Examples Of Courage In Beowulf

“Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point” (C. S. Lewis). The New Oxford American Dictionary defines courage as “the ability to do something that frightens one” (Courage, def. 1). Courage is the opposite of cowardice; it is moral strength to push through and stand against difficult times, fear, and danger. A person draws his strength from the one in whom he trusts, whether it is himself or God. The worldly source of courage shown in Beowulf is very different from the source of courage shown in the Bible. The world tells people their courage should be drawn from themselves and their own strength, but the Bible disagrees. The Bible repeatedly shows that a believer’s courage is to be found …show more content…
A fatalistic attitude about life and indifference to death were key components in having worldly courage during the Anglo-Saxon time period. A person who sees it in this way will strive to build up a reputation of being courageous during his lifetime and have a desire to be remembered for it when he dies. Lines 24 – 25 read, “Behavior that’s admired is the path to power among people everywhere” (Heaney). Beowulf had an immense amount of worldly courage. He was brave, confident in his strength, and trusted in God and fate to decide the outcome of his battles. Lines 439 – 441 and line 455 read, “…a life-and-death fight with the fiend. Whichever one death fells must deem it a just judgment by God . . . Fate goes ever as fate must” (Heaney). Beowulf demonstrated courage from a worldly …show more content…
The problem with worldly courage is that it is based on a person’s own strength and greatness. Believers, on the other hand, acknowledge their courage is based on what the Lord has done and can do through them. John 16:33 states, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” The song “The Battle Belongs to the Lord,” by Jamie Owens-Collins, talks about this with lyrics such as:
In heavenly armor we’ll enter the land. The battle belongs to the Lord. No weapon that’s fashioned against us shall stand. The battle belongs to the Lord . . . When your enemy presses in hard do not fear. The battle belongs to the Lord. Take courage, my friend, your redemption is near. The battle belongs to the Lord (“Petra”). Believers find the source of their courage and strength in God because He is victorious over all. This is not one of many places to find courage, but the one and only place to find it. It is very important to God and His plan for His people that they be courageous. This is communicated in Deuteronomy 31:5-7 when God tells Moses to “be strong and