tamia. They felt as if they had no hope. All that could be done was to live their life on earth to the fullest, however always have in their mind that the end was coming at some point. The people found comfort in the fact that even the powerful son of a god could not cheat death, however he learned to accept this fact and try to live his life to its greatest extent.The religion of both these civilizations plays an important role in the shaping of these heroes. Beowulf, although takes place prior to the spread of Christianity to the area, is written by a Christian writer, creating the moral and ideas that go along with the Christian way of life. Beowulf seems to be for the people, almost with the feeling that something greater lies in wait for him if he serves his time on earth with honor. Gilgamesh on the other hand has no afterlife to look forward to. The Sumerian religion was that of life and then death. Life was what the people looked forward to, knowing that death brought the end, and there was no way to cheat it.Both Gilgamesh and Beowulf represent what is of importance to their civilizations. They are heroes and examples of what to strive for in life. The cultural icons that frequent their literature demonstrate the values of these societies. These literary works, can still today, give us insight into the way of life of these ancient civilizations....
