Compare And Contrast Odysseus And Beowulf

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In the beginning of story writing, authors portrayed heroes with human-like flaws. They were greedy, ambitious, stubborn, and even cruel. Their perception of being a hero was totally different to what we have now. Despite those characters having severe weaknesses, they were and still are heroes. Odysseus, ruler of Ithaca is the main character in Homer’s epic. Odysseus is a strong headed man with prowess at fighting. Throughout the story his only goal is to return home after 10 years of exile and reunite with the love of his life. He defies the gods and is in a constant battle of survival. On the other hand we have Beowulf. He is the heir of the Swedish throne and a renowned and Impudent monster slayer. He is constantly driven by fame and riches. The only similarity they have is their guile attitudes. The following facts are comparisons and contrasts of both characters that will demonstrate why Odysseus is the best representation of a hero. A hero must be benevolent and thinks first of others interest rather than their own. During the stories, each character has their own purpose and motivation during their journeys. Lastly, they both have different reactions to their problems and act differently to them. Above all heroes must be people that leave an exceptional mark in people's lives. People who are benevolent, selfless and brave. The …show more content…

He is a very strong-willed person with a big devotion to his people. The Odyssey is showing that behind a hard shell to crack, there is a gentle heart fighting to survive. Odysseus fights and gives in to his temptations, he rises and falls many times, however, he always succeeds.There is no denying that Beowulf is a strong and brave man with a lot of guts. He fights many monsters and liberates people, but only for a price. A hero is much more than just a hot-headed person with the force of a hundred titans. They need to be tenderhearted, thoughtful and

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