Compare And Contrast Beowulf And Gilgamesh

Beowulf and Gilgamesh Comparisons Heroes, no matter how mighty and heroic they are, differ on what the people they defend consider a hero.The Battle With Grendel and Gilgamesh differ, and are equally alike, through their portrayals of what a hero is, the monsters they hunt and how they hunt them, and how they uphold themselves as moral paragons. Both pit glorious heroes against great creatures in the name of heroism and courage, but are strikingly different based on the ideals and perceptions put on both the villains and heroes. The mindsets and the abilities the heroes have reflect the society’s preferences written into them, with the creatures acting as a gauge on just what makes a creature evil. The two heroic tales are similar in general

He is fearless in his pursuit against Grendel, with lines such as: “Bound fast, Higlac’s brave follower…” (Line 109-110); another example of his fierceness during the battle: “But Higlac’s brave follower remembered his final boast and, standing erect, stopped the monster’s flight…” (Line 49-51). He is completely undaunted in fighting a terrible creature that leaves others terrified, seen in the line: “The high hall rang, its roof boards swayed, and Danes shook with terror.” (Line 58-59). Despite Beowulf displaying that fearlessness as a heroic trait, the twin heroes of Gilgamesh show the opposite. Gilgamesh and Enkidu display their fear in fighting the terrible creature of Humbaba, and need to support each other in order to pull through their hunting effort. When approaching the gate, the heroic king even falters: “Suddenly it was Gilgamesh who was afraid, Enkidu who reminded him to be fearless.” (Line 109-110). This display of emotion is shown in either character, with Enkidu being frightened: “Enkidu was alone with sights brought on by pain and fear…” (Line 96-98). The two heroic tales continue to differentiate themselves by their portrayal of the beasts they killed for glory, from who they were to how the heroes