Heroism in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Beowulf Essays -- Heroe

Heroism in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Beowulf A hero, according to Webster’s New World Dictionary, is someone who commits an act of remarkable bravery or who has shown great courage, strength of character, or another admirable quality. He is looked up to for the brave and noble things he has done. Though Beowulf and Sir Gawain are both considered heroes they each have many different qualities. For Beowulf his reputation as a hero depends on the opinion of others within his society, for Gawain Christianity determines his bravado. In order to understand how they are both considered a hero in their society we must look at the many differences their respective societies possess. One major difference between the society that Beowulf lived in and the one Sir Gawain lived in is their views on religion. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the world described is one of order, where Christianity plays an important role. Sir Gawain fits perfectly into this world as a Knight who is brave not because he naturally possesses this bravery, but because he puts his faith in...