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An Ideal Hero: Comparing Beowulf and Aeneas
A hero may be a person who demonstrates courage, who can conquer any challenge. It may encompass noble qualities or something else that can be defined by an individual as an ideal hero attribute. A hero is a person with the courage to face outstanding accomplishments. Heroes such as Beowulf and Aeneas helped create their cultural identities a long while ago, describing the literature and the behavior that inspires a hero to uphold their society. Heroes are mythological, or it may be a mythical character who is endowed with great strength and other powers, often used to be godlike descents. They achieved legendary status in every ethnic character and its embodiment values that cultures build. They aspire for all people to realize that a hero was born there and that their courage will always know their names.
In many respects, while Beowulf and Aeneas vary, they share the bravery and wit to accomplish their essential goals. Since Beowulf is capable of killing terrible monsters without the aid of any other people and snatch his fortune for his glorious remembrance, Aeneas could also walk via the dangerous adventure and enter his satisfying achievement, being rewarded with his extra strength. During their period in which such philosophies play a significant role in modern society, Beowulf and Aeneas are historical heroes, regardless of how they address the many obstacles before them.
Both Aeneas and Beowulf are seen as ideal heroes in that they are represented with an objective, quests and a challenge or enemy. Following their conquering of rivals, whether it is various revolting tribes of contemporary Italy or Grendel, both discover that their foes were not only defeated by their strength. In the example of Beowulf, soon after apprehending Grendel in the great hall, this becomes instantly evident in his speech when he says, “I couldn’t stop him from slipping my hold.” “The Lord permitted it …” and that “he must wait in his majesty the mighty judgment of God” (Beowulf 50). These remarks illustrate how Beowulf acknowledges God as having power over his trials’ consequences, whether for good or evil. After death, everything will ultimately react to him. Quite similarly, after embracing his destiny to guide his subjects to Italy and ultimately find Rome, Aeneas also sheds his power over several of his trials. Thus, both heroes believe strongly in destiny, although in varying ways.
Additionally, both heroes agree that the gods influence their destiny to a great degree, if not entirely, but that the gods also interfere directly in their actions. It is more apparent in Aeneas’s case because the gods on several instances measurably assist Aeneas, be it Juno, Venus, or some other deity, also driven during his quest, and even the afterlife by symbols or messages from gods. Moreover, Aeneas obtains armor and weapons, like most Greek heroes, made or presented by the gods themselves. Many of these attributes are shared by Beowulf, particularly in that he knows that the gods intervene directly in his problems. This is evident after Beowulf kills Grendel’s mother and mentions how “the result would have been swift and catastrophic if God had not saved me” (Beowulf 66). He then explains how God also gave him a sword to use, which saved his life in turn.
Despite being similar in various aspects, the two ideal heroes have vital differences too. One key difference that is evident is that Aeneas tends to be tempted by romantic affection. In the first part of the epic, Aeneas has a love affair with Woman Dido of Carthage. Under the power of Venus, who brings Cupid to make Dido start a relationship with Aeneas, she falls deeply in love with him. The epic also explains why, without any divine providence, Dido would inevitably fall in love with Aeneas. Beowulf, nevertheless, is never interested in marriage, nor does he even seem to have a queen. Without descendants, he dies and appears to treat his people as his true kin. Beowulf is even more concerned with being famous after his demise than the other named heroes, presumably since popularity was viewed as equivalent to longevity in the Anglo-Saxon culture. At the same time, the Greeks and Romans had more concrete ideas about an underworld.
Another key difference is that Beowulf, who is considered a pagan, has pride in his glorious history and brutality against his enemies. It is not hard to see that what he strives to be, Beowulf challenges. “Sometimes, nature spares the man it has not already named, for undaunted bravery.” (572-573) As he mentions his swimming contest, Beowulf makes this point early in the poem. While Beowulf’s narrator assumes that God decides the fate of all, Beowulf argues that if individuals’ destiny has not yet been determined, they will thrive by sheer heroic deeds. This tenet then becomes Beowulf’s road to the glory that could be demonstrated with no weapon by his single furious battle over Grendel.
By comparison, with the aid of divinity, Aeneas is empathic with his people and destined to achieve many quests. “I am Aeneas, duty-bound, and recognized by my renown above the high air of heaven, bearing our gods with me in my ships of hearth and home, rescued from the enemy. I’m searching for my fatherland in Italy, and my descent is from the greatest Jove”. (1.519-524). This is how Aeneas presents himself to the slayer he encounters in Libya’s forests. They show how much his purpose and duties make up his personality. He perceives duty as more essential than his gain: he is informed of his mission when he falls in love with Dido, and immediately agrees to leave her, but proceeds his path towards his followers’ revival. He can achieve powerful weapons from gods that drive his victory over his enemies, even though his strength is finite and restricted. It can be concluded from the battle with Turnus that he still has the will to request other groups of individuals for support if he cannot deal with some situations alone. Despite winning, Aeneas shows sympathy to his rivals and spares them when they have no power.
To sum up, from the analysis of the two heroes’ character traits and actions, it is evident that the two present the ideals of people concerning legendary men. However, Beowulf, who seems to boastful and brutal, may be viewed as a person that pursues his lifelong personal praise. On the other hand, Aeneas is fateful and dutiful and appears more like an idol that manages to conquer the battles for his people.
Works Cited
Chambers, Robert W. Beowulf. BoD–Books on Demand, 2018.
Tarrant, Richard, ed. Virgil: Aeneid. Cambridge University Press, 2012.