Essay Comparing Beowulf And Sir Gawain

There are several things that can define a hero. In the tale of “Beowulf”, a young warrior fights to defend his neighboring country and eventually becomes a king who must defend his own country. In “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”, a knight of King Arthur’s court accepts a challenge and must persevere to follow through and bring honor back to his uncle’s court. These men are both analogous in their loyalty and devotion, however, both men also face diverse challenges that force them to acknowledge their unique flaws. By comparing and contrasting Beowulf and Sir Gawain, it is shown what it means to be a hero who is also human.
The first difference that is presented between Beowulf and Sir Gawain is the way the story is conveyed. “Beowulf” is …show more content…
In “Beowulf”, Beowulf is loyal to his king Hygelac, but also to the lord of the Danes, Hrothgar. Moreover, Beowulf is later devoted to his community to which he serves as king. Sir Gawain shares in this loyalty, his being to King Arthur. Both men are faithful to their kings and those who serve with them. They both seek out this epic adventure to prove their allegiance. However, Beowulf also takes on this feat to gain “compensation, / a price in gold” (1052-1053). This is further shown in the way that Beowulf boasts about himself. He has had “great triumphs” (409) that led him to believing “all knew of my awesome strength” (418). Beowulf then continues to talk about the prodigious battles he fought without a single mention of any comrades with whom he fought. This pride is ultimately Beowulf’s flaw that ends up getting him killed. This pride goes against the humbleness that Sir Gawain holds within himself. He volunteers in place of King Arthur because he feels as though he needs to prove his worth within Arthur’s court. Gawain believes that “Were I not your nephew my life would mean nothing” (356). This shows that he feels the need to prove that his position was gained not just by nepotism but by knighthood and chivalry. This difference of motivation between the two heroes still leads to the one thing that they are both trying to prove: their loyalty to their …show more content…
Both men are devoted to their cause and do whatever it takes to succeed. For instance, Beowulf risks his life not once, but twice throughout the entirety of the story. During the first example, he “dived into the heaving depths of the lake” (1494-1495). He does this despite the great chance of dying. In fact, he justifies his decision by saying, “I shall gain glory or die” (1491). This same disregard for his life can be seen later in the story when Beowulf, as king, goes to fight another dragon by himself. Although this time, Beowulf, like Sir Gawain, is trying to prove his worth. He says, “This fight is not yours, / nor is it up to any man except me / to measure his strength against the monster or to prove his worth” (2532-2535). This proves that Beowulf is feeling unworthy as king to serve his people. He feels this need to prove to them, with or without their help, that he can defend them and be their hero. As for Sir Gawain, the knight finds himself in a situation that tests his honor and gallantry towards women. It is shown in this moment that Gawain’s flaw is his self-preservation. Bertilak tells Sir Gawain that “the body which is bound within this green belt, / for as long as it is buckled robustly about him, / and all the slyness on earth wouldn’t see him slain” (1851-1854). As soon as Gawain hears this, his judgement waivers regarding where he should allow