Macbeth Vs Beowulf

Authors tend to utilize epic and tragic heroes to thicken a plot and make a narrative more engrossing for a reader. Both Beowulf and Shakespeare’s Macbeth are no exception. Beowulf’s epic deeds shape him to be loyal, brave, and to possess superhuman natural strength making him a quintessential example of the epic hero archetype. In contrast, Macbeth possesses three core character flaws that make him a tragic hero: he is overly ambitious to a fault, appears initially to be wholly good, and, consequently, reaches an eventual downfall. From this one can draw the conclusion that both Beowulf and Macbeth are classic examples of epic and tragic heroes.

In the ancient epic poem Beowulf, the protagonist is presented initially to be an epic hero

When Unferth tells a story saying that Beowulf is not as strong as everybody thinks, Beowulf, replies confidently, ‘[w]ell, friend Unferth, you have had your say about Breca and me. But it was mostly beer that was doing the talking. The truth is this: when the going was heavy in those high waves, I was the strongest swimmer of all’’ (Heaney 529-534). This scene demonstrates that it is important for Beowulf to show strength even when he is not in the position to prove himself as a hero. Beowulf’s bravery and loyalty to the protection of the country are what make him heroic. Another heroic quality Beowulf possesses is his skillfulness in battle. Throughout the poem, he battles three villains, and in all three events the reader is able to clearly see his skill and fearless state of mind come to life. Before his first fight, Beowulf states that he will use “[n]o weapons, therefore, / for either this night: unarmed he shall face me/ if face me he dares. And may the Divine Lord/ in His wisdom grant the glory of victory/ to whichever side He sees fit” (Heaney 683-687). This display of confidence shows his strength in battle because, even unarmed, Beowulf is completely willing to fight what is said to be the

Macbeth has several flaws that are revealed to the audience as the play progresses. At the beginning of the play, the reader believes that Macbeth is a noble and honorable person and, although he was predominately good, his faults start to show quickly, revealing imperfections in his character. In the article “Shakespeare’s Tragic Villain,” the author Booth states that “Macbeth’s own moral vacillations presented early in the play suggest that Macbeth ‘is not naturally an evil man, but who has every potentiality for goodness’” (Booth). This explains why Macbeth is respected and much well-liked by his people at this early point in the play. Macbeth had previously earned the title as Thane of Glamis and had since learned that he will soon become the Thane of Cawdor. In the beginning of the play, King Duncan exemplifies this by speaking of Macbeth as his “[v]aliant cousin [and] worthy gentleman” (I.II.24). Beowulf beings to show several flaws as a character, the most notable of which being his over ambition. Once the three witches told Macbeth of a prophecy in which he will become king, his mindset completely changes, creating in him a manner of merciless behavior, doing anything necessary to gain the title of the new Thane of Cawdor. Another characteristic of a tragic hero that Macbeth exemplifies is his defeat, which is in part his own fault. “There is never any doubt, first, that he is bludgeoned into the