For background information to help you understand this small portion of The Iliad from the Language of Literature, you may wish to read about "The House of Atreus." Then read this section of The Iliad, and answer the questions below in complete paragraphs using only standard English.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Defining the Epic Hero
Does Achilles or Beowulf behave more like a true epic hero? Clearly define how and why.
Both Beowulf and Achilles have the traits of epic heroes, but in the end Beowulf is the better embodiment of an epic hero. He carries himself much more calmly and maturely than Achilles does; he doesn't waste time with Grendel, Grendel's mother, or the dragon by mocking them in the way that Achilles taunts Hector when the latter is clearly dying. Moreover, Achilles' actions in the Iliad are only motivated by revenge, while Beowulf did what he did because he knew it was the right thing to do. That being the case, Beowulf establishes himself as a much more noble and heroic figure.
One would say that Beowulf was more of an epic hero than Achilles beacuse he fits the characterists of an epic hero better. An epic hero delivers a long speech, displays superhuman deeds, and his actions determined the fate of the town. In "Beowulf", Beowulf recites a long speech of his accompilshments as if he was giving out his resume. Also Beowulf is a regular mortal man that can take on monsters single handedly, it does count if you were born a superhuman. Plus if Beowulf hadn't defeated Grendel, the town of Herot would still be getting attacked.
Beowulf and Achilles are both considered to be epic hereos, but when it all counts, Beowulf is the real epic hero. Achilles was a hero but it was for revenge on his best friend. While Beowulf destroyed enemies, not entirely for revenge, but for the freedom and safety of the people in herot. Beowulf would also be considered a true epic hero because he didn't waste his time taunting and torturing his opponents for props, but he did what had to do and was finished.
Achilles is more like an epic hero because most other epic heroes had to suffer before they attained greatness. The basic outlines for epic stories is that you must never give up in the face of adversity and that hard work pays off. Beowulf roughly fits this description whilst those like Achilles, or Odysseus, or Gilgamesh do. Beowulf from the start was strong and powerful and once he killed the Grendel and then Grendel's mother he became king and then killed the dragon. Inbetween those fights there was peace.
Beowulf proves himself to be more like a true epic hero than Achilles. Although both were born a noble birth, there causes for battle differ. Beowulf fights to protect and conquer, but Achilles only fights to avenge the death of his friend. Achilles stayed away from battle laid low and became a spectator, he was not going to battle until he was affected by it. Beowulf seized the opportunity of any challenge even though they really had nothing to do with him.
Beowulf behaves more like a true epic hero for several reasons. Achilles felt the need to fight because of revenge. He felt the need to avenge the death of his friend. In beowulf's case he felt the need to fight for the protection and peace of the people in Herot. In addition, Beowulf carried out courageous acts, despite being mortal.
Beowulf and Achilles both have similar attributes for the epic title, but Beowulf is more entitled to being an epic hero because he acted more like a hero than Achilles. In “Beowulf” Beowulf fought for the protection of Hrothgar and his people, and he came from a long journey to protect. In "The Iliad" Achilles best friend Patroclus was kilt by Hector and Achilles fought for the revenge of Patroclus. Beowulf acted more heroic and was willing to risk his life for the sake of others.
Between Beowulf and Achilles, Beowulf is the greater hero because he was only mortal, while Achilles was a demi-god. Beowulf could also be seen as the greater hero because he fought to save people scourged by the monster Grendel while Achilles mostly fought to personal glory or revenge. Should these two heroes somehow meet in battle, however, I feel that Achilles would win. This is because Achilles is definitely the stronger combatant between the two. The spic hero, however, is not just a strong combatant they are a pillar of virtuosity that any person from any time can look at and marvel. It is because of this that Beowulf is the greater hero.
The matter of which one is greater, Beowulf or Achilles, is really purely on opion. To name a few reasons on why Beowulf would be consider the greater of the two heroes, would be that he fought for the people and that he was more on the morale side of the problem. Achilles on the other hand, was more on the selfish side. another example would be that Beowulf was thinking quick on his feet, and went straight to the battle instead of gloating and mocking much like Achilles did.
However, it can be also said about Achilles for different reasons. One reason would be that he was born into a higher noble blood then Beowulf (even though Beowulf was born into royal blood) and the fact that he had gone through more hardships then Beowulf has.
Thought they are very similar in other aspects where it proves that they are not so different. In this case, an prime example would be that they both had their reasons to fight in either a war or for a battle with a monster. Also one would have to think of the fact that it depends on the the culture of when the stories were produced, so it also depends on what the people believed in at the time.
Between the two, it is Beowulf who behaves more like an epic hero. While they are both considered "epic heroes", it is Beowulf who is more deserving of the title because of the fact that Beowulf accomplished his deeds as a mere mortal, whereas Achilles was a half-god. Yes, Achilles has to deal with the terrible Trojan army and yes his best friend died at the hands of the Trojan prince, but Beowulf had to face the mighty demon Grendel, Grendel's equally demonic mother and the terrible dragon, all while still being a mortal and, more than half the time, alone in his fights. Beowulf not only defended Hrothgar when it was attacked, but actively went searching for the source of the beast. All Achilles did, was strike down the killer of his best friend.
In comparison between Achilles and Beowulf, to the latter would the title "epic hero" seem more befitting. Beowulf maintained the ideals of his society, he remained throughout his story the defender, the honorable and just authoritative figure, the good warrior, and the epitome of the approbation of goodness contrasting such a great evil expressed in the character of Grendel, Grendel's Mother and the Dragon of greed. The formerly listed character, Achilles, seemed more rebellious, bent on doing his own thing, exacting revenge, defeating his enemies, and satisfying his own emotional demands.
Beowulf is by far a better epic hero than Achilles. Although both of them are great warriors, Beowulf simply acts more like an epic hero. He displays many of the virtues inherent to the perfect epic hero; strength, perseverance, courage honor, and respect. On the other hand, Achilles only demonstrates strength and perseverance along with an immodest sense of courage that can only be described as utter arrogance while he dishonors his nation by disrespecting his superiors and the gods.
Beowulf is the true epic hero if compared to Achilles. Although both seek glory, and the need for people to want their help, Achilles is selfish, whereas Beowulf seems a bit selfless. Achilles was willing to put the Greeks in danger to prove that they needed him. Beowulf, however, would not willingly put the lives of his followers at risk, and he had a tendency to handle risky business by himself. One example of what makes an epic is that "the hero's character traits reflect important ideals of his society" (29), and both Beowulf and Achilles posses this trait. Yet, with Achilles it becomes twisted when he refuses to return Hector's body back to Troy after he killed him. The return of a slain enemy's corpse to their companions was a custom that was done during Achilles time, which he broke out of hatred, of which takes away from Achilles being viewed as a hero.
One would say that Beowulf was more of an epic hero than Achilles beacuse he fits the characterists of an epic hero. An epic hero delivers a long speech, displays superhuman deeds, and his actions determined the fate of the town. In "Beowulf", Beowulf recites a long speech of his accompilshments as if he was giving out his resume. Also Beowulf is a regular mortal man that can take on monsters single handedly, it does count if you were born a superhuman. Plus if Beowulf didn't defeated Grendel, the town of Herot would still be getting attacked.
Beowulf, above Achilles, would be the more epic of the two heroes. One would be drawn to such a conclusion, as Achilles shows traits, which in turn, leaves him a questionable hero. Defined by honor and being virtuous, one would clearly state Beowulf to be the greater man. Having a vengeful sole, Achilles shows ignorance and weakness; a sign the a hero should never have to be considered great.
Beowulf and Achilles are both considered epic hero's. Beowulf would be considerewd the most as a epic hero because when he was called to defeat Grendel, Beowulf did not hesitate to offer his help .In the end he showed bravery and he defeated Grendel who was the bully of the town. He displayed great courage and therefore is ore of an epic hero than Achilles.
Achilles battles gods, goddesses, and children of either or both. Achilles is invulnerable except for his heel. Also, Beowulf is human while Achilles is half-god. One believes that Achilles is the greater based on these facts alone.
Both Beowulf and Achilles have the traits of epic heroes, but in the end Beowulf is the better embodiment of an epic hero. He carries himself much more calmly and maturely than Achilles does; he doesn't waste time with Grendel, Grendel's mother, or the dragon by mocking them in the way that Achilles taunts Hector when the latter is clearly dying. Moreover, Achilles' actions in the Iliad are only motivated by revenge, while Beowulf did what he did because he knew it was the right thing to do. That being the case, Beowulf establishes himself as a much more noble and heroic figure.
ReplyDeleteOne would say that Beowulf was more of an epic hero than Achilles beacuse he fits the characterists of an epic hero better. An epic hero delivers a long speech, displays superhuman deeds, and his actions determined the fate of the town. In "Beowulf", Beowulf recites a long speech of his accompilshments as if he was giving out his resume. Also Beowulf is a regular mortal man that can take on monsters single handedly, it does count if you were born a superhuman. Plus if Beowulf hadn't defeated Grendel, the town of Herot would still be getting attacked.
ReplyDeleteBeowulf and Achilles are both considered to be epic hereos, but when it all counts, Beowulf is the real epic hero. Achilles was a hero but it was for revenge on his best friend. While Beowulf destroyed enemies, not entirely for revenge, but for the freedom and safety of the people in herot. Beowulf would also be considered a true epic hero because he didn't waste his time taunting and torturing his opponents for props, but he did what had to do
ReplyDeleteand was finished.
Achilles is more like an epic hero because most other epic heroes had to suffer before they attained greatness. The basic outlines for epic stories is that you must never give up in the face of adversity and that hard work pays off. Beowulf roughly fits this description whilst those like Achilles, or Odysseus, or Gilgamesh do. Beowulf from the start was strong and powerful and once he killed the Grendel and then Grendel's mother he became king and then killed the dragon. Inbetween those fights there was peace.
ReplyDeleteBeowulf proves himself to be more like a true epic hero than Achilles. Although both were born a noble birth, there causes for battle differ. Beowulf fights to protect and conquer, but Achilles only fights to avenge the death of his friend. Achilles stayed away from battle laid low and became a spectator, he was not going to battle until he was affected by it. Beowulf seized the opportunity of any challenge even though they really had nothing to do with him.
ReplyDeleteBeowulf behaves more like a true epic hero for several reasons. Achilles felt the need to fight because of revenge. He felt the need to avenge the death of his friend. In beowulf's case he felt the need to fight for the protection and peace of the people in Herot. In addition, Beowulf carried out courageous acts, despite being mortal.
ReplyDeleteBeowulf and Achilles both have similar attributes for the epic title, but Beowulf is more entitled to being an epic hero because he acted more like a hero than Achilles. In “Beowulf” Beowulf fought for the protection of Hrothgar and his people, and he came from a long journey to protect. In "The Iliad" Achilles best friend Patroclus was kilt by Hector and Achilles fought for the revenge of Patroclus. Beowulf acted more heroic and was willing to risk his life for the sake of others.
ReplyDeleteBetween Beowulf and Achilles, Beowulf is the greater hero because he was only mortal, while Achilles was a demi-god. Beowulf could also be seen as the greater hero because he fought to save people scourged by the monster Grendel while Achilles mostly fought to personal glory or revenge. Should these two heroes somehow meet in battle, however, I feel that Achilles would win. This is because Achilles is definitely the stronger combatant between the two. The spic hero, however, is not just a strong combatant they are a pillar of virtuosity that any person from any time can look at and marvel. It is because of this that Beowulf is the greater hero.
ReplyDeleteThe matter of which one is greater, Beowulf or Achilles, is really purely on opion. To name a few reasons on why Beowulf would be consider the greater of the two heroes, would be that he fought for the people and that he was more on the morale side of the problem. Achilles on the other hand, was more on the selfish side. another example would be that Beowulf was thinking quick on his feet, and went straight to the battle instead of gloating and mocking much like Achilles did.
ReplyDeleteHowever, it can be also said about Achilles for different reasons. One reason would be that he was born into a higher noble blood then Beowulf (even though Beowulf was born into royal blood) and the fact that he had gone through more hardships then Beowulf has.
Thought they are very similar in other aspects where it proves that they are not so different. In this case, an prime example would be that they both had their reasons to fight in either a war or for a battle with a monster. Also one would have to think of the fact that it depends on the the culture of when the stories were produced, so it also depends on what the people believed in at the time.
Between the two, it is Beowulf who behaves more like an epic hero. While they are both considered "epic heroes", it is Beowulf who is more deserving of the title because of the fact that Beowulf accomplished his deeds as a mere mortal, whereas Achilles was a half-god. Yes, Achilles has to deal with the terrible Trojan army and yes his best friend died at the hands of the Trojan prince, but Beowulf had to face the mighty demon Grendel, Grendel's equally demonic mother and the terrible dragon, all while still being a mortal and, more than half the time, alone in his fights. Beowulf not only defended Hrothgar when it was attacked, but actively went searching for the source of the beast. All Achilles did, was strike down the killer of his best friend.
ReplyDeleteIn comparison between Achilles and Beowulf, to the latter would the title "epic hero" seem more befitting. Beowulf maintained the ideals of his society, he remained throughout his story the defender, the honorable and just authoritative figure, the good warrior, and the epitome of the approbation of goodness contrasting such a great evil expressed in the character of Grendel, Grendel's Mother and the Dragon of greed. The formerly listed character, Achilles, seemed more rebellious, bent on doing his own thing, exacting revenge, defeating his enemies, and satisfying his own emotional demands.
ReplyDeleteBeowulf is by far a better epic hero than Achilles. Although both of them are great warriors, Beowulf simply acts more like an epic hero. He displays many of the virtues inherent to the perfect epic hero; strength, perseverance, courage honor, and respect. On the other hand, Achilles only demonstrates strength and perseverance along with an immodest sense of courage that can only be described as utter arrogance while he dishonors his nation by disrespecting his superiors and the gods.
ReplyDeleteBeowulf is the true epic hero if compared to Achilles. Although both seek glory, and the need for people to want their help, Achilles is selfish, whereas Beowulf seems a bit selfless. Achilles was willing to put the Greeks in danger to prove that they needed him. Beowulf, however, would not willingly put the lives of his followers at risk, and he had a tendency to handle risky business by himself. One example of what makes an epic is that "the hero's character traits reflect important ideals of his society" (29), and both Beowulf and Achilles posses this trait. Yet, with Achilles it becomes twisted when he refuses to return Hector's body back to Troy after he killed him. The return of a slain enemy's corpse to their companions was a custom that was done during Achilles time, which he broke out of hatred, of which takes away from Achilles being viewed as a hero.
ReplyDeleteOne would say that Beowulf was more of an epic hero than Achilles beacuse he fits the characterists of an epic hero. An epic hero delivers a long speech, displays superhuman deeds, and his actions determined the fate of the town. In "Beowulf", Beowulf recites a long speech of his accompilshments as if he was giving out his resume. Also Beowulf is a regular mortal man that can take on monsters single handedly, it does count if you were born a superhuman. Plus if Beowulf didn't defeated Grendel, the town of Herot would still be getting attacked.
ReplyDeleteBeowulf, above Achilles, would be the more epic of the two heroes. One would be drawn to such a conclusion, as Achilles shows traits, which in turn, leaves him a questionable hero. Defined by honor and being virtuous, one would clearly state Beowulf to be the greater man. Having a vengeful sole, Achilles shows ignorance and weakness; a sign the a hero should never have to be considered great.
ReplyDeleteBeowulf and Achilles are both considered epic hero's. Beowulf would be considerewd the most as a epic hero because when he was called to defeat Grendel, Beowulf did not hesitate to offer his help .In the end he showed bravery and he defeated Grendel who was the bully of the town. He displayed great courage and therefore is ore of an epic hero than Achilles.
ReplyDeleteAchilles battles gods, goddesses, and children of either or both. Achilles is invulnerable except for his heel. Also, Beowulf is human while Achilles is half-god. One believes that Achilles is the greater based on these facts alone.
ReplyDelete