Comparing Honor and Bravery in Beowulf and Sir Gawain and...

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Beowulf share several similar qualities. Each story suggests that honor, truth, and heroism are the most important a person can exhibit, though in each tale these are manifested in different ways. Both characters, in attempts to keep these values, make mistakes that endanger their lives. Beowulf is an incredible, and at times unbelievable, hero who can and will attempt to defeat anyone to keep others safe. This will eventually lead to his death as he successfully defeats the Dragon. But as ruling king at the time his subsequent death leaves his people in a worse predicament than before. Now, without a just ruler, the kingdom will possibly undergo uncertainty and chaos as no heir to the throne is†¦show more content†¦Tricked by the Green Knight and Morgan le Faye, Gawain, driven by his sense of duty and honor, must sacrifice his own life for those ideals. I believe that though Gawain is a bit foolish in his quest to lose his head, he did make the correct decision in protecting Arthur. Like King Beowulf, the loss of Arthur would have been very detrimental to the society at the time. Gawain sacrifices himself in order to preserve Order. The world of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is governed by well-defined codes of behavior, most importantly the code of chivalry. The ideals of chivalry derive from a Christian concept of morality. This sense of morality is somewhat shown in Beowulf as well. Beowulf seeks to kill Grendel, his mother, and the dragon because they pose a threat to the civilized people of the time. A descendent of Cain, Grendel is inherently evil and must be destroyed. But while Beowulf is ever ready and willing to die in his quests, Gawain values his life far more. This also reflects on the influences of Christianity in the two stories. In Beowulf’s world, a man was only immortalized by his actions and in the memories of others. Beowulf took risks so that his deeds would be far more exciting and thus more popular, easier for the story tellers to remember. Gawain, however, being a devoutlyShow MoreRelatedSir Gawain And The Green Knight And Beowulf1471 Words   |  6 Pagesthe characters and plots of â€Å"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight† and â€Å"Beowulf† differ greatly from each other, the key themes of each of these works are quite similar. In both tales, the reader meets a hero who is endowed with mental, physical, and spiritual gifts that equip him for the task of confronting his foes. This serves to remind the reader or listener to consider the themes of heroism, as well as the theme of the constant battle between good and evil. By comparing these two works, the readerRead MoreThe Heroes Of Beowulf And Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Essay2116 Words   |  9 Pageswork The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Such narrative poems as Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight represent what the Anglo-Saxons and the Middle English saw as both acceptable and non-acceptable demeanor. Both works possess the same values and b eliefs while others, distinctly oppose, something that can be clearly observed through the careful archetypal study of the heroes of Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. In Beowulf, the hero first embarks on his journey when he goes to the