Achilles In Beowulf

Words: 666
Pages: 3

Beowulf and Achilles

An epic is a long narrative poem that celebrates a hero’s accomplishment. Stories were passed down from one generation to the other by poets who were the carriers of the culture. Until people learned how to read and write the stories, they passed them down by mouth. The heroes of the stories possessed certain qualities. They had to be strong, superhuman, brave, loyal to their king, skilled in war, seek adventure and accepting their fate. In the Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf, the hero Beowulf has many of these characteristics. He willingly comes to fight the

to free Hrothgar’s land and terror.

He is selfless, killing the fire blowing dragon to meet lut people would have a legacy
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Beowulf also displays superhuman strength when fighting Grendel’s mother. He takes the sword, ‘’the best of all weapons’’ and ‘’so massive that no ordinary man could lift it’’ Grendel’s mother in the neck, kills her. Line 515 -522.

Fighting for him against the Trogons for nine straight every battle. When a prophet prophesied that Achilles had two choices: to live a longer quiet life without fame in honor or choose to be famous in his own lifetime, be remembered forever but die young, Achilles chooses the path of s warrior, prepared to meet his fate_, to fight always for honor. Both Beowulf and Achilles share many of characteristics of an epic hero. They are very similar in their acts and strength – Beowulf single - defeated Grendel and his mother. The strong hearted wakeful steepen bent back Grendel’s Claus and Grendel ‘’knew at once that now hell on earth had me met a man whose hands were harder.’’ Line 274-275. Then Beowulf ripped Grendel’s shoulder at Herat Hall. Achilles demonstrates strength. In addition to strength needed to spent ten years in war, he demonstrates emotional strength when he tells his mother ‘’I am still sore at heart; It is all past and I have quilled my passion as I must. Line 53-54. He was