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Heroism definition essay
Literary analysis of sir gawain and the green knight
Analysis of sir Gawain and the green knight
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Beowulf and Sir Gawain
The characters Beowulf and Sir Gawain are a couple of the most notable and prominent fictional characters in literature today. They were featured in poems written many years ago, both by unknown authors, and bring to light many themes of similar nature, however, these works provide very different messages in the end game. Beowulf’s and Sir Gawain’s different circumstances cause these characters respond in contrasting manners throughout their respective stories, however, in many ways they are portrayed similarly.
Throughout the poem of Beowulf, Beowulf is shown to carry many positive characteristics, many that prove he is fit to be a ruler. Beowulf was born into royalty, although he was orphaned at a young age, he continued
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to be raised in an elite environment. Throughout Beowulf’s youth he is faced with numerous challenges he faced to prove his heroism. When Beowulf was informed of the terrors inflicted upon King Hrothgar’s kingdom by the Grendel, he bravely stepped forward to rid them of their plight. One of Beowulf’s heroic qualities was his pursuit for a challenge and his willingness to recount his victories in a boastful manner. An example of this is when Unferth challenges Beowulf’s honor in the swimming race against Brecca, to which Beowulf replies, “The truth is this: when the going was heavy in those high waves, I was the strongest swimmer of all” (Beowulf 533-35). In my opinion, I think that Beowulf’s self-confidence is an excellent quality for leadership. Beowulf proves his worth through strength of mind and body many times throughout his story and eventually becomes a successful king in his old age. In his last battle, Beowulf proudly decrees his winnings of gold as his peoples’, yet another characteristic befitting of a true and just king. Beowulf is a prime example of what was ideal for a leader to be, and he has stood the test of time as one of the most famous literary characters of our modern world. Sir Gawain is just as heroic as Beowulf if not more.
In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, it is revealed just how many actions and qualities can be presented for a person to be considered a hero. Unlike Beowulf, Sir Gawain was not born into aristocracy, and is instead a mere knight at the round table of King Arthur. Sir Gawain is certainly quite humble toward himself and his achievements as shown in the quote “I am the weakest, I know, and the dullest-minded, So my death would be the least loss” (Shmoop Editorial Team), which contrasts much to Beowulf’s arrogance. The reason Gawain accepted the Green Knight’s challenge was for the sake of his king’s life. Sir Gawain showed bravery and valor in his decision to accept his fate that the Green Knight had forced upon him. On his journey to find the Green Knight and have his blow returned to himself, Gawain shows his perseverance as well as his undying faith to his Christian saints. Once Gawain finds sanctuary in Bertilak’s Castle, he was faced with the temptation to lie to his savior, a temptation he fell into just before he went to face his demise. When Sir Gawain faces his king he is humiliated at his failure, however, King Arthur is also disappointed in himself for allowing a knight of his table to face such a challenge alone. Sir Gawain shows many different attributes than Beowulf but he is still considered a hero for his humbleness and
humility. The heroes in both Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight exhibit very different qualities when compared to each other but are similar in many ways as well. Our heroes take up a challenge that was presented to them in the name of their kings and took the sacrifice for their rulers in such a noble and respectful way. Beowulf and Sir Gawain lived closely by their morals throughout the stories of their journeys. Although the outcomes of their stories are different, the honor shown by both is equal, in addition our heroes are celebrated by their companions. Each character is flawed in his own way but make up for it in their positive characteristics. Both stories have strong religious undertones of Christianity as well as a glimpse into what may have been seen as desirable qualities in leaders from their respective time periods. What it comes down to is not their demeanor before their trials but that their trials were faced. One cannot declare himself a hero. It is the perception of those around them that declare it. Beowulf and Sir Gawain among the most noteworthy characters in all of literature because of their heroism. The poems they were a part of continue to entertain the new generations. Beowulf and Sir Gawain are the same in many ways but each carry their own uniqueness among each other.
In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Gawain shows qualities of a chivalrous knight. He demonstrates that by showing generosity, courtesy, and loyalty during his travels. A mysterious knight shows up at the king’s castle and calls himself the Green Knight. The Green Knight then challenges one to play a game which he challenges the king to strike him with his axe if he will take a return hit in a year and a day. Sir Gawain steps forward to accept the challenge for his uncle King Arthur when nobody else in the castle would. He took the King’s role in the game to protect him from the Green Knight. He must learn to accept his responsibility as a knight, in accepting his fate.He demonstrates goodness at the hand of the Green Knight. He shows courage by accepting what is to come upon him during his voyage. His journey to find the Green Knight is filled with temptations.In the conversation with him and the “Lady”, Sir Gawain showed a Chivalrous code by keeping his loyalty to the king by not kissing his wife. The lady states “if I should exchange at my cho...
...e the quarrels, the hatreds, the feuds,/ That will bring us battles, force us into war/ With the Swedes, as soon as they’ve learned how our lord/ Is dead” (Beowulf 2999-3002). That quote shows that Beowulf lived in a war-torn country and therefore his strength and ability to protect his people made him a revered hero. Sir Gawain, on the other hand, lived in a time when inner qualities were valued. The valuing of inner qualities along with Sir Gawain’s exceptional traits made him a hero. That being said, although Beowulf and Sir Gawain differ in some aspects, they both fit the hero archetype of being better than the ordinary man, proving oneself many times, and having a tragic flaw.
Sir Gawain is King Arthur’s nephew and one of his most faithful knights. Although Gawain modestly refutes it, he has a reputation of being an honorable knight and courtly man. He prides himself on his adherence of the five parts of chivalry and is a pinnacle display of humility, piety, integrity, loyalty, and honesty that all other knights strive for. Though Gawain sits at the high table during the New Year’s celebration at Arthur’s court, he defines himself as the least of King Arthur’s knights in terms of both physical ability and mental aptitude. Gawain continually seeks to better improve his inner self throughout the story. His only known flaw proves to be his love to preserve his own life, so much that he will sacrifice his honor in order to save himself.
The three heroes discussed here, Beowulf, Sir Gawain and King Arthur, are heroes for different reasons. Beowulf, our earliest hero, is brave but his motivation is different than then other two. To Sir Gawain personal honor and valor is what is important. King Arthur, Sir Gawain's uncle, is naturally the quintessential king of the medieval period. Though all men to a certain extent share the same qualities, some are more pronounced than in the others. It is important to see how these qualities are central to their respective stories and how it helps (or hinders) them in their journeys.
In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain humbly approaches the King and courageously says, “For I find it not fit… when such a boon is begged… though you be tempted… to take in on yourself while so bold men about upon benches sit” (122-125) “And for that this folly befits a king, and ‘tis I that have asked it, it ought to be mine” (132-133). He, the weakest Knight, sees the injustice of someone challenging the King and instead of acting passively he willingly sacrifices himself for the King’s sake, which shows his loyalty, courage and integrity. However, Sir Gawain becomes a hypocrite even though the Green Knight says, “Friend mine, it seems your word holds good” (333-334) because the Green Knight’s wife “made trial of a man most faultless by far” (452) and he did not remain loyal and honest. The opportunity of remaining secure and safe presents itself and selfishly he chooses this course of action; consequently, he “lacked… a little in loyalty there” (456). In the end, the Green Knight reprimands him for his dishonesty and lack of integrity and in return Sir Gawain, shamefully responds “I confess, knight, in this place, most dire is my misdeed; let me gain back your good grace…” (Line 474-476) so even though he was not noble and loyal throughout the entire course he remains sincere in his apology. His loyalty to the King in the
Some definitions for the word “Hero” include brave, noble, and admirable. And Sir Gawain is all of those words listed and more. Heroic characters are frequently placed on a pedestal. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, we encounter Sir Gawain, a character with very human qualities. See he was sort of a celebrity because he was King Arthur’s nephew. Man cannot be considered a hero unless he has overcome some sort of opposition. He must surmount some force within his own self in order to be dubbed a hero. Originally faced with the challenge of the Green Knight, Gawain must face temptation and less-than-heroic qualities within himself and he doesn’t necessarily overcome them all. Sir Gawain may be regarded as a heroic adventurer in his pursuit of the mysterious Green Knight. Through the poem, he presents himself with the upmost ideals of chivalry, honor, and honesty. In the poem, we find our hero is faced with a quest of amazing proportions. He represents a hero because the truest hero is one who learns from his mistakes. Sir Gawain realizes and understands where he has failed.
Heroes come in many forms. The construction of "the heroic" has taken many forms, yet traits such as: courage, honor, and loyalty, reappear as themes throughout the "hero" personality. The characters of Beowulf and Sir Gawain each represent a version of a hero, yet each comes across quite differently in their story. A hero can be said to truly win if he remains constant to his noble values when put in any situation that crosses his way. When measured by that criterion, Sir Gawain stands out above Beowulf as a true hero, due to his command of both personal and spiritual power through the use of thought, as well as valiant deeds.
Do people ever talk about superheroes, and monsters? Especially people into comic books and children. Every child, even adults, have a superhero they look up to, or a role model they want to grow up to be like. Superheroes are everywhere from movies to books. Children even sit in their room playing with toy superheroes, hoping one day they can be just like them. Even hundreds of thousands of years ago there were superheroes! A long time ago in the Anglo-Saxon Period there was a brave and loyal hero! His name was Beowulf, and everyone looked up to him. This hero definitely brought peace to many people, and if it wasn’t for the mighty hero Beowulf, the Anglo-Saxons would have been terrorized forever. Therefore, the times were hard before Beowulf, the Anglo-Saxon warriors always stood for three values, and the time was changed without monsters.
There are numerous similitudes and contrasts between Beowulf the motion picture which was made in the year 2007, and the poem by an obscure Angelo Saxon poet. A large portion of the likenesses and contrasts are clear. The poem was changed into a motion picture and was more advanced and simpler to see then the epic poem itself. The movie happens to be more modern and gives the audience a better understanding of Beowulf and what happened during his life. It also helps the audience visualize it rather than having to picture the occurences while reading the poem.
When approached by the Green Knight, Sir Gawain encounters a stretch in character. The Green Knight, not invited to King Arthur’s party, made an entrance the court would never forget. They were, “celebrating in style: not a care in the world.” (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, 2006, p.4) His arrival not only caused a shock to the King and his court, but he advised a challenge to the knight who would accept it. Sir Gawain was the only knight who took the life threatening challenge. The court, full of supposedly chivalrous knights, did not take pride in the court and the King, but rather in themselves. The dilemma, then, was whether or not Sir Gawain would be fulfilling the role of a chivalrous knight when he was taking part in such a distinct situation compared to any of the other knights. “Most noble knights were afraid to respond, so stunned by his voice that they stayed there stock-still in an eerie silence which filled the great hall. Their voices were as silent as if they had fallen asleep.” (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, ...
During the Middle Ages, both “Beowulf” and “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” were epic stories that were chanted aloud to the public. Each story told about epic heroes who went on a long journey to face or conqueror someone or something. “Beowulf” is a poem about a young man, Beowulf, who slays a monster and his mother with his bare hands to protect the people he loves. As the years go by Beowulf becomes king and a dragon begins to stir. In response to this, Beowulf fights the dragon with a sword and one loyal companion. Beowulf’s life comes to end, but so does the dragons. From this epic poem you can see that good does triumph over evil, but sometimes it comes at a cost. Along with “Beowulf”, “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” was another popular poem. This poem was about a squire, Sir Gawain, who chooses to take on a game proposed by the Green Knight instead of his uncle, King Arthur. He took on the game because he believed King Arthur’s life was more valuable than his own and that King Arthur should not risk his own life. As a result, Sir Gawain became a knight because of his loyalty and bravery. Both Sir Gawain and the Green Knight’s and Beowulf’s characters share the same quality of courage, the desire to protect people and the involvement of supernatural beings.
Initially, Gawain’s strongest trait is humility, Beowulf’s is pride. In the beginning of Gawain and the Green Knight, a mysterious warrior enters King Arthur’s court to extend a challenge. Although he knows others in the court would handle the challenge better than him, out of respect, when King Arthur attempts to accept the challenge Gawain comes forth and suggests he takes his place. Gawain presents himself as “the weakest of them, I know, and the dullest-minded/ so my death would be least loss, if truth should be told/ only because you are my uncle am I to be praised/ no virtue I know in myself but your blood” (Broadview Analogy 269). Instead of bragging about his bravery, Gawain acts modestly and states that his death would be of little loss during this challenge. He is not self-absorbed and gives off the impression that the only reason he is a knight is because of his relation with King Arthur. By stating this, he gives off the impression that his self confidence is quite weak; this is astonishing for a character of this era. Although King Arthur has at least one of his knights to be proud of, it seems as though
Erika Mercado Essay 2 Modern Heroes: Dante vs Beowulf A modern hero is a good-hearted person with these attributes: bravery, strong, and contributes to saving the lives of his homelands. Beowulf demonstrates the characteristics of a modern hero: a leader, fearless, and generous. Beowulf is a young hero whose character exerts powerful strength in battles. Dante the Pilgrim does not display hero attributes in The Inferno.
...ves him self to be the least worthy of life and praise. He tells King Arthur, “Think of your bold knights, bursting to fight, as ready and willing as men can be…And I am the slightest, the dullest of them all; My life the least, my death no loss,” (Raffel 58). Sir Gawain is very humble before his King. He offers his life in place of King Arthur’s.
The poems of Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the green knight are two of the most remembered translated pieces known to British literature. Being the most influential warriors of their time, Beowulf and Sir Gawain are very similar yet have many differences.