Compare and contrast images of heroism in these two poems. Essay

The semester has been a study of heroes. ''Beowulf'' is a poem about an epic hero. ''Sir Gawain and the Green Knight'' is a poem based on chivalry. ''Beowulf'' and ''Sir Gawain and the Green Knight'' both have the similarity of arrogance and loyalty.

​Beowulf and the soldiers that fight for our country represent the true definition of a hero. They prove heroism in an astounding amount of ways. Both Beowulf and our soldiers continuously risk their own lives to handle the situations in the best way possible. The world lies in the palm of their hands; whether it is an epic story or the life we live day by day. “Heroes are made by the paths they choose, not the powers they are graced with.” Lives are constantly saved by the heroic deeds both heroes partake in. The heroes fight to protect the good against the evil. Both are then rewarded with praise and treated with a great deal of respect. The heroes face obstacles that put their own lives at stake but this does not cross their mind for even a brief second. The two types of heroes display courage and in return receive respect and rewards.

In the epic poems of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Beowulf, the role of heroes is significant. However, the epic poems differ drastically on these topics. The epic poems of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Beowulf share many things yet differ in the qualities of the heroes; Sir Gawain and the Green Knight defines heroism as imperfect, mortal and humble, as delineated by the actions of Sir Gawain at the Green Chapel, while Beowulf defines heroism as being “larger-than-life” and proud, as shown by Beowulf’s encounter with Unferth.

The purpose of the hero in literature has evolved through time, and there is no denying the differences of two medieval heroic archetypes, Beowulf, and Sir Gawain. In both poems, the hero is faced with several different tests, each with proposed solutions and goals. Anglo-Saxon epic and romantic stories focus on the central hero who stands alone as the ideal example of perfected chivalry. Even though there are countless similarities that both manuscripts share, Sir Gawain and Beowulf are pitted against vastly different obstacles by the poet to preach different messages to the intended audience. As a renowned epic warrior of the Geats, Beowulf faces challenges that test his physical capabilities since the traditional Epic was concerned with pondering grand questions about life and giving the hero abilities that separated him from ordinary humans. On the contrary, due to the nature of the romance hero, Sir Gawain’s two main tasks revolve around maintaining a reputation that is marked by qualities of what was thought to be the complete human at the time. As we will come to realize, neither one is without sin. In the case of one Gawain, it is a slight imperfection that solidifies his status as a hero for the people of Camelot.

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.

Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight are examples of poems that show two different types of honorable heroes who where the best of their time. Although Beowulf and Sir Gawain are different characters written in different time periods, their likeness in the text indicate that both are very smart. They both show that people have not change their views of how heroes are seen. Heroes are seen as brave, loyal, honest and courteous. Even though one story has a pagan fundamental and the other has a Christian one, both characters are exposed to events that lead them into demonstrating their moral values through their actions as a result of how their future was lead and shaped.

In literature we often see a hero. The hero is often the main character of a who story goes on a quest, faces dangerous risks, and battles good and evil along the way. In the narrative poems Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight we as readers witness two examples of the epitome of a true hero, according to the cultures that produced these works. Beowulf, the Geatish hero of an Anglo-Saxon folk epic, sets out on a quest to kill Grendel, a monster who has caused much chaos in the land of the Danes. Beowulf embarks on this quest for the safety of Hrothgar’s people, but also (and primarily) to further his own fame and renown. In addition, Sir Gawain also exemplifies a true hero for the readers of the Late Middle Ages as he accepts the challenge of the Green Knight and embarks on a hopeless journey that involves presenting his head for decapitation. Even though Sir Gawain contradicts himself in the end because of his disloyalty, he triumphs in the battle of good vs. evil. These archetypal characters both represent a force of “good” within their narrative poems in terms of how their respective cultures defined

What makes a hero? Bravery? Sacrifice? Strength? Beowulf and Sir Gawain both exemplified these heroic traits. Beowulf was a hero of the Geatish people of ancient Sweden. When the protagonist heard the plea of King Hrothgar, Beowulf undeterredly sailed across the sea to vanquish the beast called Grendel. Presently, after Grendel was slain, he proceeded to slay Grendel’s mother, and later in life, a fire breathing dragon who would inflict a mortal wound upon Beowulf. Sir Gawain is a more chivalrous hero who offers his opponent a chance to honorably defend himself in a duel. Surprisingly, he loses, but the Green Knight gives him a year and a day to live. During that time, Gawain lives an honorable and a respectable life until they meet again.

In the worlds of Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the journeys of two heroes, Beowulf and Sir Gawain, are depicted through the form of poems. The two stories have become two of the most important works of literature in the English history. In the two poems, both Beowulf and Sir Gawain face great challenges in their journeys as heroes. Beowulf embarks on a quest to defeat Grendel and his mother while Sir Gawain faces many difficulties on his search for the Green Knight. Although the main characters in Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight exhibit many of the same characteristics, the two poems have stylistic differences and differ in societal values.

However, it is not a hard task to complete. With multiple instances of the text singing his praises, the most obvious, while still not outright, is the description of Gawain after his shield is mentioned. Gawain is described “as good as the purest gold-- devoid of vices but virtuous, loyal, and kind” (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, lines 633-635), all qualities of a hero. Sir Gawain’s most self-evident display of heroism is that of his protection of his king and cousin, Arthur. When the Green Knight appears and issues a challenge involving his sword, and revenge to be taken a year and a day later by dealing the same exact blow dealt to him and King Arthur attempts to accept this challenge, Sir Gawain immediately sacrifices

Heroism in poems makes it possible to visualize what the interpretation of a hero is. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain was the hero, as for Lost Paradise, Milton’s Satan was the hero. Norton and Milton were able to interpret two different characters as a hero in their poems. Both heroes had different qualities that distinguished and many the readers question what the true meaning of a hero was.

What is a hero? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a hero as a legendry character who has great strength and ability. It goes on to state that a hero is a great warrior who is admired for his achievements, has noble qualities, and who shows great courage. Written by unknown authors, both Beowulf and Gawayne and the Green Knight are tales of heroism set at different times. Even though the characters and plots are different, the main theme is similar. They both narrate the tale of a heroic figure who embarks on a dangerous journey to vanquish an evil force. Beowulf and Gawayne, the heroes of their tales, both share similar heroic characteristics such as courage and bravery, honor, loyalty, and a concern for maintaining their reputation and image- which eventually exposes their weaknesses.

Theme is essential to any great work of literature, and while the following are certainly very different tales, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Beowulf and The Dream of the Rood each have particularly strong themes of heroism, though, they each have their own distinct idea of what heroism is, their own flavor one might say. It is partly because of their strong themes and ideas that they are still well-known and read today. A story without a theme or real purpose has little to no value whatsoever.

The relationship between heroes and monster can be revealed in Beowulf and Grendel. Both the epic poem talks about how goodness conquers evil, in life good is more powerful than evil. In epic tales heroes and monster gives its reader much excitement and adventure, but also talks abouts heroes and monsters and their relationship between good and evil. Beowulf is part of the heroic culture seen all over Europe at that time. Beowulf, Larger than life character remember in old tales makes him a legendary hero.

What will be the first thing that comes to mind when a person hears the word or phrase ‘heroes’? In today’s society, heroes that come to mind are superhuman such as, Spiderman and Wonder Woman. Those type of people can fly, hang from tall buildings, jump from one place to another, and shoot long webs from their hands. As a matter of fact, how we think of heroes today is very different from how they actually were during the Anglo-Saxons period. While reading, readers have learned a lot about both characters in each poem. Beowulf and Sir Gawain are both honorable heroes. They are the two bravest people that went to war around their own time. They have many similarities, but they are opposite as well. Beowulf and Sir Gawain both try to get fame from what they do best. The major themes in both texts of Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight are dealing with loyalty, death, and reputation.