his is what we cheer for in such stories, this is the satisfying victory over evil by the true embodiment of good: the hero. Odysseus confrontation with the great Cyclops, Polyphemus, looks cowardly and dishonorable by comparison. Where Beowulf bravely stood and fought Grendel with only his bare hands, Odysseus waits for Polyphemus to slip into an alcoholic coma before blinding him. Later he uses this handicap to escape.In contrast to the nobility of Beowulf in the battle with Grendel, Odysseus dealings with Polyphemus seem almost petty. Odysseus chooses to check his honor at the door in favor of trickery and deceit.Beowulf embodies all the things we usually associate with heroism: diplomacy, confidence, strength, intelligence and more. His nobility and benevolence is displayed aptly in his dealings with Unferth, in his road to the Geatish throne, and his actions upon obtaining it. Beowulfs epic battles, and even his dramatic death at the hands of the great dragon, serve to paint a portrait depicting the true literary hero.This unbridled heroism does carry with it a few negative connotations, however. For example, it is ironic that while we only follow Odysseus through a fraction of his life in comparison with Beowulfs, the development and evolution of his character is far more evident. It is clear that Odysseus learns from his mistakes and grows as a person through his adventures, while Beowulf undergoes only superficial evolution, growing from boy to man. In the end, our societys schema of heroes are aptly fulfilled to a certain extent in both poems; but while The Odyssey tries more to humanize the hero, Beowulf firmly solidifies its heros super-human niche in the annals of history....
