Odyssey and Beowolf are both literary epics. A literary epic can be defined as a “long
narrative poem recounting heroic deeds.”(Yoshida). A literary epic has general characteristics.
They typically deal with myths, heroic legends, religious tales, animal stories, or philosophical
ideas. The epic’s main function was to stir the spirit of the Warriors, back in the heroic age. The
poetry style helped the people to memorize the poems easier. The rhythm that was most
commonly used is saying two syllables, pause, and two more syllables, until the poem was
finished.(Yoshida).
Beowolf is one of the best examples of a epic hero. There are certain things you look for
when you read a literary epic, to see if it matches up with the characteristics
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Athena helped Odysseus every step of
the way on his journey.There were many supernatural beings in the odyssey. He fought the
cyclops. He encounters many gods on his journey. He gets help from Hermes, who is the
messenger of the gods. It is clear that oysters doesn't have any supernatural powers of his own,
but he does receive aid from supernatural forces, and also interacts with supernatural forces. He
also interacts with one of the three main gods, Poseidon, the god of the sea. This story is full of
gods and shows you how other people believe. (Shmoop).
The story of Odysseus is also a poem and it is very stylized. This is an epic poem. The poet,
Homer believes in many gods. He is a believer of Greek mythology. He believes that gods
interfered with humans, sacrificing to gods, and that gods could have children with mortals. This
belief is wrong because there is only one true God. Exodus20:3 says, “ You shall have no other
gods before me.” (New International Version, Exodus. 20:3).
Beowolf has a Christian standpoint. The story says that all earthly gifts flow from the
heavenly kingdom down to earth. It also tells us that humans should be humble and selfless
Odysseus the Brave Hero In Homer's “The Odyssey”, the protagonist, Odysseus is fighting in the 10 year war against Troy. They win the war and now he and his men are trying to get back to their home, Ithaca. He angers the god of the sea, Poseidon, and now he has a god as an enemy. Poseidon sends waves after waves blowing him and his crew to islands, each having a conflict like monsters and goddesses.
An epic hero is an essential character in a story that shows qualities of being brave and noble, and whose achievements are greatly admired. In The Hunger Games written by Suzanne Collins, Katniss Everdeen, the hero, displays much courage as well as skills. The story depicts Katniss as a symbol of hope in an otherwise cruel, dehumanizing, and corrupt regime. Another prominent figure in the epic world is Beowulf, a warrior who sacrifices himself for the good of others. The two heroes have both similar and different characteristics.
The Odyssey is one of the most famous pieces of writing to this very day. Most have either heard of or have read this work within their high school or college years. This writing is what is called today an epic poem. An epic poem is a long narrative that normally entails the journey or struggles of an ancient hero. In The Odyssey the hero is Odysseus, and his adventures of being held captive and his escape back to his home are detailed in this narrative.
“A Hero is an ordinary person who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles”, quoted by Christopher Reeve. Beowulf however, tends to be an epic hero based on the definition of one. Beowulf was definitely a hero, not because of his super strength, smartness, or even his sword. But because when everyone backed down he was the one to step up & sacrifice his life to save others. “ Beowulf fights in various battles which shows his hero characteristics such as supernatural, bravery, and leadership.
In the epic, The Odyssey, Homer displays Ancient Greek values and virtues through his character/hero, Odysseus. Odysseus is a true hero in the eyes of the Ancient Greek Civilization because he was intelligent, loyal, and extremely religious. During Homer’s lifetime, being religious was expected. The
Beowulf is a poem that based in the 10th and 11th century that revolved around the idea of good vs evil. The poem is named after Beowulf who is a supernatural hero that slays any evil that crosses his path but is a real sweetheart when it comes to other people or the king. Beowulf is to be considered an epic poem because the hero in the story creates acts of being courageous and even superhuman in some cases, reflecting timeless values such as courage and honor, and the poem reflects unforgettable values with honor and courage. Typically in an epic poem, one will see a character or “the hero” who has outstanding courage and commit superhuman deeds and show values to other people in that era. “Then he drew himself up beside his shield./The fabled warrior in his warshirt and helmet/trusted in his own strength entirely/
Both of the characters have religious beliefs that they constantly pray to and rely on. Gilgamesh prays to his higher powered gods, like Anu, for guidance and protection. Beowulf only prays to one god the entire time, thus hinting the Christian aspect in the epic poem Beowulf. Both of them rely heavily on their respective Gods for help and guidance. Most people during the time Beowulf was written were part of the Christian faith, while the people during the time of Gilgamesh were all polytheistic.
The journey of an epic hero is a literary story that is repeated time and time again in a variety versions. One of the oldest examples is the epic poem Beowulf and one of the latest examples is the movie The Hobbit. In both stories, the main characters, Beowulf and Thorin, go through trials and display certain qualities that qualify them as heroes. The three trials that Beowulf and Thorin go through in Beowulf and The Hobbit reveal the heroic characteristics that both of them possess or learn to possess. Both Beowulf and Thorin are willing to fight against wicked creatures when no one is able to in order to protect their people or others in need.
The Odyssey is an epic poem written by the blind, illiterate poet Homer. It takes place in ancient Greece and tells of a man’s journey home from war. The topic, intervention of the gods, is seen throughout the book numerous times as the gods who are in favor of Odysseus lend a helping hand. It is well-known that the gods are very important to the Greeks. In this epic poem, The Odyssey, Homer demonstrates the importance of the positive and encouraging intervention of the gods in Greek culture; the brave actions, encouraging words, and cunning strategies of Athena as she assists and guides Odysseus on his journey back home.
Two very important ideas in Pagan belief are Loyalty and Faith. Beowulf is very loyal to his comitatus and is also very loyal to Hrothgar. He would give his life for the safety of his brothers and would never stab them in the back. He also always had faith in himself and God. He trusted that he would be victorious over his enemies with God having his back.
Poseidon, Apollo, Athena, Zeus, and Hermes are all Greek Gods that appear in the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer. These gods all play a significant role in The Odyssey by both helping and hindering Odysseus on his 10-year journey home. Homer illustrates the theme of divine intervention in The Odyssey using Poseidon’s wrath, Athena’s providence, and Hermes’ guidance. Poseidon is one of the main gods that appears throughout The Odyssey, Homer shows Poseidon's divine intervention through his wrath on Odysseus during his journey home.
The Odyssey by Homer is a book that involves the Journey of Odysseus and his men and the Obstacles they come across. The Odyssey portrays many themes including vengeance, hospitality, courage, bravery and more. Odysseus experiences some good and bad during his journey. He comes across people who help him, but also comes across creatures who hold him back. Odysseus is an Epic hero because of his quick thinking skills, bravery, and confidence for himself and his men.
Given this evidence, it is clear that Beowulf deserves to be labeled as an epic hero. He consistently and evidently displayed multiple characteristics of an epic hero. Beowulf was always on a quest, continously risked his life for glory and the greater good of society, and had superior intelligence, strength, and courage which were the three most crucial reasons that created him to be
The Epic Hero of The Odyssey The Odyssey is a tale of a great hero trying to get home. An epic hero. An epic hero is a courageous and honorable person. Homer’s character Odysseus exemplifies this in many ways.
Beowulf is one of the oldest and most well-known epic stories throughout the world. The main character in this story is Beowulf himself. Beowulf is a true and epic hero, who ultimately loses his life while trying to protect the he cared for. Beowulf was a man of great strength, which allowed him to defeat monster and make him the hero that he was. He did not have this strength on his own accord, but was assisted with some divine intervention.