Sir Gawain vs. Beowulf Essay Example
What is a hero? Is a hero is a great individual with powers or qualities that separate him from the rest of the society or world for that matter. In a sense, perhaps, I think a hero can be much more than just having these particular qualities. In my opinion, a hero is someone that also commands great respect. There must also have been a great event or deed for someone to be deemed a hero.
The two heroes can be compared in many ways. A major comparison would be their physical characteristics. Beowulf is “mighty, the strongest man ever.” Sir Gawain is
“honorable, a brave and true knight.” Beowulf only happens to be strong on the outside.
But Sir Gawain, along with his muscular build, contains a strong and stable heart. Beowulf goes to the land of the Danes and becomes a hero by his physical actions, with what he has done with his own hands. On the other hand, Sir Gawain has to make responsible choices to save his life and he makes the right choices not knowing that the King was indeed the Green Knight. Beowulf also had men doing things for him, like servants, and Sir Gawain doesn’t, he goes to the green chapel on his own, just him and his horse.
In “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”, Gawain had certain characteristics that showed that he was the “hero” in the story, for instance, it doesn’t ever that where he comes from or who his family is, he wanted to be loyal to his king so he offered to play the game with the Green Knight and risked his own life just so he would be remembered. He had a goal and it was to kill the Green Knight and then in a year go and find him and let the Green Knight do to Gawain what Gawain did to the Green Knight so he did just because he was a “hero” and he didn’t want to be remembered as a chicken and his name was to be remembered as “Sir Gawain the Chicken.” Also he doesn’t even know where the Green Chapel is but he knows that he is a knight and he said he would play the game and meet his death there and he finds the chapel
The two heroes can be compared in many ways. A major comparison would be their physical characteristics. Beowulf is “mighty, the strongest man ever.” Sir Gawain is
“honorable, a brave and true knight.” Beowulf only happens to be strong on the outside.
But Sir Gawain, along with his muscular build, contains a strong and stable heart. Beowulf goes to the land of the Danes and becomes a hero by his physical actions, with what he has done with his own hands. On the other hand, Sir Gawain has to make responsible choices to save his life and he makes the right choices not knowing that the King was indeed the Green Knight. Beowulf also had men doing things for him, like servants, and Sir Gawain doesn’t, he goes to the green chapel on his own, just him and his horse.
In “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”, Gawain had certain characteristics that showed that he was the “hero” in the story, for instance, it doesn’t ever that where he comes from or who his family is, he wanted to be loyal to his king so he offered to play the game with the Green Knight and risked his own life just so he would be remembered. He had a goal and it was to kill the Green Knight and then in a year go and find him and let the Green Knight do to Gawain what Gawain did to the Green Knight so he did just because he was a “hero” and he didn’t want to be remembered as a chicken and his name was to be remembered as “Sir Gawain the Chicken.” Also he doesn’t even know where the Green Chapel is but he knows that he is a knight and he said he would play the game and meet his death there and he finds the chapel