HeroismHeroes are found in every work of art. Whether it's in the television shows we watch, the movies we go to see, the poems and stories we learn, the books we read, there is always someone or something defined as the hero of that piece. Is the hero always the good guy who defeats evil? Or is it something more, something more significant. Not all plots have good versus evil and not all stories have a defined hero, but does that mean there is no heroism in those works? Heroism is not a list of actions or characteristics that someone or something might have. It is the morality behind every action, the attitude that defines the characteristics of the person; it is the person who thinks of others before himself, the courage that someone or something has in facing something difficult, the courage of the hero when he comes face to face with a problem. In the readings Beowulf, Act of Courtly Love and The Wife of Bath from The Canterbury Tales heroism is not very present in all three. It shows itself stronger in some than in others. Heroism is shown in different ways in all three readings. Heroism is found very easily in Beowulf, there are many different forms of heroism portrayed by different characters. The heroism displayed in Beowulf goes beyond just physical courage as they go to war or defeat the dragon. The Thanes; the warriors who were rewarded by King Hrothgar, had to show loyalty and trust to the king to prove that they were capable of fighting for him and the city. As stated at the beginning of the piece “Indeed, we have heard of the glory of the spear-wielding Danes, kings of the nation in times past, how those princes performed acts of courage” (489) without this act of heroism. Hrothgar and his mansion...... middle of paper......hor of this book writes rough and deep love "rules", it also shows the true side of relationships and how a man or woman should love and think about your partner. All in all, heroism is a vague word that could be defined as many things. Such as courage, courage, honesty, morality, trust…etc. If Beowulf was called a hero then the knight should also be called one since he gave old women the choice of being old and good or beautiful and evil. Or, if the author of The Art of Courtly Love cannot be heroic and then write in such a way as to be heroic, how can one decide what heroism is? All three of these studies show different forms and fashions of heroic people, feelings and attitudes. General heroism is and will always be based on personal opinion, what one person defines as a hero can be completely different from what another person sees him as.