A Comparison Of Achilles In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

An ancient Greek hero from the Trojan War and a medieval knight from King Arthur’s court; these two heroes share many similar qualities and characteristics, but they also have their differences. The two very famous men can only be Achilles and Sir Gawain. Achilles is the ancient Greek warrior and demi-god from the Trojan War who is the protagonist in Homer’s the Iliad written around the eight century. Meanwhile, Sir Gawain is a medieval knight from the story Sir Gawain and the Green Knight written by the anonymous Gawain-poet around the fourteenth century. Both of these great literary heroes represent different facets of life from their respective time periods having been created so far apart. Their shared characteristics and different qualities make them

This pagan ideology affects Achilles’ sense of moral code and values because it was the “religion” at that time period which determined between right and wrong. From this pagan belief he separates even more from Sir Gawain in his representation of the warrior-like masculinity. Achilles is described as the ultimate warrior that shows no mercy on the battlefield, which gives him the credit of his high achieving alpha male status. His merciless attitude is shown when he kills the Trojan Hector and drags his body around to display is to the public going against all signs of respect for the deceased. The Greek gets his masculinity from acting almost as a savage off the battlegrounds as well. He plunders and pillages villages while taking any woman that he wants. His ultimate male achievement is also through his strong sexual will that no one can stop. Achilles seems to feel that with sex he can assert his dominance as a man over all. This warrior masculinity is also a look into the tribal mentality of the past. Achilles’ main purpose for fighting is for