Long time ago, heroes were very important people. Only the men who were killing
the others in the wars and winning the battles were considered as heroes. Seamus Heaney's
book "Beowulf" is a good example of this kind of man. However, people of today can be
called hero if they do something special and significant for their country. Christopher
Columbus,who discovered America, is one of these persons. Actually, a hero is a courage
man who possesses a special strength and ability, and who manages to do an important
accomplishment. The two men mentioned above are equally very important , but also very
different. Their actions differ from each other. This difference can be shown by explaining
in details what Beowulf did, then what Christopher did, and finally by comparing
Beowulf does correspond to the definition of the hero because he has this
superhuman strenght and power which distinguish him from the other warriors. He doesn't
fight against men , but against some big creatures such as a dragon. Beowulf is the only man
capable to beat these enormous monsters. He is always proud of himself when he manages
to kill one of these creatures: "The man who had lately landed among them, proud and sure,
had purged the hall, kept it from harm; he was happy with his nightwork and the courage he
had shown." Grendel is actually the first horrible monster-giant whom Beowulf kills. This
creature is murdering people for twelve years, every night, but nobody dares to approach
him. It is the same when Grendel's mother comes to avenge her son. Everybody is
frightened except this brave man. The fight is not easy, but again, only Beowulf is able to
kill him. Also, when the enormous dragon attacks his people,all the warriors except one
"ran for their lives to the safety of the wood", and
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