Beowulf Vs. Harry Potter

What is a hero? A hero is a person, mortal or not, who one can look upon for guidance and safety. A hero is a person who is selfless and is prepared to help the innocent, even at the expense of his or her own life. Heroes come in all shapes and sizes, age and gender. Two great heroes are Beowulf, from Beowulf; and Harry, from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Both heroes are strikingly similar, and yet they are remarkably different at the same time.

Beowulf can be considered a very courageous man. When he is called upon to fight the dark beings of the world he is ready and accepting. He is thrilled to be chosen as the one who is to save everyone. Harry Potter is quite dissimilar in his courage for accepting his duty. Harry is reluctant to recognize the role that is chosen for him. He has no desire to fight off evil, but when he is called upon, he, like Beowulf, steps up to the plate.

Beowulf has three main enemies. Harry Potter has one main enemy. Both Beowulf and Harry's enemies are "supernatural" characters with abilities superior to any mortal. Harry and Beowulf are put to the task of defeating these enemies in order to save the lives of innocent people. In the end, of course, Beowulf and Harry are both successful in defeating their enemies.

Both heroes put great trust in their "weapons." Harry admittedly knows very little about magic and/or how to use it. He trusts his wand to help him use his powers to the best of his abilities. Beowulf puts great trust into his sword that is named Hrunting. Even when Hrunting fails him he still believes in the sword. So whether either heroes weapons truly do any good for them is irrelevant, they both believe that they do, and therefore are able to fight better.

Beowulf, unlike Harry, has no particular friends who aid him in his battles. Harry has Ron and Hermione who help him no matter what the cost. Beowulf does, however, have an army of men who join him up