Beowulf, Gilgamesh, warrior life, mythical hero, mythology, Giants, Geats, journey, quest of eternity, power, failure
It is reasonable that not every quest concludes in the manner in which it was initially intended; it was the lesson that two mythical heroes, Gilgamesh and Beowulf, had to learn. One of the heroes went on a quest to find eternity while the other sought to find power and wealth, but both did not find what they went out in search of. Nonetheless, the quests may not get perceived as failures; although Gilgamesh and Beowulf never reached their objectives, they gained something of more significance - insights concerning themselves. In essence, the mythical heroes, Gilgamesh and Beowulf, most certainly had the stuff that the idea of legends may involve; they appeared fearless leaders who regularly faced insurmountable odds to relish in the spoils of victory after defeating their enemies. And yet, by the end of the stories, the mythical hero, Beowulf, became disenchanted with the newfound status and wealth while Gilgamesh realized that the idea of eternal life was not precisely as was initially cracked out. The heroes thought that their objectives were right before them, and eventually, each soon discovered that not everything they had in mind turned out to be as thought. But before fully internalizing the intricate similarities and differences between the two mythical heroes, it is crucial to first understand the journeys of both Beowulf and Gilgamesh.
[...] North, R., & Worthington, M. (2012). Gilgamesh and Beowulf: foundations of a comparison. Gilgamesh and Beowulf: Foundations of a Comparison, 177-217. Gainsford, P. (2013). The Deaths of Beowulf and Odysseus: Narrative Time and Mythological Tale-types. Classica et Mediaevalia vol Beyad, M. S. [...]
[...] On the final quest for immortality, the king got attacked by a pride of lions and, holding a sword in one hand and an axe in the other, Gilgamesh killed many of the lions, thereby, sending the rest fleeing in terror. In essence, the courage and strength of Gilgamesh were similar to that of Beowulf. Although, unlike Beowulf, Gilgamesh never put his people before his desires and goals. Gilgamesh was an evil king; the sounds of the tocsin were his amusement, and his arrogance had no bounds by night or day. [...]
[...] In both battles, Beowulf insisted on battling the creatures by himself on his terms without the use of weapons or armor - the adversaries were beaten through brute strength. Although the prince of the Geats had handsomely been rewarded, Beowulf seemed to insinuate that the wealth and treasure received were only part of the big reward he desired; the prince of the Geats appeared to enjoy taking part in the battle and would readily go to war even without monetary rewards (Poe, 2015). [...]
[...] Yale University Press. [...]
[...] Beowulf vs. Gilgamesh Author. Author's Affiliation. Course. Instructor. Date. Introduction It is reasonable that not every quest concludes in the manner in which it was initially intended; it was the lesson that two mythical heroes, Gilgamesh and Beowulf, had to learn. One of the heroes went on a quest to find eternity while the other sought to find power and wealth, but both did not find what they went out in search of. Nonetheless, the quests may not get perceived as failures; although Gilgamesh and Beowulf never reached their objectives, they gained something of more significance - insights concerning themselves. [...]
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