I wasn’t really sure what to make as my first writing post, but I figured this couldn’t hurt. An essay from my sophomore year’s Humanities class. (Which was ancient history and literature combined.) This is mainly to showcase how my academic writing has changed over time. So, enjoy this comparing & contrasting essay about Beowulf and The Iliad, two of the most notable works in ancient fiction.
The Real Epic Hero: Being Human
Homer’s The Iliad and the novel Beowulf are ultimately tales of bravery, selflessness, and tragedy, and the actions each protagonist takes only further proves them. Revenge plots, rewards for what they have accomplished, and assisting those in need are the driving forces in expressing their themes of letting go, loyalty, and honor.
The themes of honor and chivalry are what make epic poems the compelling stories they are. By the end, the hero often dies from glory by overcoming a mountainous obstacle. Achilles’ leadership and willingness to die for the Greeks is honorable because he originally did not want to be involved with the Trojan War. What is not honorable though is that he relied on the material aspect of war rather than the humane one. He had the physical strength and weapons, yet he lacked the emotional strength needed to be a truly humane and “great” warrior. Beowulf is also seen as a great hero as the Danes call upon him for his recent victories. He and Achilles are alike in that way because they think highly of themselves and put their lives at risk for the people they fight for. Beowulf, unlike Achilles, views true victory as not requiring a weapon to defeat the enemy, “I shall not call him with the sword. Although I could do it in that way, that is not how I propose to rid him of his life.” (Beowulf, 681-682).
It is shown that each protagonist in their respective tale must let go of their emotions in order for them to grow. In The Iliad, the main character Achilles holds a hatred for King Hector and the Trojans over the death of his friend Patroclus. This causes him to go on a rampage killing the guilty people in his eyes, of Troy, And Achilles led them now in a throbbing chant of sorrow, laying his man-killing hands on his great friend’s chest, convulsed with bursts of grief. Like a bearded lion whose pride of cubs a deer-hunter has snatched away, out of some thick woods, and back he comes, too late. And his heart breaks but he courses after the hunt hot on his tracks down glen on twisting glen –where can he find him? – gripped by piercing rage. (Homer, 328).
Achilles is rid of his hatred and grudges once he moves on after the death of Hector. In the novel Beowulf, the hero is faced with moving on from his ego and vanity. Beowulfs’ main motivations are fame and treasure at the start of the novel, and he is revered as a great warrior by the Danes. Once he grows old, he remains obsessed with himself and hunts for treasure as if he were the young man that he used to be. After fighting the dragon, he learns that it was his vanity that caused his death, allowing the truth to overcome him upon the story’s end.
A common theme that is expressed in both epic tales is loyalty. Loyalty in the Iliad is depicted through each character remaining true to their word and relationships with others. Hector, knowing that Helen loves him, only loves his wife and sacrifices himself for both the Trojans and his family. Achilles’ loyalty is to Patroclus as he keeps his promise to avenge his fallen soldier. Beowulf is loyal because he puts the Danes above everything else. They are the driving force that keeps him fighting in each challenge he faces,“I had a fixed purpose when I went to sea. As I sat in the boat with my band of men, I meant to perform to the uttermost what your people wanted or perish in the attempt, in the fiend’s clutches. And I shall fulfill that purpose, prove myself with a proud deed or meet my death here in the mead-hall.” (Beowulf 632-638)
The tragic reality of the Iliad compared to Beowulf is that they were so dedicated to what they were fighting for that they hurt innocent people. The Trojan War is the best example of this as both sides view what they are doing is right. Meanwhile, Beowulf is loyal to the innocent and strives to protect them from dangers such as: the demon Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon. Faithfulness is both a blessing and a curse as it leads to the downfall of Achilles, and the salvation of Beowulf.
It is evident that both characters are opposite sides of the same coin in the way they convey their themes. Achilles is the more harsh and serious protagonist of his respective story, while Beowulf is the more humane and gentle one. Where it may not be in good practice to replicate the acts the characters did, the fact that they are human at their core are what make them epic heroes. The fact that they were people, not gods, helps the reader to perceive and retain their themes on a better level. The ability to mature and grow from one’s mistakes, do what is right even if others disagree, and stay loyal to those who truly matter are what make someone not only a great hero, but a great person as well.
Sources Used & Quoted:
Fagles, Robert. Homer’s The Iliad. Penguin Books, 1991.
Wright, David Henry. Beowulf: A Prose Transition. Penguin Books, 1957.