Beowulf Vs Achilles Research Paper

Beowulf is the epic hero from the Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf, written by an unknown poet. Achilles is the epic hero from the Greek poem The Iliad, written by Homer. Beowulf details a Geat warrior who travels overseas to rescue a tribe called the Danes from two ferocious and murderous monsters, and The Iliad details a warrior who battles an enemy during the time of the Trojan War. Beowulf and Achilles are both headstrong and resilient warriors who, in the stories in which they were created, perfectly embody heroism as well as their cultures. While Beowulf and Achilles both have their fair share of favorable and unfavorable characteristics, Beowulf would be a much better fit for modern times.
Achilles is the greatest warrior in the Greek army, and like any exemplary hero, he is resolute and possesses incredible strength and toughness. Nevertheless, his numerous disagreeable traits overshadow his few agreeable ones. He is merciless, indignant, selfish, and vindictive. To
This is the defining characteristic in which they both share, yet it is only a relatively positive quality for Beowulf. For Achilles, his blood-lust is rooted in anger and in a personal desire for vengeance. His intentions are anything but good and heroic. For Beowulf, it appears to be the exact opposite. Beowulf has this blood-lust only in regard to saving a tribe and making amends with their king. For example, when Beowulf finally arrives to see the Danes, he tells their king, Hrothgar, “...I, alone and with the help of my men, / May purge all evil from this hall” (“from Beowulf” ln. 165-166). He is making an extraordinarily heroic promise, and he is proving to everyone that his blood-lust contributes towards saving them. Even though Beowulf and Achilles have that same quality, Beowulf has it for the right reasons, and that makes him a much better hero than Achilles in that