Heroes come in many ways Heroes come in many ways. Some are grand, recognizable people or fictional superheroes; others are the quiet, simple types who live their lives under the radar. In either case, it is the accomplishments of these individuals that label them heroic. Such is the case of the protagonists in the primary epic Beowulf and in the romance Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Although Beowulf and Gawain hail from two different cultural periods, each man conducts his life under the umbrella of heroism and leadership. From the selfless approach to protecting their kingdoms to their ability to gain loyalty and trust, it is evident that Beowulf and Gawain have earned a hero’s status.

Peter J. Tomasi, famed comic book author, one wrote, “There are no heroes and there are no villains. There are just opposing points of view. That's all history is...the viciously long battle between world views.” Not straying too far from his view of the shades of gray that make up villains, classic literature offers it’s antagonists to be judged. From the epic to the romance, literature offers an evolving view of the bad guy. Gredel, the fearsome monster in Beowulf, and The Green Knight from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, through their epic and romantic tendencies prove to readers that villains come in all shapes and sizes and evolve with the times.

All villains give off the aura of evil; that is the least common denominator of similarity between them. The way a villain presents themselves is what differentiates them. When looking at both Grendel, and The Green Knight it is clear they share the common villainous characteristic of mystery. However, these characters possess a plethora of differences, and are more different than they are alike. Grendel is a basic monster, who has a one track mind, all he wants to do is kill. Whereas The Green Knight presents his evil in a more methodical, and debonair manner. The differences of these two villains can largely be attributed to the evolution of society; moving from the brooding dark ages which spawned the epic villain Grendel, to the more aristocratic, and chivalrous middle ages that gave way to The Green Knight, the Authurian romantic villain.

Societies create their own heroes to represent the values which they are feel are important for members of the community to idolize. Heroes develop as time passes to meet new ideals as is the case in the epic Beowulf and the romance Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Beowulf and Gawain embody the characteristics of a hero in their own societies. Through the way their battles are fought, their own personal attitudes, and how their societies repay them for their duty, Beowulf and Gawain encompass heroic values that are specific to their societies.

A hero is a character that is ubiquitous A hero is a character that is ubiquitous. Likewise, the hero character was present in both the Anglo-Saxon and English chivalric romance time periods. This character is defined as one who shows noble characteristics—honor, leadership, strength, and chivalry. In both the epic Beowulf and the romance Sir Gawain and the Green Knight two heroic beings arise. Beowulf and Gawain represent two contrasting views of a hero, but at the same time both convey traits treasured by their respective societies. Beowulf can be viewed as a stereotypical hero, while Gawain is shown to be a more complex character. This is demonstrated through the character’s quest to accomplish heroism. Although, Beowulf proves to fit the formal definition of a hero, it is Gawain that demonstrates the true grit of a hero with depth in character and complexity.

Thesis? There are many similarities and differences between Beowulf and Gawain.

Thesis? By analyzing the differences in the storyline, the hero’s adventure and the battle scenes, the protagonists Beowulf and Gawain prove themselves as worthy of the title hero.

Thesis? The antagonist, The Green Knight, has evolved from the antagonist Grendel in Beowulf.

Thesis? Through the fighting scenarios, the challenging of morals and the inclusion of love, it is clear that Beowulf’s Grendel fails as a fully developed character to Gawain’s Green Knight.

Thesis? From the basic storyline, the differences in the way they fight and the realism of their story, Grendel and The Green Knight show the development of a classical monster into the fantasy like villain that mirrors today’s bad guys.