Beowulf vs. Achilles
In mythology and legend, a man, often of divine ancestry, who is endowed with great courage and strength and celebrated for his bold exploits, is thought of as a hero. Beowulf and Achilles are both renowned epic heroes who encompass all those traits. Although they share the qualities of great heroes, there are some discrepancies in the characteristics they possess and the way the hold themselves in all aspects of life. Beowulf, the principle character and hero of the epic poem, Beowulf, is an exceptionally honorable and noble man. A natural born hero, Beowulf realizes the dangers of his work but fears nothing for his own life. He encounters hideous monsters and the most ferocious beasts, but he never fears the threat of death. He accomplishes all tasks needing to be accomplished and does so
Yet, as tragic as his character is, Achilles still is human enough to grant an old man a wish, though it hurts him to do so. Achilles continues with his rage throughout the poem. Achilles is forced into a destiny of early death and the loss of his dearest friend. He faces reality by showing no fear and preparing for a positive or a fatal outcome. Even with the enormous amount of confidence Beowulf possesses, he understands that fate will work its magic. It is not until the murder of his friend Patroclus that Achilles returns to the battlefield, but only to avenge Patroclus' death. At the end of the poem, we see not only the noble man he is, but also the hero within him. He has fought many battles and returned victorious from all but his last. Beowulf came openly and wholeheartedly to help the Danes destroy the horrible beast, Grendel. Beowulf also uses his super-human physical strength and courage to put his peoples welfare before his own. When Beowulf heroically sails to the aid of the Dane's, the watchman is taken aback, "Never before has a force under arms disembarked so openly. While he is physically powerful and prevailing like Beowulf, he also possesses many lesser qualities of the gods, which are not apparent in Beowulf. With his bare hands, Beowulf is strong enough to kill Grendel, who has been terrorizing the Danes for twelve years.
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