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Compare And Contrast Tikki And Beowulf

Decent Essays

Title An epic is a long narrative poem about the adventures of a hero. Beowulf, for example, is an Anglo-Saxon epic that was written down around the year 1000 A.D. It takes place in Denmark and Geatland, which is present-day Sweden. Another form of an epic is “Rikki-tikki-tavi,” a short story written by a British writer named Rudyard Kipling. It is about a mongoose who needs to stop three deadly snakes from eating other animals in a garden and a family in a house. Beowulf and “Rikki-tikki-tavi” both contain similar characteristics of an epic: there is a struggle of good versus evil, the fate of the people rests on the hero’s shoulders, and the hero possesses superhuman strength. A serious characteristic of an epic is that there is a struggle of good versus evil. In “Rikki-tikki-tikki,” Rikki is the animals’ savior. It is up to Rikki to kill three lethal snakes who represent the devil. Karait advises Rikki to “be careful” because he is “death” (8). Nag has a “cold …show more content…

In “Rikki-tikki-tavi,” Rikki has quick reflexes, fast running speed, very sharp and strong teeth, and the ability to win in fights with cobras. Even the family was surprised when Nag “battered [Rikki] to and fro...tighter and tighter” (10). Beowulf clearly has superhuman qualities, too. Not only is he able to breathe underwater for long periods of time, he has the strength of 30 men. When he fought Grendel, he was able to rip off Grendel’s arm and make him bleed to death, and when he fought the Troll Wife, he cut off her head. He also stabbed the dragon in the neck even when severely wounded. Obviously, both “Rikki-tikki-tavi” and Beowulf share three main characteristics of an epic: there is a struggle of good versus evil, the fate of the people rests on the hero’s shoulders, and the hero possesses superhuman qualities. Surely Rudyard Kipling must have had Beowulf in mind when he wrote

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