Jesus Vs. Beowulf

Jesus VS. Beowulf

Over the ages, many have pondered "what makes a hero?" Over those same ages, we've seen many people try to put forth a single definition as to what defines a hero. One of man's earliest examples was Beowulf, the valiant hero called forth to slay the evil beast Grendel. Beowulf is portrayed as a man with wits, physique, and morality superior to all others. Perhaps the earliest example of another hero would be Jesus, the man Christians claim to be the savior of mankind. Jesus is portrayed as God himself sent down in man form to show others the light of God. According to the Bible, Jesus is the only perfect being, only doing right deeds. The two characters are similar in the sense that they both are seen as heroes who are infallible when compared to most, if not, all men.

One could argue that the two are not comparable because they aren't in the same category, being that Beowulf is the basis of an epic poem, and Jesus is the basis of an entire faith. However, if you look at the two in a scientific standpoint, and ignore any personal bias you may or may not have because of religion, you'll see that the two are very similar. While Beowulf claimed that there was no man stronger than he, Jesus said "He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad..." (Matthew 12:30). So both have an attitude of superiority. Beowulf was the king of the Geats, and Jesus was the king of the Jews. Beowulf saved the Danish from Grendel and his mother, while Jesus cleared the sin of all mankind. Beowulf had an awesome sword, and tremendous amounts of strength, Jesus can change water into wine, and cure incurable diseases.

At the same time, the two do have their differences. Even if Beowulf is the mightiest of all men, he is still exactly that: a man. Jesus is portrayed as a man, however, he's technically a deity. Beowulf also is a warrior in every sense of the term. He solves struggles and disputes with brute force and relentless violence. Jesus, however, gets things done via forgiveness, and kindness. While Beowulf left Grendel's "Shoulder, Arm, and Claw hanging from the rafters", Jesus let a bunch of guys crucify him without even flinching.

In summary, I think the only definition of a hero is someone that has values that people admire. Those values can be good or bad, depending on what