literature more specifically mythology

¶ … Greek Hero Odysseus in Homer's Odyssey and the Northern Hero Beowulf in the saga BeoWulf, discussing how either can be heroes and arguing in some ways that it is more than deeds that marks a hero, but also the way in which they behave and relate to others. Bibliography cites 2 sources.

Beowulf and Odysseus: the Most Unlikely of Heroes

From two different cultures come two of the most famous stories ever to be told, one comes from the enlightened eras of classical Greece and concerns that most turbulent time faced by one of Greece's many heroes Odysseus, the story is "The Odyssey" the story of a man's struggle to return home after the battle of Troy, as he fights the will of the many Olympian Gods, witches, and sirens to seek the beloved embrace of his wife and the love of his son.

Yet over a thousand years later another epic again told in the traditional style of the bard was born, this time from the North the story of the Anglo-Saxon hero Beowulf and his fight to save the people of Thane from the evil Bog Monster Grendel and his Mother the hag, further more the saga of BeoWulf tells of his fighting the great Dragon and finally of his death.

The idea of a hero is someone who does something extraordinary in the face if great danger or at great personal cost. A hero may be a man who looks to achieve great deeds, but may equally be placed in a position where they need to achieve great things.

The overriding characteristic is the way in which there is strength of character shown in the face of danger. The classical hero, as seen in terms of literature such is that of the classic Beowulf and that of Odysseus also processes great strength and intellect in ordure that the may both be used to overcome a foes.

It is also traditional for a hero to also have many other favourable characteristics, if we look at both Beowulf and Odysseus then we will also see aspects such as a gentle nature and loyalty. Therefore we can argue that the determination of a hero is not only deeds, but the motivations and personality that will be the deciding factor on if a person is or is not a hero.

Beowulf is Ectheow's son, he is almost a superman with his strength and the way that he shoulders social responsibility. There is also the argument that we can see in this that a hero needs to be judged by kings, and it is more than simply the deeds themselves that mark a man as a hero. The reason and motivation for the actions need to be considered. If these dangers are faced for the reason of personal gain then the heroic purpose does nit exist, only the desire for personal gain.

In a hero there will be noble purpose and the ability and willingness for the hero to undertake the actions where there is no personal gain, only the upholding of ideals. In the poem of Beowulf he fulfils all of these criteria, but we are also told that he is a hero, not only in terms of the epic, but also by his peers.

Beowulf is set up as being a hero, he is described in the poem as;."..greater / And stronger than anyone anywhere in this world" (195). Therefore there is no doubt that this is an heroic epic, yet to be heroic he also needs to be human for the deeds to be seen as a truly heroic.

We see the recognition form him as human when there is the statement form his peers to his status; "Nor have I ever seen/, Out of all the men on earth, one greater/Than has come with you" (247-49).

In the Odyssey we see Odysseus as a complex character and in may way as contrast who is both similar and different to that of his counterpart Beowulf.. However we can argue that the way in which they were brought up had an impact on their characters, and that the absence of any real documented evidence of the truth we cannot have a clear precise detail of what may have influenced either at the time of the sagas being spoken or their deeds being carried out.

Odysseus is more brain than brawn as is described as a man who can fight, but we can also argue that if a fight can be avoided then it is the wiser man who learns not to fight, but as with all heroes he is obedient to the gods.

Odysseus grew up the son of Laertes and became well-known as a master of guile and deception, as well as having a patient soul. Even when he returns after his long absence he hides his identify with only his son aware of his real identity; " when he heard the omens conveyed to him by the woman's speech, and by the thunder, for he knew they meant that he should avenge himself on the suitors."