Main Ideas and Themes of Beowulf

Beowulf and Sir Gawain have many things in common. We will be

discussing them later on, but their main similarity is that they're

both heroes. A hero is a person who must pass through a test and a

battle (mental, spiritual or physical) to help someone else. He must

be selfless, and act for others rather than himself. All societies

have supported heroes, like the ancient Greek's Hercules and the

modern day Spiderman. These are hero stereotypes, with supernatural

powers. Heroes don't have to be stereotypes, but can be firemen,

policemen or soldiers. Two famous heroes in ancient literature are

Beowulf and Sir Gawain.

Beowulf is about a guard who must destroy a destructive monster who

has eaten many of Beowulf's fellow guards. When the monster tries to

grab Beowulf, Beowulf clutches his arm, squeezes it, until the

monsters hand falls off, & than the monster runs away. Sir Gawain

starts with a Christmas banquet, but rudely a green knight bursts in

and challenges Gawain to cut off his head. After doing this, the green

knight is amazingly unhurt and Gawain is told to return the blow in a

year. After a year sir Gawain sets out for the green knight. On the

way he stays at a palace. For two nights he is tempted by the master's

wife, but resists. In the third night he gives in. Than he sets off to

the green knight. After seeking out the Green knight he realizes the

temptation was just a test of his nobility and he feels ashamed that

he gave in to temptation. He returns to Camelot.

Beowulf is a Danish man, who is a guard for the kings' hall, Hereot.

Sir Gawain is an English man, and a knight of the round table. Both

work for importan...

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... Beowulf, and Old English, compound words are used and like in German,

two words are linked to make another word. An example of this in

Beowulf is ban-hus, or bone-house or body. Also woruld-Candul,

World-candle or the sun.

Both Sir Gawain and Beowulf are excellent poems with great plots. This

is what drew me to the poems. Both have courageous heroes, with

supernatural powers, and great willpower. In both the villains are

also supernatural, and appear to be quite horrible. In both the heroes

face a test, and come out mostly victorious, through trials and

tribulations. This is a lesson to us all, and was written for society.

It sets us an example, so we are selfless, and help others. We will

succeed through struggle, and will get a reward. Heroes will always

flourish in society, and they both educate and entertain us.