The Similarities And Differences Of Beowulf And Robin Hood

Hero. A simple word with tremendous meaning. Every person on this Earth is aware of what a hero is and can even list a few off the top of their head. Heroes come in all shapes, sizes, eras and beliefs and are an essential part of human culture. When going ‘back in time’ to an Anglo-Saxon hero like Beowulf or even hearing about a somewhat modern hero like Robin Hood in todays day and age, one can think of several key differences and similarities that the two heroes share. Heroes are a universal concept, but not every hero is universally the same. Although the concept of a hero stretches around the globe, not every hero is a carbon-copy of another. The main difference between a hero like Beowulf and a hero like Robin Hood is their†¦show more content†¦Examples of Beowulf exhibiting these traits would be his bravery of continuing to fight, even after a man was brutally killed and eaten in front of him, his intelligence by knowing or at least suspecting that Grendel had put a spell on all metal objects so that they cannot hurt him and the courage to face a monster at all, especially when his own men doubt they will live. Robin Hood displays these traits as well since it is his courage to â€Å"stick it to the man† that helps the people of Sherwood Forest, bravery to face the Sheriff of Nottingham and his guards, and intelligence of knowing when and how to steal to provide for his people. His actions save the people of Sherwood Forest from an otherwise guaranteed enslaved, penniless existence. Although Beowulf and Robin Hood each have their own unique set of heroic characteristics, they do share some of the basic principles that all heroes share. Along with characteristics, every hero found in any story has a core value that motivates them and in almost any case, this core value involves protecting someone or something. This value has stretched through time, affecting both Beowulf, Robin Hood and even modern-day heroes such as the Avengers. Robin Hood and Beowulf are both motivated by this value and will go to the ends of their resources to protect their respective people from injustice and cruelty. Beowulf risks his life on more than one occasion to protect the righteous Anglo-Saxons