Comparing Beowulf And Gilgamesh

Written in England in the eighth century, Beowulf was a poem about a strong Geatish warrior. As much as he was strong, he was brave too, like the main character in the Epic of Gilgamesh, which was written a few centuries after Beowulf in Mesopotamia. Gilgamesh, the main character in the Epic of Gilgamesh, was the strong king of Uruk, who just so happened to be brave too. Although both of these pieces of literature were written in a vast period of time and place, they depict similarities in which they contain a strong, brave hero and differences in their behavior, and the way they carry pride. Furthermore, Beowulf and Gilgamesh are not prone to agony as much as other people, such as dealing with battles, because they are both strong characters. Beowulf was described as “the strongest of the Geats—greater and stronger than anyone anywhere in this world . . .” because he could encounter dangerous monsters without being murdered (Beowulf l. 91-92). Beowulf slayed the monster Grendel as an offer to King Hrothgar at Herot

Beowulf presented himself to Hrothgar to conquer Grendel and “[t]he high hall rang, its roof boards swayed . . . its benches rattled, fell to the floor, gold-covered boards grating as Grendel and Beowulf battled across them” (“Beowulf” l. 326-336). Grendel and Beowulf continued to fight, displaying only some of the bravery that Beowulf had within himself. Only until Beowulf killed Grendel and ended the suffering that was on Hrothgar’s helpless people, had Beowulf proven that he was a brave Geatish warrior just as the people said he was. Correspondingly, Gilgamesh defeated Humbaba for his own sake, but also in a brave matter. Gilgamesh stood upon Humbaba “and then he raised his ax up higher and swung it in a perfect arc into Humbaba’s neck,” killing the monster (“Gilgamesh” l. 46-480). To glorify his unreasonable bravery, Gilgamesh hung Humbaba’s head on one of the cedar