Whether you prefer Marvel or DC, you must admit that all heroes are relatively the same. They all go through the cycle; quest, success, defeat, rebirth, but what really defines a hero? Simply put a hero is someone who possesses immense amounts of valor or bravery. In both The Odyssey and Beowulf, the characters bear the many qualities that craft the mold of what it means to be a hero. Through strength, courage, and wit both men take on a hero’s journey to define the basic characteristics of a hero.
All epic poems have at least one thing in common, the presence of an ungodly strong mortal. Beowulf and Odysseus are both physically very strong warriors. Their strength aids them in battle and their success in combat brings them fame. Beowulf is known by all of the Geats and Danes for famously defeating Grendel and his mother, a task in which no mere mortal could
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Heroes, more often than not, are very intelligent. Odysseus is inherently a very witty man; his intellect is his most defining feature. Odysseus is the true description of brains over brawn, although he has both, he favors one over the other. Odysseus depends more on wisdom than on strength. He has outsmarted all of his enemies with his clever tactics. His wit can most famously be seen in his battle against Polyphemus. Without his clever plan to blind the Cyclops, Odysseus and all of his men would have perished. It was also very clever of him to tell Polyphemus “nobody is my name” (Homer 9:366) so that his true identity would not be revealed (although he made the dumb mistake of bragging and exposing his name anyway); he has the great ability to manipulate his foes. Beowulf on the other hand, uses his intelligence to get the one up on his enemy. He studies the weaknesses of his opponents in order to be prepared. Intellect is a very important heroic quality; it can help improve strategy for warriors in battle or help devise a plan to escape a sticky