Comparison Of Beowulf And Sir Gawain

Juan Perez
Mr. Charles Howard
English Literature
26 November 2008

Comparison of Beowulf and Sir Gawain

There are a great number of differences between the characters of Beowulf and Sir Gawain. However, they have many things in common. Each story seems to emphasize honor, bravery, and power. These are indeed the most important qualities that these characters show. In this paper, however,these qualities; honor, bravery and power are emphasized and demonstrated in different ways.
The heroic characters described in Beowulf and Sir Gawain corresponds to their attitudes, their heroic adventures, and their relationship to others in their society. But each character has a set of standards and moral codes. Beowulf and Sir Gawain are such different kinds of heroes. For one thing,Beowulf is a person who was willing to fight with anyone in order to keep people safe. For example, when he heard that an evil monster, Grendel, was terrorizing the town of the King Hrothgar, Beowulf did not hesitate to defeat and kill the monster.
The best of my people, prudent and brave,
Urged me, King Hrothgar, to seek you out;
They had in remembrance my corage and might.
Many had seen me comesafe form the conflict,
Bloody from battle; five foes I bound
Of the giant Kindred, and crushed their clan.
Hard-driven in danger and darkness of night
I slew the nicorsº that swam in the sea,
Avenged the woe they had caused the Weders,
And ended their evil-they needed lesson!
And now with Grendel, the fearful fiend,
Single-handed I´ll settle the strife!
Prince of the Danes, protector ofScyldings,
Lord of nations, and leader of men, I beg one favor – refused me not,
Since I come thus faring from far-off lands-
That I may alone with my loyal earls,
With this hardy company, cleance Hart-Hall.
I have heard that the demon in proud disdain
Spurs all weapons; and I too scorn-
May Hygelac´s heart have joy of the deed-
To bear my sword, or sheltering shield,
Or yellow buckler, tobattle the fiend.
By saying this, Beowulf showed that he was a brave man and that had a great love for people.
In the poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, in which the main character, Sir Gawain as well as Beowulf showed that he was a brave man. For instance, one of the first places in which we can see his bravery is where he is having dinner in King Arthur’s court. When the Green Knightentered the court, he presented a challenge to all the knights. Nobody in the court would accept the challenge. At the time that King Arthur was about to accept the challenge, Sir Gawain offer himself and said that he was going to do it.
`I am the weakest, the most wanting in wisdom, I know,
And my life, if lost, would be least missed, truly.
Only though you being my uncle, am I to be valued;
Nobounty but your blood in my body do I know.
And since this affair is too foolish to fall to you,
And I first asked it of you, make it over to me;
And if I fail to speak fittingly, let this full court judge
Without blame´
By doing this, he not only showed love for his kingdom but also for King Arthur.
One of the greatest values that Beowulf possessed was his bravery. Since he was a braveman, he was not scared of anything, therefore, there is no doubt that he was a great warrior willing to defeat to anyone and in any condition. An obvious example of this is when he decides to fight to Grendel without his armor. And when his sword fails him, he decides to use his physical strength.
The Geatish hero put all his hope
In his fearless might and the mercy of God!
He stripped from hisshoulders the byrny of steel,
Doffed helmet from head; into hand of thane
Gave inlaidº iron, the best of blades;
Bade him keep well the weapons of war.
The honor of Sir Gawain is his best value, though he suffered a set back. In the first place, Sir Gawain respectfully asked to participate in the game with the Green Knight. He feels that he is the person to play the game. It is also...