This essay is based on heroism found in the epic poems "beowulf" and "Sir Gawain and the "Green Knight"

Essay by ramoCollege, UndergraduateA, November 2002

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In "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" and "Beowulf," we encounter single heroic men, under a great king on an adventurous quest for recognition, and honor. Hard to imagine that though so much alike, they differ in category. "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight," contains very similar aspects of an epic poem, which creates vast similarities between sir Gawain and Beowulf. Both of the famous writings entwine lineage, the warrior code, and mysticism to enhance the adventures of our heroes.

There are many examples that emphasize the similarities, but the first aspect of both these stories that was recognized was lineage. In the epic as we will call it King Arthur and his kin are brought out to be the decedents of the great and treacherous knight Aeneas. Though "King Arthur was counted most courteous of all, (25-6)"kings his lineage is brought out to be from ancient Rome.

Sir Gawain is the king's nephew and one of his most trusted knights, and at the feast sits with the king at his table with only a few other knights, which indicates his closeness to the king and queen. Later on we find out that it is actually Sir Gawain's aunt, Morgan Le Faye (Arthur's half-sister) that has fixed to test the honor and authenticity of the round table and Arthur's court. By having the Green Knight (Bercilak) play the beheading game with Sir Gawain, she is able to observe her objective.

Beowulf, is also King Hygelac's nephew, and we learn that when Hygelac's son, Heardred dies Beowulf becomes king. But in the beginning of the epic, Beowulf mainly goes to help the Dane's king Hrothgar, due to a favor that Hrothgar had once done for Beowulf's father, and for the sake of recognition. This like...