In Beowulf, belief in G-d is quite apparent, playing a big role in Beowulf’s life. Beowulf proves to be a man of faith throughout the epic poem, giving praise and thanks to G-d in all of his endeavors and credits to G-d for his unparalleled skills. When he is facing Grendel’s mother, his first sword melts and he is left weaponless. In an effort to find another weapon, Beowulf scans the cave for another sword and finds one. The poet writes, The son of Ecgtheow would have surely perished/ and the geats lost their warrior under the wide earth/ had the strong links and locks of his war-gear/ not helped to save him/ holy God decided/ the victory. It was easy for the lord,/ the Ruler of Heaven,/ to redress the balance/ once Beowulf got back
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Beowulf chooses to fight Grendel alone, without any men or armor to assist him. He has his men take his armor and sword from him as, Beowulf prepares to face the beast. Beowulf says, “He has no idea of the arts of war,/ of shield or sword-play, although he does possess/ a wild strength. No weapons, therefore,/” Beowulf, knowing that Grendel has not mastered the skill of sword fighting, chooses to fight without the aid of his sword or shield. He decides that since Grendel does not know how to fight with weapons, that it would be more fair to fight bare-handed. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, justice also means seeking revenge, however, the revenge does not have to be carried out in an even-handed manner. Gawain and the Green Knight have made a deal, whatever Gawain does to the night, the Green Knight will do the same to him a year later. When the Green Knight makes the deal, he fails to mention that he cannot be killed, therefore, Gawain is shocked when the Green Knight lives after his head is chopped off. Gawain mentions the unjust part of the deal. Gawain says, “ Strike once more:/ I shall neither flinched nor flee: But if my head falls to the floor/ there is no mending me!” The Green Knight has an unfair advantage over the Gawain, yet he still challenges him, showing that despite the fact that it is unfair, one can seek revenge even if it not just. In both Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, justice denotes revenge, however, in the first, revenge must be carried out in a fair manner, while in the second, it does not have to be
Beowulf chooses to fight Grendel alone, without any men or armor to assist him. He has his men take his armor and sword from him as, Beowulf prepares to face the beast. Beowulf says, “He has no idea of the arts of war,/ of shield or sword-play, although he does possess/ a wild strength. No weapons, therefore,/” Beowulf, knowing that Grendel has not mastered the skill of sword fighting, chooses to fight without the aid of his sword or shield. He decides that since Grendel does not know how to fight with weapons, that it would be more fair to fight bare-handed. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, justice also means seeking revenge, however, the revenge does not have to be carried out in an even-handed manner. Gawain and the Green Knight have made a deal, whatever Gawain does to the night, the Green Knight will do the same to him a year later. When the Green Knight makes the deal, he fails to mention that he cannot be killed, therefore, Gawain is shocked when the Green Knight lives after his head is chopped off. Gawain mentions the unjust part of the deal. Gawain says, “ Strike once more:/ I shall neither flinched nor flee: But if my head falls to the floor/ there is no mending me!” The Green Knight has an unfair advantage over the Gawain, yet he still challenges him, showing that despite the fact that it is unfair, one can seek revenge even if it not just. In both Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, justice denotes revenge, however, in the first, revenge must be carried out in a fair manner, while in the second, it does not have to be