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Epic Of Gilgamesh And Beowulf Comparison Essay

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The heroes in the two epic poems The Epic of Gilgamesh and Beowulf are very similar in terms of their values. Beowulf in the poem Beowulf and Gilgamesh in the poem The Epic of Gilgamesh are the two main characters. The two men possess great physical strength unmatched by any man from the ancient or middle period. In the two epic poems the men fight and are a part of wars that almost seem unreal, due to the outcome or what was done during the course of the war. The two epic poems show many similarities in the presentation of their values. Throughout the poems there are some significant values being described such as the relationships between the characters, the courage of the men, and the respect they have and carry. These values work together to put importance on being someone that keeps and remains true to their word.
The epic poem, Beowulf, describes the most heroic man of the Anglo-Saxon times (GÓMEZ-CALDERÓN). The hero, Beowulf, was an amazing warrior with all the unusual values required by a hero. He was able to use his super-human physical strength and bravery to put his people before himself. He stumbled upon disturbing monsters and the wildest beasts, but he never feared death …show more content…

His courage and strength exceed all human men. Beowulf came willingly to help the Danes which was highly unusual in a time of war (Fisher). He set a moral example for human beings spreading the need of friendship. Beowulf was most definitely the ideal Anglo-Saxon warrior as an epic hero of epic proportions (GÓMEZ-CALDERÓN). Gilgamesh was destined to greatness from birth. He was created as a great human (Davis). He was a man intended to live a lavish lifestyle with all the riches a man could want. Unfortunately his pride and greater strength got in the way. Gilgamesh was formed by the gods to be flawless in every way

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From the battles and fame to their leadership and loyalty both epic heroes gilgamesh and beowulf display the common characteristics of an epic hero. All throughout their journeys both heros come across situations that make them show who they really are and what they believe in. Although certain aspects of their leadership, journeys and personal beliefs are similar the way they display themselves in their personal and public lives make many of their characteristics differ from one another. The leadership styles and qualities of each character helps to define who they are as a person and what they believe in.

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Beowulf is the perfect hero, both tragic and epic. He is larger than life with his impressive strength and drive that helps him defeat an assortment of monsters, such as Grendel and Grendel's mother. His overconfidence and pride makes him a tragic hero. In lines 678-684, Beowulf boldly states, "When it comes to fighting, I count myself as dangerous as Grendel. No weapons... unarmed he shall

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In the epic Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney, Beowulf is depicted as a heroic figure who fights monsters and defends the weak. During its time, Beowulf would be considered a great hero, however in today 's standards Beowulf would only be considered a great warrior. That’s because a hero should value the lives of the people and not seek to be rewarded. Instead, Beowulf committed heroic acts for his own selfish reasons and never shows to values the lives of the people. From fighting Grendel to slaying the dragon, Beowulf only fought because he value the fame and fortune that comes along with those accomplishments.

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