Compare And Contrast Beowulf And Martin Luther King

Many people compare Beowulf to fictional characters such as Superman, Batman, Hulk or even Iron Man simply because they are all made up heroes. These characters were created to be a hero to the world. We expect these heroic figures to save the day each and every day. However, there is one person that many do not compare Beowulf to and that is Martin Luther King, Jr. Both of these men have done outstanding tasks with fighting for their own people, standing up for what is right and they are both currently looked upon for their heroic deeds till this day by their own people. They may have a few comparisons, but they also have some differences. They are not major differences but they fought different battles, and they came from a different background.

Beowulf and Martin Luther King, Jr. were known for many things and one of them was being able to fight for their own people. They may have had different battles, but they both contributed to making sure the people that they cared about were safe or got taken care of the proper way.

Beowulf fought for his people by taking the initiative to fight Grendel and save those who were being attacked. In Beowulf, the protagonist, Beowulf, bravely protects his people. The best example of this is when he fought the dragon. When it gets to this point of the story, Beowulf is an old man. Beowulf knows that luck or fate will not be enough to win this battle with the dragon, but he realizes that no one else has a chance of defeating this monster. Beowulf states, "No one but myself can fight this monster” (Breeden, 71). Facing death, he still does not hesitate to fight the dragon to save his own people, the Geats. With the dragon still alive, there was no doubt that it would continue to ruin their land and Beowulf feels that it is his duty to protect his people. An additional way Beowulf defends his people takes place in the last moments before his death. Despite the fact that he eliminates the dragon, he is actually mortally wounded. Although zero of his men, besides Wiglaf, assisted him in the fight, he still instructs Wiglaf that the dragon's hoard must be utilized to take care of his people. He titles Wiglaf as the following ruler simply because he is

definitely the only one who carries any of the Anglo-Saxon values.

Beowulf's last wishes include the good care of his people, despite the fact that they deserted him in his utmost time of need. Martin Luther King, Jr, just like Beowulf, cared for his people, African Americans. In December, the year 1961, Martin Luther King, Jr. Traveled to Miami Beach, Florida to address the American Federation of Labor Congress of Industrialization, the nation’s premier twentieth century labor organization (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Address to the AFL-CIO Convention, 2004). His effort was to try to persuade the organized labor to take a greater interest in the African American struggle for equality (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Address to the AFL-CIO Convention, 2004). Dr. King noted that reactionary political enemies of labor have historically sought to drive a wedge between white workers and blacks, who instead should be allies in a progressive coalition (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Address to the AFL-CIO Convention, 2004). Dr. King was famous for many things and we all know that one of them is for attempting certain tasks that no other African American would do. Back then, they were all afraid to speak up about what they believed in because the whited would push us around.

King’s popularity began when he spoke out about the Vietnam War in May 1966, against the wishes of even some of his close confidants (Martin Luther King, Jr, 2013). Many thought that he should have just stuck to civil rights and leave the foreign policy issue to others (Martin Luther King, Jr., 2013). Dr. King has made many decisions that he thought would be best and it is expected that Dr. King would protest about something other than black equality. He protested publicly an unjust and violent conflict (Martin Luther King, Jr., 2013). As a result, almost every U.S. newspaper condemned his views about domestic struggle, launching the Poor People’s Campaign that he hope would transcend the wide chasm of race, culture, and religion (Martin Luther King, Jr., 2013). These are all effort that Dr. King has made by choice because of what he thought would be an excellent choice for African Americans.
We all know if these two heroic figures were not ever created or born, then the world would be completely different for others. Both of these men made an impact on their own society. They changed people’s belief, culture, and way of life. Beowulf saved hundreds of lives when he killed Grendel and his mother. When he first heard of the horrible story of the Geats then he made it his own duty to try to save them from Grendel. Dr. King started out as a pastor at a church named Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama (Martin Luther King, Jr., 2013). There, he gained notoriety by spearheading the successful 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott under the auspices of the Montgomery Improvement Association (Martin Luther King, Jr., 2013). The MIA chose King as the leader of the protest for several reasons just like King Hrothgar accepted Beowulf’s request to fight Grendel for them. After each of them got chosen to do what was asked, history was made from then on. If these two men did not take the steps that they made to be where they are today than there would not be any equality for the blacks or happiness for the Geats.
Both men are looked upon as an idle or, like I said before, a heroic figure. After Beowulf killed Grendel, he was admired and became an idol to many of his own people. They admired him because he did something that no man or woman could for twelve years. When he killed Grendel, he was famous and known around the world. People idolized him for saving their land from a beast created by the devil. They thought the horror would never end until Beowulf ripped Grendel’s arm off with his bare hands. Just like Beowulf, Dr. King got recognized for every deed he did. His prominence reached new heights during the August 1963 March on Washington for jobs and Freedom (Martin Luther King, Jr., 2013). At the end, he delivered an “I Have a Dream” speech (Martin Luther King, Jr., 2013). Dr. King won the Nobel Peace Prize and with that, he was the youngest and the first African American for his dedication and nonviolent social change (Martin Luther King, Jr., 2013). When Dr. King received this award, it meant that millions of people around the world followed Dr. King and his movement toward freedom. Today, Dr. King is respected throughout the world, even by his enemies. In recognition of his achievements, Ronald Reagan set aside the third Monday of January as a federal holiday, Martin Luther King Day, in 1986 (Martin Luther King, Jr., 2013). Dr. King’s legacy, like Beowulf, was sculpted. The sculpture is called “Stone of Hope” and it lies in the National Mall, Washington D.C. area, which opened in 2011 (Martin Luther King, Jr., 2013).
Beowulf and Dr. King may have had a few similarities, but they did have some differences. One obvious difference is that they fought different battles. While Beowulf is fighting huge monsters to protect his people from being eaten, Dr. King is fighting racial issues that were created by the prejudice whites. In Beowulf, Beowulf fights three different monsters. The very first beast he battles is Grendel, the second is Grendel’s mother, and therefore the third is a dragon. Each and every battle demonstrates a part of Beowulf. The fight with Grendel displays his potential. Throughout the fight, Beowulf was identified as the most powerful man ever because his strength was as equal as Grendel’s. “The criminal knew he had not met in this middle-earth another with such a grip” (Breeden, 24). “Grendel's spirit was afraid and his heart eager to get away, to flee to his hiding place, flee to the devils he kept for company.” (Breeden, 24-25). Each of them quotes illustrate precisely how strong Beowulf is. The fight with Grendel’s mother exhibits his weakness given that the moment he reaches Grendel’s mom’s lair; it is actually labeled as a “hell”. The fight with the dragon signifies his death, along with the birth of a new hero, for that reason, he puts on protective covering and also weapons, nevertheless he claims the reason is being that a dragon possesses natural armor and weapons which is hiding and fire. Beowulf’s last day was his unfortunate day because he lost the fight with the dragon. This was the first fight Beowulf ever lost. Another legend named Wiglaf secures Beowulf and kills the monster. In the end, Beowulf dies. Dr. King may have not done any physical fighting like Beowulf, but he risked his life daily by just stepping outside his house to speak publicly somewhere else. He became the first black man of many things and the fact that he was a pastor, fought during the Montgomery Boycott, served as president at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and lead 200,000 people on the March on Washington made him a hero to all of us including the whites that wanted to help (Martin Luther King, Jr., 1994).
Additionally, the fact that Beowulf and Martin Luther King came from different background make them different in so many ways because not only are fighting different battles, they act differently and they were raised differently. Beowulf is from England, and Dr. King is from Atlanta, Georgia (Rosenberg, 2015). Beowulf was raised by his uncle Hygd and adopted by Hrothgar, the king of the Geats. Unlike Beowulf, Dr. King had both of his parents. His father was a minister and he was raised in a Christian family (Rosenberg, 2015). Dr. King was born in a completely different era. His birth year was 1929 while Beowulf was born in the Anglo Saxon era. Beowulf came from a time where everything is made out of wood and swords were the weapons to use to protect one another. In kings’ time, electricity, television, newspapers and cars were all fresh to the world (Rosenberg, 2015). Beowulf’s father is a king and Dr. King is only the son of a Baptist pastor. Beowulf grew up around royalty and King grew up around black people that were not treated equally. It is amazing that two individuals with totally different backgrounds can rise and be on top of the world with their terrific achievements.
In conclusion, Beowulf and Martin Luther King, Jr. both possess heroic qualities. They cared for their own people and did everything they could to do what was right, even if it meant risking their own life. If they were not created or born then there would have been a different outcome to our world and their world. Many of us would still be struggling with racism and many of the Geats would have been still facing Grendel and his terrorism. These men have done outstanding tasks with fighting for their own people, standing up for what is right and they are both currently looked upon for their heroic deeds till this day by their own people. They may have a few comparisons, but they also have some differences. They are not major differences, but they fought different battles, and they came from a different background.