Similarities Between Beowulf And Sir Gawain

The Fate of Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Focusing on the similarities and differences in the way Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Beowulf present the idea of fate. “Is fate a force from which the characters cannot escape?”

In my opinion, both are considered heroes; Beowulf and Sir Gawain are different in character, ability, and have diverse viewpoints. The similarities are exceptional, but each of them accomplishes feats which brought them honor. Beowulf and Sir Gawain are seen as a model of quality in their own respects. Many factors instantaneously stands out as an essential difference between the two, Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight propose a fundamental contrast of views on faith and chivalrous demeanors. Beowulf

demonstrates an absence of both faith and chivalrous, and Sir Gawain is entirely filled with both. The dissimilarities in this circumstantial world of heroes drive them in different directions, launching from shallow differences in Beowulf and Sir Gawain's personal worlds. Examining how the two hero’s functions in their circumstantial worlds, one can reveal the configurations of their social structures. Who actually holds the power, narrative influence, and cultural values between the two heroes’ that shaped their two work.
The Medieval Christian world described by Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is that Christianity controls the actions of a man’s soul, and chivalrous love of his heart. "Most noble knights" are present at King Arthur's round table (Part I-line 51). Sir Gawain, as a character is the perfect part of this structure, "that knight-errant of courage ever-constant, and customs pure, is pattern and paragon, and praised without end. Of all knights on earth most honored is he" (II-912-15). He is heartfelt and decorates the image of Mary on the inside of his shield gallantly, he refrains from either offending or betraying Lady Bercilak’s trust at the same time as their company is skillfully chivalrous.
Sir Gawain's realm is a structure built of spiritual and chivalrous encryptions, which compels and strengthen its people, and Sir Gawain is its ideal aspirant. Gawain is heroic, not because his courage is naturally moral as a good knight must possesses, it’s because he puts his faith in God, one whom no Christian can speculate. Sir Gawain rides to sure death at the hands of the Green Knight, and States, "I shall not give way to weeping, and God’s will be done, amen! I commend me to His keeping" (IV-2157); in his quest, was not "borne himself bravely, and been on God's side, He had met with many mishaps and mortal harms" (II-724-5).
Beowulf defines the world as not of a Christian’s accord, but somewhat of a controlled mayhem, in which existence is somewhat pointless and hollow. Beowulf states, "The days of my youth have been filled with glory" (Beowulf VI- 408); and “the monster's scorn of men is so great that he needs no weapons and fears none, Nor will I. My lord Higlac Might think less of me if I let my sword go where my feet were afraid to, God must decide who will be given to death's cold grip”(Beowulf VI-434-441). Beowulf points to God’s power of judgment and his feats are heroic which brings him glory; unlike Sir Gawain, which doesn’t put his trust in God, Gawain recognizes that there are forces “God or fate,” that has an essential word.
The ethical and spiritual structure of Sir Gawain does not exist in Beowulf's realm; Beowulf's feats are arbitrated by the people around him in how he benefits his realm, and how he strengthens all humanity.

The reputation of Beowulf's childhood prodigality lies not in the gallantry and power he possessed, but in how his swimming contest ended afterwards, "sailors could cross that sea, road and feel no fear; nothing would stop their passing" (Beowulf IX 537). After Beowulf’s death, his panegyric was read to the people, praising him as the best of kings. “He who held our enemies away, Kept land and treasure intact, who saved Hrothgar and the Danes, he who lived All his long life bravely” (Burton 3003-8). Beowulf was a brave and righteous man because he did what it took to reserve his and his peoples' ways of

existence.
Beowulf and Sir Gawain needed different social order in order to be known as a hero. Beowulf needed communication, unification of sympathetic and arbitrating individuals who propagate his character as a hero, for him to be heroic. Now Sir Gawain needed a world to carry out his accomplishments which he can be measured, and not in need of the people within it. Gawain redemption rests on the people in the Christian world, under the watchful eye of an all-seeing God. A hero is well-regarded by his fellow citizen and is unpredicted, “A true knight acts not for the praise of men but for the salvation only God can bestow. A man's "Goodness," then is not awarded him by his peers; while performing socially responsible acts may be necessary to be Good, God bestows the epithet, not other men, and thus society is of little use to a Goodman except as an arena in which to prove his worth.” [3]
In the domain of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight central configurations seem so vital that the Green Knight had to create other ones in which to meek Gawain. In such a doctrinaire society, deception seems to be the best method of reproving a man’s heroism, however in the Anglo-Saxon great hall of Beowulf; competitor’s needed to do far less to show his heroism to another. The most decisive difference between Beowulf and Sir Gawain lies in their individual narrative strong point. When an author creates a characteristically designed story, the protagonist impels the plot through the whole story. The protagonist uses power and Fate to put Sir Gawain in his social order, in which he shines. Gawain superiority as a hero is resulting from his gift to simply follow the rules. He has never knowingly breaks the social structure of the plot in which his character accelerates, If Sir Gawain was to decease, his world would continue as if he never existed, but Beowulf's world is unimaginable without Beowulf existences. He delivered an era of strength and happiness to the people he proclaimed. Beowulf in his departing breath whispered, “I've worn this crown for fifty winters, no neighboring people have tried to threaten the Geats, sent soldiers against us or talked of terror. My days have gone by as fate willed, waiting for its word to be spoken, ruling as well as I knew how, swearing no unholy oaths, seeking no lying wars. I can leave this life happy." (Burton 2732-40). Beowulf passes on knowing he protected his people, but his death was a sign of the end of the Geats way of life.
The differences in my opinion, shifts the perspective of Christians that were brought to Europe.

In Europe’s customary dark mythology, knights who die in battle, goes to “Valhalla,” to wait for what the European’s called “Gotterdammerung,” The end of days. The recapping of a man’s feat establishes spirited forms of existence after demise, and a pursuit for his own exaltation which aids humanity. Gotterdammerung was the vital feat of disorder, one which the gods couldn’t avoid. The only act that would help turn this feat positive was bravery and fate, and therefore those who embraced their society, were worthy of great integrity. Christianity, believed that fate in an almighty compassionate God helped changed the peoples' celestial opinions, this is what removed the burden of fighting off the ‘state of disorder,’ and delivered a new absolution of virtue and gallantry. Sir Gawain was the only knight at Sir Arthur's round table to accept the Green Knight's challenge. Sir Gawain undertakes this challenge demanding that "this folly befits not a king,” you can see that Gawain’s motivation was fueled by the fear of King Arthur's potential death. Gawain reason for his undertaking this mission is that "the loss of life would be least of any" (Gawain I 358 and 355, respectively). Now on the other hand, Beowulf appears to have the powers of the Gods his vision into the foreseeable demise of King Hrothgar discloses a sympathetic and meagerness practices of the Anglo-Saxon philosophy.

(chapters 28 and 29)
Beowulf and Sir Gawain were infinitely diverse protagonists, the measures upon which they’re arbitrated a hero didn’t have much similarity to one another. In Sir Gawain's domain people who follows the spiritual and societal codes of his realm is often nobbled a hero. In Beowulf’s Anglo-Saxon domain people who maintain society are deemed as a hero. The protection of Beowulf’s people drives him to conquer any nemesis. The legacy of Beowulf's reign rest on the safeguarding of the Anglo-Saxon people, in order for his existence to live on, therefore, Beowulf is the prominence of his own tale.
The character of Sir Gawain and Beowulf achieved prominence which inspired the respect of their people. The respect Gawain and Beowulf got came from their abilities, and good feats. Now the question is “was fate a force from which Gawain and Beowulf couldn’t escape.” In my opinion their fate was a natural occurrence and foreseeing, one that they couldn’t escape, due to the Anglo-Saxon values of their philosophy and way of life; so their fate was inevitable.