Essay Comparing Beowulf And Paradise Lost

Comparing and contrasting the two works of literature, the epics of Beowulf and Paradise Lost both portray a heroic code, but discerning these heroic codes and which character expresses themselves becomes a comprehensive task. The epics Beowulf translated by Seamus Heaney and Paradise Lost written by John Milton both conveyed that their cultures have different perspectives on what manifests right opposed to wrong. The differentiation between right and wrong in the two epics vary between the religions of the Anglo-Saxon culture in Beowulf, and the Christian ways in Paradise Lost. Adhering to a clear principled path in the Anglo-Saxon culture contrasts to Christian complexity of sin and the heroic code; Christian sin and the heroic code in some cases, become manipulated and cloudy opposed to the Anglo-Saxon culture that has a more clear set of rules to how a hero should behave. The main characters in Anglo-Saxons epics convey what best benefits his people

opposed to what would best benefit himself.
In the epic of Beowulf, Beowulf radiates the Anglo-Saxon heroic code and the way that the Anglo-Saxons believed someone of high status should appear.

Beowulf proclaims to Hrothgar the heroic code that guides their lives, Anglo-Saxons in Beowulf’s generation did not let anyone walk all over them, if anyone were to try the enemy, would have a fierce revenge cut out for them: “It is always better to avenge dear ones than to indulge in mourning….When a warrior is gone, that will be his best and only bulwark” (Beowulf lns. 1384-1389). For an Anglo-Saxon man “his best and only bulwark” refers to if the man dies defending a loved one they would pass knowing that they died for a worthy cause. In the Anglo-Saxon culture, they do not let their enemies’ wrongdoings go unavenged, the heroic code dictates, which the Anglo-Saxons admire, defending their people’s honor rather than, living in cowardly shame. Beowulf lives by the heroic code, showing his courage and valor in all deeds that he performs throughout his whole

life.
Through the observations of Satan’s role in the epic Paradise Lost, one can see that he embodies evil, yet he follows the heroic code to a certain extent, because of this Satan seduces the reader into wanting Satan to become the heroic figure in the epic. Satan, endures living inferior to God and demonstrates the heroic code by still aspiring to overcome God and his good will, Milton says: “round he throws his baleful eyes that witnessed huge affliction and dismay mixed with obdúrate pride and steadfast hate” (Milton 727 lns. 56-58). Milton eloquently refers to Satan as “steadfast”, in this he implies that Satan has determination, loyalty and accepts living his life as a creature with a malicious essence. Satan embodies the heroic code in Paradise Lost, by facing the troubles of his own nature and accepts his fate, yet still fights to make the world more evil. Making Satan the hero in Paradise Lost achieved a slightly outlandish result, and swayed the reader to concentrate more on whether God held more heroic traits or if Satan did. In Paradise Lost comprehending how Satan holds the part of the antagonist, yet he also seems to seduce the reader into wanting to admire him for certain deeds containing forms of the heroic code.
Paradise Lost emits the complexity of the Christian culture, where the differentiation between right and wrong can become murky, whereas in the epic of Beowulf, the pragmatic Anglo-Saxon culture makes the differentiation between right and wrong quite clear. In the epic of Beowulf, Beowulf shows his straightforward and honest nature obviously, by doing the honorable deed and placing his people before himself, Beowulf displays this charisma when he goes out to fight the dragon alone instead of risking his followers lives: “Men at arms, remain here on the barrow, safe in your armour, to see which one of us is better in the end at bearing wounds in a deadly fray” (trans. Heaney pg. 171, lines 2529-2532). Beowulf would sooner risk his own life, and let his men stay safe in their honor; in mothering his followers and soldiers Beowulf lacked training them for what they would have to face once he had passed on. In the epic Paradise Lost prideful Satan builds an army of demons and has the intentions to destroy God and Heaven: “So frowned the mighty combatants, that Hell grew darker at their frown, so matched they stood; for never more was either like to meet so great a foe” (Milton 758 lns. 719-722). Satan portrays fearlessness even in the midst of facing God himself standing his ground courageously, glaring at his foe. Satan faces harder trials than God, for God has always had superior powers, and little does Satan know that God has more power than what meets the eye; Satan nevertheless tries to build an army and take over Heaven. Identifying Satan as the heroic figure in Paradise Lost presents a higher difficulty than the epic of Beowulf where Beowulf emanates heroic features such as good deeds and protecting his people making him the obvious hero of the epic, whereas Satan emanates destruction yet he follows the heroic code at certain times.
Christian and Anglo-Saxon cultures have differing speculations on how they put forth their views of right and wrong through their epics. In Paradise Lost, the antagonist also reveals some heroic qualities, in comparison to Beowulf, where the antagonist alone imparts dreadful deeds upon innocent citizens, revealing a more pronounced way of showing which characters illustrate the protagonist and the antagonists. Although Christianity and the Anglo-Saxon culture have similar heroic codes, the Christian culture can become obscure in the meanings of what would derive of the heroic code. In these two epics, both heros show heroic traits, yet the Christian way of showing the heroic traits were not as obvious as in the Anglo-Saxon culture symbolizing how Christians developed more complex stories that may not always have a clear protagonist and antagonist.