Epic hero Comparison
Epic hero ComparisonMartin D. Villarreal
British Literature
Mrs. DeLong
11 October 2000
(Beowulf Analysis)
Epic Hero Comparison
It seems very odd that two men so different can be as similar as are Beowulf and Achilleus in their codes of honor, their avid need for recognition of their deeds & victories, and the enemies they encounter in their epic battles.
Beowulf and Achilleus’ codes of honor are somewhat similar in that they both occur while in battle. For Beowulf this happens before the battle with the rudimentary beast known as Grendel. Beowulf decides not to use weapons to fight the beast because Grendel does not use weapons and he wants to fight fair. Likewise Achilleus’ moment of honor occurs during his battle with Hektor in this battle he and Hektor come to a stimulate that the winner will keep the loser’s armor, but will give the corpse back to the family and not defile the body. Both Beowulf and Achilleus keep their word of honor and both are victorious. This shows that honor is a major component of being an epic hero.
The need for recognition of the valiant deeds and victories is what gives the epic hero his desire for fame, a plethora of fortune, and glory that will survive even after his death. Beowulf displays this when he kills Grendel by wresting off the arm of the beast and taking it to Mead hall where it is hung as a trophy of his victory “No Dane doubted The victory, for the proof hanging high From the rafters where Beowulf had hung it, was the Monster’s Arm, claw and shoulder and all.” Beowulf again gains fame and glory when he kills the mother of Grendel, brings back the head of Grendel, and keeps the hilt of the giant’s jeweled sword. While parading both of these around as trophies around for throngs of people to see, he gains his fame and glory. Achieving fame and glory consequently is also an important goal to Achilleus. Achilleus is mostly out for revenge against Hektor for killing Patroklos and repudiating his body so it could not be buried and Patroklos could not go to heaven. The only trophy Achilleus claims in his epic battle with Hektor is the body of Patroklos so it may be buried, Hektor’s lackluster armor, and the pleasure of disfiguring the body of Hektor by dragging it behind his chariot for twelve days to strike fear in the hearts of the opposing Trojan army. It seems apparent that these two epic heroes main concern in life is to live as long as possible and to let their heroic status live on for generations to come.
The epic of Beowulf contains three foes that the intrepid Beowulf challenges to battle and proves victorious over. The first of the three is Grendel who is evil and whom Beowulf defeats with no weapons by ripping off his arm, thus killing him. The second is the irate mother of Grendel who lives beneath the murky waters of the ocean and whom he kills by decapitation “[He] Caught her in the neck and [cut] it through” with an enchanted sword. The third of the enemies Beowulf challenges is the dragon. This is Beowulf’s final battle as he is mortally wounded when he and Wiglaf kill the dragon. The hero Achilleus, on the other hand, only faces one opponent. In this battle he faces Hektor of the Trojans who killed Patroklos. Achilleus fights and defeats Hektor for his own satisfaction and to avenge the death of his friend. All in all, both of these men demonstrate, that to be the ultimate epic hero you must have honor, feel a need for recognition, and be victorious in battle.