The 8th century epic poem Beowulf illustrates a loss of community, cultural values, and tradition. On the other hand, the elegiac demise of an extraordinary hero and the relationship between the themes of mortality and heroism are well discussed in Beowulf. The character of Beowulf exemplifies the Germanic and Anglo-Saxon ideals of the hero: strong, fearless, bold, loyal, and stoic in his acceptance of fate. Despite his lack of humility, Beowulf was the definition of a hero of his time due to his display of chivalry and his important roles in society. It is a fact that Beowulf's "superman figure" and warrior character had a strong influence on his efforts what he was trying to achieve. Beowulf's greatest concern was seeing Germanic society taken over by Christian missionaries who had sought to create a new culture from Germanic culture. On the one hand, Beowulf was trying to fight for the community, while on the other hand Christianity was trying to convert Germanic society into a diverse and "individual-based" culture. After examining his goals and what he was trying to do, it is time to discuss the “supernatural hero” character of Beowulf and in what ways he was considered the “superman” of the time. The first sign of his heroic character comes from his name, Beowulf. "Beo" gives the impression of a strong, large and fearless animal, the bear, while at the same time "wulf" sounds like a fierce and wild wolf. Beowulf's physical appearance, in which he had an imposing height and stature, also convinced others that he was in fact an "above human" character and hero. Furthermore, Beowulf had a mysterious and “unheroic” background, which he foretold as a young man. He was poorly regarded by… middle of paper… and Wiglaf demonstrates this transmission of heroism. The young hero, Wiglaf, understood the importance of culture, tradition, and gaining knowledge from a dying hero, but unfortunately had difficulty applying his knowledge to his people when trying to become the true Germanic hero after Beowulf. The epic poem Beowulf focuses on the hero. Throughout various generations and cultures, people have had an image of the archetypal hero. The Anglo-Saxon ideals of heroism were strength, courage and loyalty, which were exactly the qualities Beowulf possessed. Beowulf, consequently, was an icon of his ancient Germanic heritage. He imitated the world around him by reflecting the heroes' past traditions and mirroring their characteristics and actions. With him, his honor and pride made him not only a hero of his time, but also a hero for generations to come.