Sir Gawain Vs Beowulf Research Paper

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

The romance “Sir Gawain and The Green Knight” is a tale in which Gawain’s integrity is challenged by the Green Knight. A romance is a story involving heroes that are held to a strict code of bravery, usually set in a medieval time and place. During this period of time knights were the primary heroes. Knights are very well respected much because of their code of chivalry. The aspects of chivalry include honesty, bravery, modesty, loyalty, honor, and a host of other respectful characteristics. The most popular legends are of King Arthur and his honorable knights of the Round Table. Arthur was important his self but a noteworthy knight of his was Gawain, who you will learn about later in this essay. “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a romance in which Gawain, the meekest of Arthur’s men, accepts the challenge from the Green Knight that includes receiving seduction from the Green Knight’s wife and Gawain’s admittance to his wrongdoing.

Both heroes face defeats near the end of the stories: Beowulf is physically poisoned by the dragon’s lethal venom and cannot leave the barrow alive; Sir Gawain is morally dismantled when the Green Knight reveals his true identity and exposes Sir Gawain’s fear for death. Sir Gawain decides to keep the girdle, the very object that symbolizes his sin, so that it serves as a reminder that “the frailty of his flesh is [his] biggest fault, the touch of filth taints his tender frame”(Armitage, 183). If pride ever assumes dominance over Sir Gawain again, this girdle would “lessen [his] ardor” and restore his modesty(Armitage, 183). In contrast,

In all three of the works of literature of Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Macbeth, the hero of the story reflects the cultural values and the time period from which they came. Beowulf in Beowulf was the glorious and proud warrior king that the men of that time revered. Sir Gawain was the loyal, chivalrous knight that was appreciated during that period. And finally, the hero of Macbeth was none other than the strong and brave Macduff. Beowulf is essentially the epitome of a perfect hero.

Beowulf and Sir Gawain’s departures from their homelands to their places of adventure demonstrate a similarity in that both heroes accept the call to adventure solely to bring themselves pride and to defend their honor. Beowulf accepts the call to save the people of Denmark after word spreads to Geatland of the terrible monster, Grendel. Similarly, Gawain accepts the challenge of the Green Knight after he calls King Arthur 's knights cowards or “bearded children” (Weston, Part 1b). Although, these two characters hail from different time periods in history, both of their societies valued individual honor which is the main

With both characters facing different challenges in their lives, there are some differences that define them personally. Beowulf is a different kind of hero and this story connects to people in different ways because he is a hero without many flaws. Sir Gawain, on the other hand, does make mistakes, which is part of why he is an endearing hero to readers. Beowulf is humble, and never seems to make a mistake. He is perfect in every way to his people, both physical, spiritually, and he always seems to come out victorious in very battle or challenge he is faced with. Sir Gawain’s mistake is that he lost some of his faith in the end and it shows his more human-like characteristics, which is sometimes more appealing. In the article Sir Gawain Andrew states, “he gives up his faith in the Lord by wearing a green sash [belt] which the lady of the castle says will protect him” (“The MY HERO Project”). This shows that although Sir Gawain is brave, he still has his doubts and wants to do what he can to survive. While both of these characters are portrayed as heroes in literature, they related to readers in different ways. Beowulf’s perfection is

Gawain, a knight of the famed King Arthur, is depicted as the most noble of knights in the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Nonetheless, he is not without fault or punishment, and is certainly susceptible to conflict. Gawain, bound to chivalry, is torn between his knightly edicts, his courtly obligations, and his mortal thoughts of self-preservation. This conflict is most evident in his failure of the tests presented to him. With devious tests of temptation and courage, Morgan le Fay is able to create a mockery of Gawain’s courtly and knightly ideals. Through the knight Gawain, the poem is able to reveal that even knights are human too with less than romantic traits.

In Sir Gawain and The Green Knight, the character of Sir Gawain is skillfully brought to life by the unknown author. Through the eyes of numerous characters in the poem, we see Gawain as a noble knight who is the epitome of chivalry; he is loyal, honest and above all, courteous. As the story progresses, Gawain is subjected to a number of tests of character, some known and some unknown. These tests tell us a great deal about Gawain's character and the struggles he faces internally. I will explore the various places in the poem where we learn about Gawain, either through others or through the tests he faces. By the end of the poem, we sense that we have

Beowulf and Gawain are hindered by their reputations because of the implication that their previous behaviors are likely to reoccur. We know Beowulf is a warrior and leader of the Geats, however, he is introduced as “hot-hearted Beowulf” (46, 634). This

The tale of “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” focuses primarily on beliefs of honor, bravery, and chivalry. The main character, Sir Gawain, embodies these qualities. His character is meant to be a model of chivalry. He emanates honor when he offers to fight the Green Knight for King Arthur. Medieval people would admire this courageous act. In his struggles to keep his promise Gawain demonstrates chivalry and loyalty until his honor is assessed, in the end, by the Green Knight’s schemes. This tale also includes a larger-than-life character who commands respect, the Green Knight. This superhuman being defies all laws of nature when his head is chopped off, yet he still remains alive and alert. These characters and their extraordinary actions provide perspective for the values and interests of medieval people.

In the literary works Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, an admirable warrior and knight are depicted. Although Sir Gawain and Beowulf both possess such characteristics as bravery and strength, readers can observe differences in other traits that make them heroes of their own time that is attributable to the societal mindset in which the poems were written. The goal of this essay is to compare and contrast how Beowulf, which was written in the early eleventh century, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, which was written in the late fourteenth century, indicate an evolution in cultural ideals of values such as morality and virtue that ultimately differentiates the authors’ views of

The medieval romance of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight embodies a naïve knight being put through life’s challenges. Gawain starts off as a naive knight but grows through the unexpected and vampire ordeals he is faced as a sort of quest fraught with danger the young knight has ever faced.

The heroic epics of Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight represent warrior and knightly ideal hero of bygone times; Sir Gawain displays chivalric and knightly values, while Beowulf displays a warrior hero’s values. Beowulf tells about Beowulf’s fantastical killing of the monster Grendel and Grendel’s mother. Tales of heroes are usually fantastical rather than realistic, but in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain’s brave quest and morally exhausting trails are more realistic. The physical context and cultural ideals of Beowulf, the warrior hero, are primitive and fantastical; while the physical context and ideals of Gawain, the chivalric hero, are sophisticated and relatively realistic.

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.