Comparing Beowulf, Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

During the first semester of English 12, the class read many great works of British literature like Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Le Mort D'Arthur. The one thing they all had in common was a Hero, a hero capable of accomplishing amazing feats of strength, bravery, cunning and intuition. In these stories, a hero was someone who couldn't be stopped by beast, nature nor man, someone who had the love of God by his side and everyone aspired to be. As John Green said, "reading is an act of empathy, the reason to read is to better understand ourselves and lives other than our own". Through this semester's reads, there's one thing that has become apparent, the world need heroes.

In the story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain is on his way to meet the green knight to repay the debt that is owed. Previously at king Arthur's castle, Sir Gawain had cleaved off the green knights head and as per their agreement, Sir Gawain was to travel to the green chapel where the green knight is to sever Sir Gawain's head. So he is on his way to find the man who is supposedly going to kill him. Even though he knows this, he still goes because he is honor bound by the knights code to follow through with his agreement. His strong conviction to fulfill his duty even at great personal loss is what makes him heroic.
In the tale of Beowulf the king of the Danes was in dire need of help.
He needed someone brave and strong who was willing to fight for him and his kingdom and destroy the monster Grendel, who he needed was the hero Beowulf. The great and notable Beowulf came to the Danes aid not out of greed or a search for fame, but out of honor and loyalty to his father Ecgtheow and the king Hrothgar. In their darkest time, the Danes got the hero they
needed.

As in Le Morte D'Arthur, Sir Arthur, and his noble knight are taken away from their homes and families, and forced to fight for a country they do not love and a cause they do not believe in. In pursuit of freedom they lost many comrades, men they considered brothers, even so it was not all pain and grief. Through of the valiant actions of Sir Arthur and his knights the people of England were freed from the dark shadow of death that loomed over them, the Anglo-Saxon. Throughout this harrowing time, through all the trials and losses they did not relinquish their honorable ways or their faith that their leader Sir Arthur would lead them back home and become the king of England.

In contradiction to what has been previously stated, heroes don't have to be these marvelous, self-sacrificing people who never think of themselves and want to save everyone. To be a hero all you have to do is be there for someone, be there for somebody who is in need of help and doesn't know where to turn to. You don't have to give all of yourself to be a hero, you just have to be there for someone who has fallen and lost their way to pick them up and point them in the right direction.