Heroism, as developed in the literature
It is a common assumption that all medieval heroic literature involved heroism along the main characters to create plot development. However, there are certain values and heroic prowess that are presented in the heroic orientation of the literature which represents prideful self-advancement of the main characters. This essay will discuss the depiction of heroism in the major chivalric works which include Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Le Morte D’Arthur, and Beowulf. The main purpose of the analysis is to establish the features in the literal works that qualify a heroic character.
Heroism in the three tales
In these works of literature, a hero is a mythological superhuman seen as a great warrior for the community. This person would live as a noble being and a warrior in the community due to his or her inhuman strength, courage, and traits that are not common to average human beings. In Le Morte D’Arthur, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Beowulf, the central characters in the tales appear to represent their own unique description of heroism. However, Beowulf presents a more mythological concept of a hero compared to heroes in the other two stories. Beowulf is a strong hero while Sir Gawain is described as an average human with splendid actions while in King Arthur’s court.
The hero in Beowulf is more focused on mythological definitions of a heroic person compared to other two tales. Beowulf is illustrated as a very physically strong human being who is constantly emphasized during the description of the story. The description makes Beowulf seem to be a supernaturally strong fighting man whose grasp in the hands has the strength of thirty men (Niles 76). In this part, Beowulf himself decides to self-impose heroism on him by talking about how he has defeated many sea monsters and suggests his concept of immortality. This happens as he tries to prove his might when he was sent to kill Grendel, the evil monster tormenting Hrothgar.
While in Beowulf the heroism is recognized as an express superhuman quality, Sir Gawain and Arthur throughout their adventures develop their own heroic qualities and features. Gawain, for instance, develops these features and portrays his own heroic qualities despite making a few mistakes in his adventures. Just like Arthur in Le Morte d’Arthur, Gawain works passionately to achieve perfection, courage, and loyalty.
One has, however, to draw the line between the ideal concept of heroism and the expected performance of knights in the medieval period (Goldhurst 63). The heroes in the stories also portray acts of loyalty throughout their life. For instance, Gawain pledges his loyalty to Arthur by accepting to challenge the Green Knight, compared to other knights as illustrated in Le Morte d’Arthur (Malory 26).
Qualifications for a hero
Heroes are qualified by their courage and bravery to tackle things that other average human beings do not dare. In the stories, Arthur, Gawain, and Beowulf make decisions to take challenges that seem to be beyond all other fighters. Beowulf takes the decision to sail by the sea and kill Grendel who is dreaded by all. Gawain is courageous and brave when he decides to take on the green knight, a decision that could have been left to the other knights (Goldhurst 63).
Heroes are also qualified by their degree of loyalty towards their society or what they believe in. Gawain’s loyalty to Guinevere, the king’s wife, is evident when he decides to avoid discourtesy to the Queen, on behalf of the king. Gawain’s loyalty to God also prevailed throughout the story, as evidenced by the Pentangle on his armor to reflect the wounds of Christ on the cross (Goldhurst 64). Beowulf is also loyal to his father’s friends since he sails to fight the evil Grendel and rescue Hrothgar.
Honesty is, however, a virtue that defines the hero in Gawain and knights in Le Morte d’Arthur but not the hero in Beowulf. Unlike Gawain and Arthur who are honest to their society and to God throughout, Beowulf lies to hold on to his heroism. When he sails to kill Grendel, he lies to Hrothgar’s soldiers on how he killed several monsters (Niles 73). Although heroism is defined by strength, courage, bravery, and loyalty, honesty appears to be the quality that qualifies true heroes.
Conclusion
Le Morte d’Arthur and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight present normal heroic qualities of the main characters, but Beowulf describes a stronger hero with superhuman abilities. Several names given to the heroic characters might have changed over time. However, what remains unchanged is the set of qualities that make up a hero and propel him or her to remain in that state. In the reviewed literature, the stories present heroes as loyal, strong, and brave superhumans while other tales present heroes as ordinary men who are able and willing to protect what they cherish. This gives the society today a lesson to learn and still get connected to this ideal depiction of a hero.
Works Cited
Goldhurst, William. “The Green and the Gold: The Major Theme of Gawain and the Green Knight”. College English. 20:2 (1958): 61–65. Print.
Malory, Thomas, Kenneth Brodey, and Victoria Spence. Le Morte D’arthur. Genoa: Black Cat, 2002. Print.
Niles, John D. Beowulf: The Poem and Its Tradition. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1983. Print.