Beowulf and Sir Gawain

What makes a person a hero? Is it their strengths? Their morals? Is a hero always a hero, or can a hero be replaced? Throughout history heroes have emerged in literature. An epic hero is a character in literature whose traits are valued in the society in which the epic originated. In the epic poems Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Beowulf is much like Sir Gawain, yet the times in which each was written give both heroes unique characteristics.

Originally a narrative poem about an epic hero in sixth century Scandinavia, Beowulf perfectly mirrors the Anglo-Saxon period. During one of the most turbulent times in England, the Anglo-Saxon culture was a warrior culture, violent and often brutal. They were being introduced to Christianity and turning away from the pagan ideas of fate and their belief in monsters. Beowulf is a model of Anglo-Saxon values. He is glorified for being strong, victorious, and of high status. Beowulf thanks God for his victories, but does his deeds for the glory it brings him, as when he as

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The antagonists to the epic heroes also reflect the societal values of the time. The idea of a hero changes from generation to generation, fulfilling the needs of the changing societies. ks Hrothgar to let him fight “My hands alone shall fight for me, struggle for life against the monster. Our modern society also has heroes, yet with different values and beliefs. Also Beowulf’s driving force for fighting is to save the Danes and protect all that is good from the evils of the world, a very Christian concept. God must decide who will be given to death’s cold grip. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight has some pagan references, such as the mention of the Green Knight’s magic when he enters the hall, “All the onlookers eyed him…so the phantom and fairy the folk there deemed it” (16-19). Both Beowulf and Sir Gawain fight their society’s idea of evil, yet both fight in very different ways.

When the Medieval period emerged, the epic hero evolved into someone more pragmatic, and so did his motivations. As the epic heroes became more believable, so did the epic villains. Each represents a hero of a different time. Grendel in Beowulf is a horrible monster and monsters were a pagan belief, whereas Sir Gawain fights an actual man, making the story more believable for his time. Sir Gawain follows the code of chivalry; respecting his king, admiring ladies from afar, and fighting in a honorable way. Yet the story focuses on Christian beliefs and references Christian celebrations and practices such as Christmas, “I call in this court a Christmas game, for ‘tis Yule” (60-61).

As the Anglo-Saxon period flowed into the medieval period, the epic hero’s characteristics and motivations also changed.

Approximate Word count = 717
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

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