world, could work no harm to the hideous foe." Then to contrast Grendel's strength against the strength of Beowulf, "... [Grendel]soon found that his strength was feeble and failing in the crushing hold of Hygelac's thane." In the story of Beowulf his character obeys the Germanic heroic code and embarks on adventures to ease the plight of the Danes, "Their wish was fulfilled in the fall of Grendel. The stranger from far, the stalwart and strong, had purged of evil the hall of Hrothgar." He is portrayed as the man who overcomes the many years of suffering for an entire tribe by killing their one torturer, Grendel. Later on in his story, he overcomes two other obstacles, one leading to death. On this path he becomes king of the Geats and is upheld as a great leader. If this story were to become a Saturday morning cartoon, the violence and storyline should be left behind and the characters should be represented on a level that would appeal to young children. With the morals and values upheld by Beowulf as a character, he would be a great role model for kids to look up to.
             To me, I picture Beowulf as a mix of Hercules and Dave the Barbarian. He is a ruthless warrior with impenetrable armor, the courage of a thousand lions and every battle he fights is fought for the safety of the people. At the banquet before the night he encounters Grendel, Beowulf makes a boastful announcement which is an example of the courage he carries for himself. "I count myself nowise weaker in war or grapple of battle t...