Compare And Contrast Beowulf And Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

Since the beginning of society, bravery has been innate in everyone. From David’s fight with Goliath, to modern day’s stand against prejudice, people continue to attack in tough positions. However, cowardice is ingrained in everyone as well. People are constantly avoiding danger―physical and internal, such as Peter’s denial of Jesus and dodging responsibility. Consequently, there is a fine line between bravery and cowardice. Granted, when is the turning point where self preservation becomes a greater priority than helping others? In the epic poem, Beowulf, and the medieval romance, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Beowulf and Sir Gawain similarly show humanity’s inclination to act brave when situations become difficult, until their lives are put at risk―revealing everyone's inner cowardice.

Growing up, everyone has a idea on what a hero looks like. Heros represent a lot of different aspects of bravery. Every culture in history has had a heroic figure. In most cultures heroes portray different aspects of being a hero. In Anglo-Saxon times heroes were considered strong, and fearless. Beowulf is a true epic hero in Anglo- Saxon times because he is very fearless, strong, and honored.

An Epic Hero is a brave, noble character in an epic poem, and they are admired for great achievements or affected by a grand event. In another point of view, A Epic Hero has to have strength, faith and Braveness in order to perform heroic deeds. In the story Beowulf , Beowulf is an epic hero because he kills Grendel the monster, Grendel’s Mother and a dragon that no one else could have defeated. All the things Beowulf did throughout this story showed evidence of an epic hero, also with his personality and dedication. Beowulf is an epic hero because of how he sacrificed his life to perform heroic deeds. Also for his extraordinary strength, Braveness, and Faith.

The upbringing of children by the environments (parents, relatives, the neighbor next door) in each generation and country differ, and thus produces a unique child for each. The societal environment molds the child and the child becomes a character as he/she grows older. Beowulf and Sir Gawain are extremely different despite the almost similar societies in which each grew up in. The few similarities they share are a small derivative from the religious aspect of their childhood to adulthood. Beowulf and Sir Gawain are both warriors in the sense of fighting for the protection and honor of their kings, but Beowulf struggles to maintain humility in his personality unlike Sir Gawain. Also with religion being prominent in mostly Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, it provides a contrast of each protagonist’s life. In full examination of the two characters, it can be said that Sir Gawain and Beowulf’s motives and actions throughout the story are for the morally right, however, the differences of personality reveal great detail of each’s persona.

Heroes come in many forms. The construction of "the heroic" has taken many forms, yet traits such as: courage, honor, and loyalty, reappear as themes throughout the "hero" personality. The characters of Beowulf and Sir Gawain each represent a version of a hero, yet each comes across quite differently in their story. A hero can be said to truly win if he remains constant to his noble values when put in any situation that crosses his way. When measured by that criterion, Sir Gawain stands out above Beowulf as a true hero, due to his command of both personal and spiritual power through the use of thought, as well as valiant deeds.

In Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight there are two heroes that help the present day reader gain insight into what the hero of the Middle Ages would have held as ideals and necessary triumphs. Beowulf and Sir Gawain each fill a different role within their unique societies. Beowulf is a leader and a savior in times of need, willing to go to any length to help another group of people as well as his own kingdom. Sir Gawain is also willing to rise during moments of trouble within his court but lacks the altruism that is inherent in Beowulf's leadership. Although there are many pursuable comparisons within the two tales, the most apparent between the two heroes are that of faith, the men who encouraged them, bravery and the

Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight are tales about two brave heros. While both Beowulf and Sir Gawain are heros in their own stories, both men are portrayed differently. In each story, both heroes possess similar traits such as courage, loyalty and honor. A hero may be unchanging to his values when a situation crosses his path. However, when it comes to comparing these two great men, I would consider Sir Gawain the true hero.

A hero is someone who is idealized for his courage and noble qualities. Beowulf and Sir Gawain can certainly be called heroes. They both have many qualities that are expected of heroic knights and warriors. They are both brave, gallant, and skilled men, but are they the perfect heroes their people believe them to be? While they are portrayed as perfect heroes and they possess many heroic qualities, Beowulf and Sir Gawain are far from perfect.

According to Tom Hanks, a hero is “somebody who voluntarily walks into the unknown.” A hero is someone who puts another’s needs before themselves, is strong, and courageous. Sir Gawain and Beowulf are epic heroes who embody these ideals. Sir Gawain is part of King Arthur’s court, and he is the sole knight who bravely accepts the Green Knight’s challenge in order to protect his king. On the contrary, Beowulf is a warrior and a king. He is constantly battling monsters for the glory and fame. Sir Gawain is more honorable, because he has superior beliefs, motivations, and is more courageous.

Long-form poems Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight stem from two distinct time periods containing distinguished cultures, values, and ideologies. The Anglo-Saxon age, where Beowulf takes place, was a melting pot of Christian and pagan values. Epic battles, gruesome challenges, ideas of fate and destiny, and personal pride defined their heroism. Centuries later, in the Age of Chivalry, heroes possessed humility, respect, honesty, and integrity. Beowulf and Sir Gawain represent their cultures’ ideals respectively. Beowulf’s masculine demeanour and physical prowess, contrasted with Sir Gawain’s nuanced mental self consciousness, demonstrate an incoherent, often polarizing depiction of Old English heroism, in which neither protagonist fully possesses the values of an ideal hero.

Protagonists also known as the main character or the hero. A protagonist can make or break the story. A hero is defined as a person who goes on a quest to save, restore or heal the community. Most heroes have the same qualities; however, what the character does with the qualities is a different story. For example, Sir Gawain and The Green Knight, author unknown and Oroonoko by Aphra Behn are two works where the protagonists are comparable. For example, both men are on a dangerous journey, a woman starts their downfall, and lastly, both put their trust in the wrong people. However, they differ in many factor; the main one however, is that Sir Gawain is a knight and Oroonoko is a prince.

Beowulf and Sir Gawain and The Green Knight are British mythological stories whose authors are unknown. The stories paint the picture of brave and selfless heroes who put the lives of their fellow men before their own. Though the stories differ in their narration, they are built on the same ideas and principles. This essay compares and contrasts the various themes in these two stories and their development. The issues discussed are the role of women, strength and courage and afterlife.

Although Gawain and Beowulf share many similarities, their characters are almost complete opposites. Both aim for some sort of fame, one more than the other; differing in the way they attempt to achieve this success. Gawain remains true and looks to humility to guide him, whereas Beowulf is very prideful and selfish, loving nothing more than boasting about his virtues. Regardless, both go through tremendous changes throughout their quests, dealing with repercussions, and many challenging obstacles along the way.

Although Beowulf is considered an epic hero and Sir Gawain a chivalric hero, both epitomize the idea of a hero by demonstrating loyalty and bravery. Beowulf is loyal to his lord by refusing to take the throne until Hygelaf’s son, the rightful successor, passes on. Beowulf also exhibits bravery in his confrontation with Grendel by defeating the monster with no weapons. Sir Gawain demonstrates loyalty and bravery to King Arthur by accepting the challenge of the Green Knight when none of the other knights stepped forward. Loyalty and bravery are two qualities characteristic of a hero and no matter what type of hero they were; Beowulf and Sir Gawain epitomized these traits.

A hero, what is a hero? Close your eyes and imagine what a hero is. Is it a man or a woman? Are they tall or short? Do they have dark or light hair? Are they young or old? Now take this hero you have imagined and give him or her traits. What would they be? Is he or she courageous or adventurous? Are they physically strong or mentally strong, or both? A hero is defined in 3 ways; selflessness, humbleness, and bravery.