Comparing Two Heros - Beowulf and Odysseus Essays

ethics, is great warrior, and is very loyal to his master. Beowulf is also rewarded for his deeds

Beowulf even risks his life for a multitude of people! This sort of mental fortitude is common in epic poems and works of fiction, such as The Odyssey, where the hero has to save humanity as the world knows it. Additionally, Beowulf is physically powerful. During the massive fight with Grendel, Beowulf aggressively rips Grendel’s arm off of his body so that “the bleeding sinews deep in [Grendel’s] shoulder/ snapped” (lines 390-391). Grendel is a brutish, gory, and hellish monster.

Most of us have heard of modern day heroes such as Spiderman, Superman, and the Hulk. Each is a hero to many children. Heroes are introduced to people early on in life usually as fictional characters, but as children grow older their perceptions of heroes alter. The characteristics of a hero are usually based around the ideas of a society or culture. In the epic Beowulf, the main character is thought of as a hero. Beowulf, a pagan warrior and the main character of the epic, shows certain characteristics such as bravery, loyalty, and generosity, which portray him as a hero. It is interesting how modern day heroes show the much of the same qualities as Beowulf.

This essay is the comparison between Beowulf and the modern day hero. All soldiers that are fighting for my country certainly comes to mind first, when I think about a modern day hero. Both hero’s are fighting for a good cause, get rewarded for what they do, and get treated with much respect. Although a soldier might not withhold unworldly strength as one such as Beowulf, they both are putting their life at stake, which gives them both the title as being a hero.

During Odysseus and his mens’ confrontation with Polyphemus, the giant, one eyed son of Poseidon, he explains how, “...we seized our stake with its fiery tip and bored it round and round in the giant’s eye…” (9.433-434). Here, it is evident that instead of using his cleverness and trying to peacefully talk his way out of the situation, he chooses to use violence in order escape. Though his strength and bravery might make him a hero by ancient standards, Odysseus would likely not be considered a hero today due to his all around violent and brutal nature. In addition, while Odysseus and his men are sailing through the sea monsters, Scylla and Charybdis’ territory, Odysseus tells how, “I donned my heroic armour, seized long spears in both my hands and marched out on the half deck…” (12.247-248). As Odysseus and his crew sail past Scylla, he does not think to devise a plan to drift past her undetected and escape unharmed. He decides to go in ready to fight, with his and his crew’s lives already in jeopardy. He believes that he alone can defeat a monster, which also makes him ineligible to be a modern hero because modern heroes are selfless, modest individuals. Regarding Odysseus’s violent actions, there are still a multitude of instances that bring them to the

Odysseus fights Polyphemus, on the island of the Cyclopes, for his men to escape. Two of his men get devoured, on the spot, to show that Odysseus does not have as much power as Polyphemus. At night, he gets Polyphemus drunk and stabs his one and only eye. Knowing that other cyclopes are roaming the island, Odysseus says his name is “Nobody”, for Polyphemus to deter attention. It must take a lot of bravery

Beowulf is also shown to be a man of God when he states that whatever happens, its Gods will. After he battles Grendel's mother, he says to his companions, " ...if God had not helped me, the outcome would have been quick and fatal." (line 1657-1658). Through all of his battles, he shows a respect for God, which proves that he knows that he is not invincible, and appreciates the gift that he was given.

The Odyssey, by Homer, shows what Odysseus went through to get home in the 20 years he was away from home. From the day Telemachus was born, Odysseus left to go fight in Trogan War. He fought in Troy for 10 years and then took a worrisome route home for 10 more. He endured death and many hardships that only he was able to survive throughout the time away from home. Meanwhile, Beowulf protrayed good vs. evil, establishing an identity, and what it means to be heroic.

The first battle shows Beowulf’s bravery by challenging the great beast in a battle with his bare hands. He showed no fear and arrogance that was soon backed up by his might. From the very beginning Beowulf showed a lot of pride in the strength he possessed which luckly was no laughing matter. He maneged to kill Grendel, a furosious monster who has slayen many men, by ripping of his arm and causing him to bleed to death. It wasn’t a direct kill but the people sure took it as it. He was recognized as someone worthy to rule them and was praised for this. His victory with Grendel earned him his arm. His trophy was Grendel’s arm, showing how mighty he was to rip the arm of a vicious creature bare handed with no armor. Grendel with his arm ripped off he retreats back to his mother, where his life is on the line as he bleeds to death.

Strong-hearted and unafraid, Beowulf’s character is the example of the heroism that many of the characters in novels, movies, and even various of real-life people have aimed at achieving. The iconic hero of The Dark Knight (2008), Bruce Wayne, otherwise known as the “Bat Man”, steps up to protect and save the people of Gotham City. The two of these protagonists are very different- but the similarities they share are key when asking the question: “Are they ‘Epic Heroes’?” Beowulf is emphasized as being a loyal, honest, and strong leader.

Beowulf showed insurpassable strength tearing at grendel's wretched body, great fortitude keeping his hold, and the courage of a lion to battle this fiend,

Beowulf is a honorable king.” He is so great he needs no weapons and fears none” . If Beowulf tells his people he’s going to do something then he will do it. Beowulf is no coward. He has honor.

He used the mystical sword and became more cautious but still did the deed for the people of the Danes. This shows true honor and responsibility. Beowulf took responsibility for upsetting Grendel’s mother and handled it even though he did not have too. Once Grendel’s mother was defeated, there was another celebration in Herot. “Beowulf, my friend, your fame has gone far and wide, you are known everywhere…

With only the help of his son, Odysseus kills all the suitors, despite the fact that he was greatly outnumbered. Odysseus proves his strength for the second time when he resists the Siren’s song. No man is able to resist it, but with the strength that Odysseus contains, he overcomes it. Odysseus begs his crew to untie him because the voices are so appealing, but he keeps his strength and fights off the tempting voices: “The lovely voices in ardor appealing over the water/ made me crave to listen, and I tried to say ‘Untie me!’ to the crew jerking my brows;/ but they bent steady to the oars.” (XII, 246-249) Third, Odysseus is very sharp and wise. When blinding the great giant, Polyphemos, one would think why not kill the giant instead of blinding him? Odysseus was very strategic and blinded him because if he were to kill the giant, Odysseus and his crew would not be able to escape. As strong as Odysseus is, he would not be able to move the giant boulder which was blocking the exit. “My heart beat high now at the chance of action,/ and drawing the sharp sword from my hip I went/ along his flank to stab him where the midriff/ holds the liver. I had touched the spot/ when sudden fear stayed me: if I killed him we perished there as well, for we could never/ move his ponderous doorway slab aside.” (IX, 324-330) Odysseus has a sharp mind and thinks of what the outcome to each of his move will be. He makes

To begin, Beowulf fought his battles not for the fame that came with the victories but for the good that will come from them. From the beginning, Beowulf is willing to sacrifice himself (a form of Christianity) to come help king Hrothgar take care of his troubles with Grendel. The fight between Beowulf and Grendel is similar to the story of David vs Goliath in the bible, Beowulf being the underdog like David travels to Grendel’s home territory the same way David did and defeated the beast that was claimed impossible to beat. When Beowulf goes into battle with Grendel he refuses to use a weapon, showing fairness and treating him as he was fighting another normal man. After the fight with Grendel and during the celebration at Heorot Beowulf said “The lord allowed it, my lock on him wasn’t strong enough; he struggled fiercely and broke and ran.