Epics are prevalent throughout history. They all teach the same basic lessons on heroism, strength, and overcoming obstacles. Both The Odyssey and Beowulf are well known epics and are studied in English classes everywhere.
             There are certain criteria that a story must have in order to be an epic. Both The Odyssey and Beowulf are long narrative poems. They both focus on a journey motif with the heroes having supernatural strength and courage in order to defeat their foes, and to win the fame that they both vie for so ferociously.
             In Beowulf, the hero must kill Grendel in order to save his pride. He does so, and becomes famous. Then, Grendel's mother comes for revenge. Beowulf kills her too. Later, when Beowulf is king of the Geats, a fire dragon is awakened and he kills that monster as well. However he loses his life in the process.
             In the Odyssey, on the other hand, Odysseus must suffer the wrath of the ocean god, Poseidon. In order to return home, he must defeat a mired of monsters and pass many tests. He does so, and returns home to Ithica to his wife and son.
             In comparing the two heroes from the Odyssey and Beowulf, an immense amount of strength both physical and mental is apparent. Beowulf and Odysseus both overcame an array of physical obstacles as well as mental. With each physical obstacle each of them faced came the mental tasks. Beowulf overcame the obstacles of defeating each monster, but perhaps his biggest obstacle was the mental preparation and exhaustion he faced before and after each battle. Towards the end of Beowulf we see that Beowulf has become fatigued and old from his battles, portraying himself fairly weak in the last episode in comparison to when he had first fought Grendel. However, Beowulf feels as though he must live up to his image of the hero and save his people. Both Odysseus and Beowulf have a yearning for the fame and stature of a hero and both achieving it through battles with monsters.
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