Comparative Analysis of Characters in Beowulf and The Canterbury Tales
Both Beowulf, an epic poem, and the Canterbury Tales of Geoffrey Chaucer portray tapestries of rich characters whose attributes reflect the value, belief, and social constructs present in the time in which they were produced. Beowulf is essentially a report of heroic exploits carried by its very epitome hero, while the Canterbury Tales embrace a great variety of pilgrims whose stories give way to their views of life. In Beowulf, the title protagonist is the archetypal hero. Beowulf is defined by his spectacular strength and undying bravery along with his unrelenting sense of duty. He fought against powerful enemies such as Grendel, Grendel's mother, and even a dragon with a purpose merely to protect his people and achieve glory. His heroism is in the Germanic heroic code that hinges on strength, loyalty, and honor. On the other hand, in The Canterbury Tales, heroism is depicted much more clearly. In it, the Knight is said to be chivalrous and battle-wise and has been to many crus...
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