Anniina Jokinen December 2, 1996. Heroes originate in the mists of time and myth. The idea of the hero as the savior of his people dominates the early medieval epics such as Beowulf and The Song of Roland . In the later medieval romances, such as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight , the hero is no longer fighting for his people, but for his ideals. The study of the nature and cause of this change, then, is critical to the understanding of what, ultimately, is the essence of a hero.
Epic literature is a stately, solemn celebration of national life in the heroic age.
An epic hero, such as Beowulf or Roland, possesses the qualities of valor, military prowess, loyalty, generosity, and honor. He is a man who fights because he must, for the survival of his tribe or nation. It is partly for this reason that Beowulf needs to kill the dragon and that Roland refuses to blow the horn. Although elements of 'the miraculous' appear in the epic, they result in no more than a heightening or aggrandizement of reality. However, we know that even in defeat partially of their own doing.