Beowulf and Achilles

An epic is a long narrative poem that celebrate a hero's deeds. Epic heroes is a noble birth their traits reflect important ideals. In many epic poems the actions often determines the fate of a nation or group of people. Beowulf and Achillies are two great epic heroes.

Beowulf and Achilles are different in many ways; one of which is their character. Beowulf was "the greatest and bravest of warriors"(L.498-499). who fought to protect his soldiers and to make places more peaceful. He also perfectly embodies the values of loyalty, pride, and courtesy. Achilles, on the other hand, is not as heroic as Beowulf, even thought he was also a great warrior and had superhuman strength, he mostly fought for revenge, social position, and power. He was driven by a thirst for glory. Achilles mostly fought for social position and power, and the death of his best friend Patroclus, didn't make Achilles more deliberative or self-reflective, wrath, pride, and bloodlust still consumed him. Achilles would also sacrifice everything just so that his name would be remembered. Which shows that the only that he mostly cares about was himself and what people thought of him.

Extraordinary powers are achieved by both Beowulf and Archilles. For Beowulf, he was able to do things a normal human being wouldn't be able to do. Such as fighting with Grendel "behind some broad linden shield: my hands alone shall fight for me, struggle for life against the monster"(L.172-174). He succeeded by ripping off the monster's arm, making Grendel flee to his lair where he later dies from loss of blood. He also shows his extraordinary abilities when he went to go fight Grendel's mother "she welcomed him in her claws, clutched him at him savagely but could not harm him"(L.458-459). In comparison with Beowulf, Achilles was also considered invincible. According to legend, when he was born, his mother plunged him in the river of Styx so that his body would be invulnerable.

Beowulf and Achilles are trusted with maintaining the strength of their nations. They were fantastically strong warriors, and the result of their battles determined the fate of their country.