Beowulf and King Arthur

The Great Ones Reveled Numerous stories about numerous heroes have been told and
then retold. All of these heroes do different things and all of them have a different set of
qualities which make them heroes. Due to the fact that there are only so many heroic
adventures and qualities, most are shared in part with at least one other hero. Such is the
case between the great hero, Beowulf, from the epic poem Beowulf and King Arthur
from the story of Morte d’Arthur. These great heroes have strong similarities and a great
deal of differences. Once their similarities have been compared and then dismissed it is
evident that Beowulf is the greater hero of the two. True heroes do good things for good
people. Such is the case in Beowulf, Beowulf leaves his homeland to help the Danish
people rid themselves of the human eating monster, Grendel. This heroic quality is also
evident in Morte d'Arthur, as Arthur consciously rides into a battle in order to rid his
people of an evil knight who would not allow others to pass. Both heroes are displaying
their concern for others by risking themselves in battle for the greater good. In the same
aspect they are also striving for love and respect from the people they protect. In order
to obtain maximum respect per battle, both Beowulf and Arthur enter into battle
somewhat alone. Beowulf specifically asks, “That [he], alone and with the help of [his]
men, / May purge all evil from [the] hall” (Beowulf, line 165-166). His request is
granted by Hrothgar, King of the Danes, so he and his man enter into the battle
themselves and when Grendel is defeated, the glory, love and respect belong solely to
Beowulf and his men. Arthur does the same, “he met with his man and his horse, and so
mounted up and dressed his shield and took his spear, and bade his chamberlain tarry
there till he came again” (Morte d’Arthur paragraph 20). Although Arthur begins his
journey alone he does meet up with Merlin, the court magician and faithful companion,
who accompanies him. Much like Beowulf, Arthur gains great respect and praise from
all men of worship by fighting alone, even though it is not necessarily the smartest thing
to do. The characteristic of being fearless when faced with death is often a trait of
heroes because it is associated with courage and strength. King Arthur and Beowulf are
not afraid to die, thus showing their courage to their adversaries and peers. When Arthur
is faced with death he declares, “welcome be it when it cometh, but to yield me unto
thee as [cowardly] I had liefer die than to be so shamed.” (Morte d’Arthur, paragraph
34). Simply put he would rather die than admit to defeat and being cowardly. Beowulf
feels much the same way about death. He illustrates this by showing no fear for his own
life but instead expressing concern for the honor of King Higlac by asking that, “if
death does take [him], send the hammered / Mail of [his] armor to Higlac” (Beowulf,
line 186-187). In sending his King his armor it recommits himself to his country and
lets his King be reminded of his bravery every time he looks upon it. That is the extent
to which Beowulf and King Arthur are similar. Beowulf has way more confidence in his
fighting ability then Arthur has in his. This is evident in the fact that Beowulf fights
Grendel unarmed, he says “my hands / Alone shall fight for me, struggle for life”
(Beowulf, line 172-173). His reasoning behind this is that Grendel’s, “scorn of men / Is
so great that he needs no weapons and fears none [so] / Nor will [he]” (Beowulf, line
167-169). By facing Grendel unarmed to shows that he is brave and more importantly
unafraid to be equal to Grendel. Since Grendel is going to fight without the use of
weapons, Beowulf creates equality and therefore more respect upon himself by doing
the same. Were as the much less confident Arthur fights only with weapons and once
his wounds were amended his first thought was, “I have no sword” (Morte d’Arthur,
paragraph 41) followed by the task of finding him a sword. This demonstrates Arthur’s
weakness in his dependence of weapons and thus Beowulf’s greatness in comparison.
Beowulf is indeed the greater hero as the help he received from his men was useless, not
by fault of his men but by the simple fact that Grendel, “had bewitched all men’s
weapons, laid spells / That blunted every mortal man’s blade” (Beowulf, line 322-323).
Since Beowulf’s men could give him no help due to Grendel’s spell, he had to defeat
the monster by himself with his bear hands. Arthur on the other hand lost his battle.
First Arthur lost a jousting match then lost on the ground when “the knight smote King
Arthur’s sword in two pieces” (Morte d’Arthur, paragraph 32). Merlin had to come to
his rescue at this point and by using his magic he put the knight to sleep for a period of
three hours. So to recap Beowulf defeated a monster with no aid from his companions
and Arthur could not even defeat a knight, he instead he had to rely on the aid of magic
from Merlin. Even thought both King Arthur and Beowulf are great heroes, Beowulf
emerges as the greater of the two. He does this through his successful feats only, not
through his heroic qualities. For when comparing the heroic qualities of Arthur and
Beowulf they come up pretty even. Both demonstrate a great love for others as they
both try to do good things for commendable people. Their differences in heroism might
be due to the fact that Arthur is a young hero in comparison to Beowulf who is an
experienced hero. Either way they, like most heroes, have similarities and differences,
this makes them who they are, commendable and memorable fantasy characters.

A Comparison of King Arthur and Beowulf

Sir Thomas Malory brings forth a courageous character , "King

Arthur", utilizing weaponry and leadership, to enlighten the reader of the
unique characteristics of a true hero, on the other hand, the unknown
author of "Beowulf", depicts the Anglo-Saxan era to tell a story of one who
fights to better society. The noble King moves as a unit with his men and
pride to protect and serve the kinsmen of his realm. Beowulf wards off
evil, unaccompanied, with nothing but his hands.

As a distinct hero of the Medieval Period, King Arthur relied

greatly upon his arms and retainers. "Take thou here Excalibur..." The King
had a extraordinary sword which he brought forth and kept at his side at
all times. He fought many battles and bore great trust into his prominent
sword. "`Now give me my spear.' Then the King got his spear in his hands
and ran towards Mordred." The mighty Arthur depended largely upon weapons
as an alternative to hand-to-hand combat. "He behold that noble sword -
That the pommel and the haft was all preious stones." The distinguished
Excalibur was carried and shown with dignity. Immense care and respect was
imposed into the weapons of the king. The noble King Arthur utilized the
arms of his time, opposed to Beowulf's unarmed way of battle.

Described as the strongest man in the world, Beowulf voyages across

seas slaying evil demons with nothing but his bare hands. "...Knew at once
that nowhere on earth had he met a man whose hands where harder." In the
confrontation of Grendel and Beowulf, our hero brings forth a force greater
than the unmerciful dragon. Weaponless, Beowulf slays the dragon with his
divine tools of god. "And was instantly seized himself, claws bent back as
Beowulf leaned up on one arm." Beowulf was seen as a hero who conquered
the evils with his sheer strength. "Strongest of the Geats - Greater and
stronger than anyone anywhere in the world." Beowulf was a hero for who he
was, a physically superior being. Additionally, he was adored by the Geats
for his personality and mentality, along with his accomplishments of
bettering society.

King Arthur and Beowulf differed in their beliefs and ways of

battle. "I alone...... may purge all evil from this hall..." Alone and unarmed,
Beowulf fights as a hero. Beowulf does not fight in a group or army. "The
battle was over, Beowulf had been granted new glory." Unlike the noble
King Arthur, Beowulf fights unaccompanied to improve society. "And when
the host of both parties saw that sword raised, they blew beams, trumpets,
and horns, and shoned grimly." The two sides, at the battlegrounds, where
organized, united and lead under the control of King Arthur and Mordred.
Orders proposed and given by the leaders governed the actions of the
soldiers unlike Beowulf's solitary way of fighting.

King Arthur, a distinguished leader, relied greatly upon the use of

arms. He lead an army, of "men in mail", against other troops. Beowulf,
fought to rescue a group of people and help the needy. Both heroes fight
and exploit characteristics found in models to society. Bravery, strength,
leadership, helping the underprivileged, are attributes seen in the "good
guys" of today. These characters have adapted these methods and utilized
them in the situation.

Beowulf, Sir Gawain and King Arthur - Three Heroes

The three heroes discussed here, Beowulf, Sir Gawain and King Arthur, are heroes for
different reasons. Beowulf, our earliest hero, is brave but his motivation is different than
then other two. To Sir Gawain personal honor and valor is what is important. King
Arthur, Sir Gawain's uncle, is naturally the quintessential king of the medieval period.
Though all men to a certain extent share the same qualities, some are more pronounced
than in the others. It is important to see how these qualities are central to their respective
stories and how it helps (or hinders) them in their journeys.

The greatest value of Beowulf is his bravery, some may say bravado. There is no doubt
that he is a great warrior. Beowulf's heroism belongs to a different time than that of
King Arthur or Sir Gawain. For that reason his bragging about his prowess might seem
decidedly unheroic. When he tells Unferth "I count it true that I had more courage,
More strength in swimming than any other man" (514-15 (41) it might be interpreted in
a poor way. What he is saying though is true. In addition, in order for him to succeed he
must orally deliver his resume. Nevertheless, bragging aside, Beowulf is undoubtedly a
brave man. When Beowulf sets out to kill Grendel's mother he simply "donned his
armor for battle, Heeded not the danger..." (1328-29 60). When his sword fails him he
uses his physical strength: "On the might of his hand, as a man must do Who thinks to
win in the welter of battle Enduring glory; he fears not death" (1420-23 62). Certainly
he is in search of fame. Though this is true it must not discount his brave actions. He
gains his fame truthfully by doing battle with menaces to society. He does not lie or
manipulate to achieve fame, he uses what is rightfully his, his bravery. Beowulf's
bravery differs from that of King Arthur's for several reasons. King Arthur by being
king must be brave, to rule the state people must respect him. Beowulf's bravery carries
the story. One because it details his ascension in fame and secondly it also outlines his
downfall.

The honor of Sir Gawain is his best value, though he suffered a set-back. His honor is
the catalyst for what happens through the rest of the poem. First Sir Gawain respectfully
asks to participate in the game with the Green Knight. He feels he is the person to act in
the game as he is "the weakest, the most wanting in wisdom...And my life, if lost, would
be least missed, truly" (354-5 295). This surely is not true, but to Gawain the valor is
necessary. It is also honorable as King Arthur had first accepted the challenge by the
Green Knight. King Arthur's possible death, as head of the state, would be devastating
to the community. As Gawain tells King Arthur: "this affair is too foolish to fall you"
(358 295). The rules of the game are set and Gawain swears to find the Green Knight
again in a year. "Here is my oath on it, in absolute honor" (403 296)! He proves his
honor by setting out to find the Green Knight a year later; even though he does not
know where he lives and is certain his death will come about form the meeting. The
poem's main theme is Gawain's honor and it is tested. He basically keeps his honor even
in the face of great temptation. As when the Lady of the house tries to seduce him.
Nevertheless he falters in trying to protect his life. But he does redeem himself by
admitting his duplicity to the Green Knight, and learning from his experience. Beowulf
in contrast does not learn. That is why he finds himself battling a dragon in his
advanced age. Gawain's honor differs from King Arthur's as I believe Gawain feels he
has more to prove than King Arthur. King Arthur naturally is honorable and wise. He
acts when it is necessary.

King Arthur's best value is his natural humble leadership ability. He differs from the
other heroes the most because these abilities seem to be natural-born. He does not have
to work at his abilities. King Arthur never purposely set out to prove his worth, as both
Beowulf and Sir Gawain did. The title of his story Le Morte D'Arthur leads to an
important point: King Arthur is most eloquent even in his death. While he is fatally
wounded, he has the humility to wax kindly on his fallen knight: "this to me a full heavy
sight, to see this noble duke die for my sake, for he would have helped me, that had
more need of help than I" (454)! This quotation proves his worth, for he truly
appreciates the allegiance to him. He even has patience with Sir Bedivere, who betrays
his orders. It is only after Sir Bedivere twice disobeys him that King Arthur loses his
patience: I shall slay thee [with] my own hands, for thou wouldst for my rich sword see
me dead (455). It can be argued that Beowulf would have hacked the man apart after he
first disobeyed him. King Arthur's values are important to story as he must lead the
country. As King it was necessary for him to stand up to the Green Knight even if he
thought it foolish. Certainly since his time, the future kings of England have had to
compete with his legend.

Surely the three men described here, Beowulf, Sir Gawain and King Arthur are heroes.
They hold heroic qualities such as bravery, valor and chivalry. But it is interesting to
note that there greatest qualities are often their downfall. If Beowulf was less brave,
most likely he would not have been fighting a dragon as an elderly person. Sir Gawain's
honor is the cause for his encounter with the Green Knight. he forgets it and falls into
the Green Knights trap. King Arthur's sureness in his loyalty with his knights leads Sir
Bedivere to waste precious time that might have saved his life. In considering heroes it
is important to remember that for as strong as the values are, if they are to be considered
true heroes, they must have their faults. This should not discount from their
achievements, but serve to enhance them. By showing that any person, regardless of
their heroism, is a tangible human being with blemishes.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and The Song of Roland

In mythological Europe, knightly heroes abounded whereever one

could choose to roam. There are hundreds of tales of knights who embodied
the concept of chivalry, slew huge dragons, slew legions of foes in single
combat, and still made it home in time for dinner. Of all these tales,
ballads and poems, a few have risen to the fore front of the genre as an
example for the rest of the stories to follow. I will be comparing the
positive and negative personality traits of two heroes from the famous
poems "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" and "The Song of Roland."
On the lighter side, both Gawain and Roland had more positive
attributes than they did negative. Both men were honorable, almost to a
fault. For example in "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" Gawain agreed to
be on time for his own execution:
"Nor I know you not, knight, your name nor your court. But tell me truly
thereof, and teach me your name, and I shall fare forth to find you, so far as I may, and
this I say in good certain, and swear upon oath.”(G&GK, pt.1, ln. 400-403)

Gawain's agreement might have been honorable, but it doesn't strike

me as particularly bright. Roland had the same type of problem. His honor
also got him to into trouble. One perfect example of this was when Roland
made his Uncle Ganelon so angry by antagonizing him that Ganelon used
Roland's concept of honor to make Roland take the rear guard and be
slaughtered. Roland antagonized Ganelon by saying: "Quoth Roland: '
Ganelon my step she is the man" (SOR, ln.229) Roland also felt honor bound
not to call for reinforcements against the pagan horde until almost every
single one of the knights were dead. "Companion Roland, your Olifant now
sound! King Charles will hear and turn his armies round; hell succour us
with all his kingly power.' Roland replies: 'may never god allow that I
should cast dishonour on my house or fair France!" (SOR, ln.1063-1068) To
go along with that incredible sense of honor, Gawain was the best man in
King Arthur's court with weapons. Gawain might have been fairly humble
about it, but the poet emphasizes Gawain's prowess with weapons by self
deprecation. "While so bold men about upon benches sit, that no host under
heaven is hardier of will, Nor better brothers-in-arms where battle is
joined; I am the weakest, well I know" (G&GK, ln. 351-354) Roland was
even more so, fighting exquisitely with sword, lance, and ax to defeat
legions of pagans in "The Song of Roland." "Leopard nor lion ne'er grew so
fierce as he (Roland)" (SOR, ln.1115) Both Roland and Gawain are
portrayed as totally above board and honest. Gawain promises to show up
for his execution, and indeed he does. Roland promises to take up the rear
guard with a minimum of men. Both of these men embodied the attributes
of chivalry.
 On the other hand, some of those same attributes helped to get
Gawain and Roland into trouble. For example, even though both Gawain and
Roland were honorable, Gawain nearly lost his head due to his honor when he
made his deal with the Green Knight to trade blows in 'Sir Gawain and the
Green Knight'. Gawain's lack of fear also caused him to take on opponents
much more dangerous than he could handle by himself. When the Green Knight
suddenly popped into existence in the middle of King Arthur's hall on a
green horse, it shouldn't have taken a rocket scientist to figure out that
a non-magical fighter isn't going to fare too well against this particular
opponent. Roland had the same problem. Taking on incredibly long odds was
apparently a knightly characteristic that wasn't on the 'most desirable
chivalric habits' list. Neither of the two appeared to be much of a people
person, antagonizing and fighting with people who were better off being
friends. Gawain was involved in an affair (stole some kis ses!) with the
Green Knight's wife while he was vacationing in their castle prior to his
scheduled meeting with the Green Knight as he had agreed to the previous
New Year's Eve. Roland angered Ganelon and paid for it with his life.
Roland just wasn't too bright when it came to politics, apparently. All of
these attributes might be considered undesirable in a knight.

Though the characteristics of honor, fearlessness, and poor people

skills might seem to be perfect for a knight, a perfect hero just doesn't
seem realistic to a listener or a reader with out some sort of a vice or
flaw. It makes them seem closer and more human to who the reader. This is
important to a good story, simply because if a hero is totally unbelievable
the ballad becomes more of a tall tale or a story to be laughed at. And
while it might be fun to laugh at a "B" ballad every once in awhile, it
just doesn't compare to a good action plot line. As a result, Gawain and
Roland each flaws. Roland's just happens to be terminal.