Out of all four epic heroes—Odysseus, Aeneas, Beowulf, and Lancelot—Indiana Jones is most like Beowulf. This is due to the strong similarities in their character, personality, and ideology, and approach.
First of all, both Indiana Jones and Beowulf are very determined to complete a crucial and critical task. In the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones needs to find a lost ark to prevent chaos from it gets into the hands of the Nazis. Although Belloq, who aids the Nazis in findinging the ark, obtains the ark first, sprits emitting out from the ark attack and diminish everyone except for Indiana Jones and his partner Marion. Indiana Jones never gave up during his quest to find this ark. Even though it may have gotten into the wrong hands,
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chaos was prevented because Belloq and the Nazis were wiped off. Similarly, Beowulf accomplished the mission of defeating the evil monster Grendel. He wanted to protect King Hrothgar and the citizens of Danes. Despite knowing of how Grendel easily killed off so many strong knights in the castle, Beowulf didn’t stop until he got rid of her for good. While Beowulf and Indiana Jones accomplished their principal duty without hesitation and slack, the other heroes did not. Odysseus often got very sidetracked by Calypso, Circe, and Nausicaa. They prevent him from immediately wanting to go back home and reunite with Penelope and Telemachus. Jupiter has to send Mercury to remind Aeneas that he needs to leave Dido to do as he is destined by going to Italy. His father also reminds him of the importance of his mission twice: once in his dream and another in the underworld. Lancelot is tricked by Pellas at the castle of Corbin and ends up having a kid with a Pellas’ daughter Elaine. This further prevents him from being with Guenever because she becomes enraged by Lancelot’s actions and banishes him from court. In addition, Beowulf and Indiana Jones are very similar because they are doing something great for other people, not themselves. Indiana Jones isn’t trying to get hold of the powerful ark for himself. He is solely doing this task because museum curator Marcus Brody is telling him to. This is because Brody knows the Indiana Jones is a phenomenal archeologist that has the greatest potential to prevent the ark from getting into the hands of the Nazis who can use it to make their army superior and invisible. Likewise, Beowulf isn’t fighting Grendel for personal enjoyment and needs. He is doing it to protect King Hargroth and the citizens of Dane. Unlike Indiana Jones and Beowulf, the other three heroes are doing major things for personal satisfaction.
Despite having affairs with other women, Odysseus wants to return home because he misses his family. We can see this when Odysseus is sitting on top of the rocks by the sea on Calypso’s Island and is crying because even though Calypso might be attractive and beautiful, he feels obligated to be with her and that nothing can be compared to his life with his family at home. His main goal and priority is to return home to his family, not to help others that want to come home with him. At first, Aeneas was not very interested in find the city of Rome; he was doing it more because the gods told him that he was destined to do it. However, it became more about personal goal when he met with his father in the underworld. The conversation with his father sparked motivation in him and inspired him to truly want to build the Roman Empire and become a leader. Lancelot saved Guinevere when she was about to be burned alive from King Arthur’s orders because he loved her. He didn’t do it because other people told him to, it was his personal …show more content…
desire. Furthermore, Indiana Jones and Beowulf are very independent and finish things by themselves.
When not carefully analyzed, it may seem as if Marion is assisting Indiana Jones in a very helpful and necessary manner. However, Indiana Jones could prevented Havok from the ark without Marion. Indiana Jones could have gotten the medallion for the Staff of Ra by violently forcing her; however, due to his polite nature, he let her act superior by bribing her to obtain the piece for the staff. After Marion decides to come with Indiana Jones to help him find the ark, she only adds to Jones’ troubles. For instance, Indiana Jones has to constantly worry about saving Marion because has been captured by the Nazis and in one of their tents. Without her, Jones could have more efficiently finished his mission because he would of had significantly less things to worry about. In addition, Beowulf protects Danes all by himself. He eliminated potential threat in the city and castle by killing Grendel, her mother, and the fire dragon. Without Beowulf’s massive amount of strength and courage, no one would have been safe from these monsters in the city of
Danes. On the other hand, the other three heroes do not accomplish their goals and desires all by themselves. Odysseus has the major help to return back to Ithaca from the goddesses Athena. For instance, when Odysseus is trapped on Calypso’s island, Athena urges Zeus to get him out. In return, Zeus sends Hermes to the island and Calypso eventually releases him. Similarly, Aeneas wouldn’t have been able to move on without the help of the gods. For example, when battling with Turnus, Aeneas gets stuck in his leg by an arrow. His mother, Venus, helps him by sending a balm to heal his wound. Lancelot also needed help from King Arthur in battles. For example, after the first day of the tournament, King Arthur swore to help Lancelot by fighting with his knights and Sir Tristram would do a favor for Sir Lancelot by withdrawing his knights. Lastly, Indiana Jones is most like Beowulf because they both have an abundance of the following qualities: courage, strength, and intelligence that allow them to handle situations efficiently. For example, when the spirits were rapidly coming out of the ark and deteriorating anyone who they saw, Indiana Jones did not accept defeat. Instead, he was the only one who realized that closing his eyes would prevent him from turning into dust. This instance, showed how he was extremely intelligent and courageous enough to handle a situation that appeared to have no solution. He showed his immense level of strength in the beginning of the movie when he escaped the gauntlet of dangerous bobby traps from the temple after he grabbed the golden Chachapoyan Fertility Idol. Similarly, Beowulf showed his strength when he fought needlefish and monsters in a frozen sea. In addition, he was definitely very intelligent and courageous because he fought the blood-drinking monster Grendel with using only his bare hands and no other weapons. Conversely, the other heroes didn’t possess all of these qualities at all or as in a prominent way. Odysseus was too whiny and was not wise enough to return to Ithaca without the gods’ help. For example, when Odysseus is trapped on his raft during a fierce storm sent out by Poseidon, Athena helps him by keeping the winds still so that Odysseus can go to the island of Scheria. This also instills courage in Odysseus because he knows that he will not be stuck in the storm for forever. Aeneas also relies on the gods’ help for strength and intelligence to complete his destiny. For example, due to his lack of strength and intelligence, Aeneas would not have been able to arrive in Italy if it wasn’t for Neptune who calmed the storms created by Aeolus.
Courage, selflessness, justice, and humility are all characteristics of epic heroes have exhibited. Both Beowulf and Shrek show the qualities of epic heroes. Beowulf is a brave warrior, and he is a wise king of the Geat’s. Shrek is an ogre that lives in a secluded forest and cannot express his emotions, but he is kind hearted and tries not to hurt anyone. Beowulf and Shrek are epic heroes because they receive assistance from allies, face supernatural foe, and reach lowest points where they appear defeated.
Throughout the novel, Odysseus is on the constant race to get back to his family again. This is a sign of love and compassion, even though he doesn’t show that every time, like when he blinds Polyphemus. Odysseus wanted to know if his father was still well and alive, because he had been gone for 20 years now, and he has no clue what has happened to Laertes. I believe that there is a rollercoaster of emotions inside Odysseus at this point. On one hand, he had been wanting revenge on the suitors, and now that he has, he must feel accomplished. Then on the other hand, he is happy that he has gotten back to his family, and he shows concern for his father. I also infer that the reason that the parents of the suitors wants payback on Odysseus is because he had been gone for a long time, and he just showed up, and killed everyone. The parents didn’t even know for certain that Odysseus was back, they just knew that if someone had the strength to do it, it would be
One of Odysseus's many qualities is determination. He remains determined throughout the entire saga to get back to his family. During Odysseus's Odyssey he encounters many obstacles, beast, god, and nature. Odysseus must get through all of these hardships before he can make it back to his family and home. On his way back Odysseus is next to Charybdis and she swallows his boat. He must holds on to the branches of a fig tree to survive, "But I clung grimly, thinking my mast and keel would come back to the surface when she spouted. And ah! How long, with what desiree, I waited! Till, at the twilight hour...the long poles at last reared from the sea"(12.560-64). Odysseus shows his determination to get home, because it would be easy for him to just let go and drown, but no Odysseus hangs on so he can see his wife again. Once he is at home he finds suitors at his house. Odysseus kills one of them and the others beg for mercy, ??Not for the whole treasure of your fathers, all you enjoy, lands, flocks, or any gold put up by others, would I hold my hand??(22.65-67). Odysseus is determined to get revenge on all of the suitors and he will not be satisfied until they are all dead. Without his strong will and determination Odysseus would not have made it through his trials. Although determination is a must for a journey such as Odysseus?s cunning is also just as essential.
Odysseus was within arms reach of home but because of how naive he was he was forced to keep going on his journey. After all of Aeolus’ hospitality and such a powerful gift Odysseus is still mindless at what this meant and because of him not being cautious, he could not complete his adventure. It’s surprising knowing that after being on a powerful god’s bad side and being forced back to sea, that Odysseus can be even more of a fool.
This essay is the comparison between Beowulf and a modern day hero. I consider any American soldier to be my modern day hero. In this essay I will explain in three paragraphs of how my modern day hero is like Beowulf. With in these three paragraphs I will go over how they are both fighting for a good cause, how they are both rewarded for what they do, and how they are both treated with much respect.
Beowulf has been living at his home land taking on challenges that others may not have wanted to take on. He has always been a man of action, always looking for adventure that challenges his strength. When Beowulf was told of the rumors that a demon is tormenting Hrothgar famous mead serving hall he accepted the wise men decisions to help him rid them of the demon. This is where step two of the hero’s journey comes into play. There is a call to adventure that affects the hero in some way. Beowulf may have formed a personal connection to the cries of Hrothgar reason being his father was once had history with Hrothgar . When Hrothgar helped Beowulf 's father settle things with the Wulfings Beowulf may have felt a need to repay his father’s debt. When Beowulf and his men finished the feast the king provided in the mead hall that was closed due to Grendel’s blood lust. ¨Epic heroes possess qualities that mere mortals lack. Bravery beyond compare, superhuman intelligence, strength or skills and a driving desire to find success¨(Connie Jankowski). In this part of the story Beowulf and his men have proven that they do contain the courage
In conclusion, although Beowulf possessed many heroic qualities he would not be considered a hero in today’s world. A hero varies from culture to culture. The Anglo-Saxon appreciated different things in a person that what do not we appreciate today. Many things have changed a lot with time, the requisites for being considered a hero have also changed. Today we do not like to solve problems with war. Pride and honor are not as important as the willingness one has to help others. Beowulf is not feeling that contact with people he doesn’t identify with them because he believes himself better, a part of a hero´s cycle is to be identified with the community. To be part
Odysseus and Aeneas are very alike in some ways and very different. They are both epic heroes except that one is Greek and the other is a Trojan. Odysseus is from the Greek tale The Oddessy, which was written by the famous Greek poet Homer. His quest is to find his way back home after a long journey. Aeneas is from the roman tale The Aenied, written by Virgil a famous Roman poet.
not have fought the suitors and proved himself . The act of returning was always the ultimate goal for Odysseus and the temptations of happiness, beauty, immortality, and eternal youth were much harder for him to pass up every time he had to put his life on the line and fight an army or evade a monster. He could have given in to any of the temptations at any time and never had to
Beowulf takes on the challenge of killing Grendel and later Grendel’s mother because he wants to show everyone how tough he is and that he can take on anyone if he wanted to. In other words, he is trying to be this powerful man who no one can ever defeat. Beowulf does not look at the task as a challenge, but rather a way to show everyone that he is the strongest and heroic man of them all. When Beowulf goes into any sort of battle, he refuses help from anyone. He does not want to feel or look, he is so focused on himself and his pride that he does not see the elevating problem in himself. Both Beowulf and Sir Gawain serve a king in their task, but they are taking on the task for different reasons that are instantly shown by their
The author makes sure to include Beowulf’s traits of bravery, strength, and glory in every situation so that it is reinforced that he truly has these traits. The author would not do this if these attributes were not important to the culture of the time. Beowulf’s characteristics of bravery and strength are still important today, but his trait of glory may be switched with that of humility so that readers could better relate to him. The goal of the author is to create a character that personifies who the reader wants to be, and Beowulf personifies the hero that a person during that time would want to
Beowulf displayed great courage and honor throughout his journeys and battles; he was an epic hero. An epic hero is a person who is viewed as larger than life and possesses values of a certain society. From the time of Beowulf’s battle with Grendel to his brawl against the dragon, he has showed everyone what being an honorable hero looks like. His heroism is revealed through both youth as a young warrior and wisdom as a reliable king. He never backed down and didn’t give up when situations were tough. Beowulf had obligations to fulfill and went about every aspect of his life with courage and strength. He cared for his people and was willing to take on anyone that threatened them or his kingdom. He sincerely was the hero of his time.
Throughout the course of history, there have been many heroes and stories about said heroes. Beowulf is one that is included among these heroes as he exhibits many qualities of a hero, such as honor, bravery, and strength. These qualities are all shown several times throughout the story of the hero Beowulf.
Throughout the book every time and after he conquers the new challenges Odysseus answers the question, which is repeated throughout, with a different answer. Each time he conquers a challenge on his journey home he learns a new lesson towards humility and answers with a new perspective. “‘I am no god,’ said the patient, good Odysseus. ‘Why do you take me for an immortal? But I am your father, on whose account you have endured so much sorrow and trouble and suffered persecution at men’s hand.’”(P 214 L 186-189) Although he is viewed by many people as very god-like Odysseus realizes that he is an ordinary man and is not a god. Odysseus’ desire to return home is another example that makes him an everyman. In this epic tale the word home had a double meaning for the hero. Home was where his family was and where he wanted to be. The physical element of being home and with his family was a huge deal for him. The other meaning of home was being safe and secure. His aspiration to return home and to return to his safety in sometimes shows that he is also a rather weak man. It is a human instinct to want to go home and stay safe instead of always being brave and
Achilles, a very valuable warrior and great fighter was a very significant part of the Trojan War. He wasn’t fighting for a family back home or anything of that nature, he was simply fighting because it was his destiny. He knew going into the battle that he was going to die, but he trusted that fighting was the best thing for him and something he had to do. He took his destiny seriously, even though he knew it meant he was going to die. Odysseus, on the other hand, was fighting a very different battle. He was fighting to get home. Throughout the entire poem, The Odyssey, Odysseus displays his longing to be back at home with his wife and son. He is constantly fighting with the gods, monsters, and beast to try and make it back to Ithaca. These two characters are fighting for two very different reasons. One fighting because it’s his destiny and what he’s meant to do, and the other because he longs to see his family once again. It’s plain to see that the motives behind the fighting is different for both of these