Infamy vs. Immortality: Beowulf and Gilgamesh

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Immortality, monstrosity, infamy, catastrophe, might, and courage are all aspects of the epic legends of Beowulf and Gilgamesh. Though they subsisted in two utterly different historical eras, these epic heroes have numerous similarities and differences. For example, while they were booth deemed epic heroes, their mortalities were not equal. Beowulf had superhuman qualities such as having the strength of thirty men, but was born a mortal man. On the contrary, Gilgamesh was a demigod as he was born two-thirds god and one-third human by Ninsun, the goddess of dreams and cows. This is only one of the various instances of similarities and differences of these two epic idols.

In addition to mortality, their leadership customs serve as a difference in the characters these two heroes. Thought they were both prominent leaders, the method that Beowulf approached kingship significantly contrasted that of Gilgamesh. Beowulf was a loyal, caring king that always put the needs of his Geatish people before those more personal. In the text, Wiglaf, a member of Beowulf’s band of thanes,...

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