Beowulf

Full Answer Section

        The Wanderer

• The Wanderer: The speaker of the poem, who expresses feelings of loneliness and longing for his homeland. There is some debate about whether this is a literal wanderer or a metaphor for the human condition.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

• Sir Gawain: King Arthur's nephew and a knight renowned for his courtesy and chivalry. He faces a test of his virtues when he beheads the Green Knight and must accept a blow in return.

 

• The Green Knight: A mysterious challenger who appears at King Arthur's court and issues a strange beheading game. He is later revealed to be a tester of Gawain's character.

Chaucer's The Pardoner's Tale

• The Pardoner: A hypocritical and greedy church official who sells pardons (forgiveness of sins) for personal gain. He is a master manipulator who uses his eloquence to exploit people's fears.

  Piers Plowman (Passus 18)

• Piers Plowman: An allegorical figure who represents the ideal Christian life based on honest work and charity. He appears in Will's dream vision to offer guidance on the path to salvation.

 

• Will: The dreamer and protagonist of the poem, who embarks on a spiritual quest to find Truth.

  Shakespeare's Henry V

• King Henry V: A young and ambitious English king who believes he has a legitimate claim to the French throne. He is a skilled military leader who inspires loyalty and devotion in his troops.

   

• The Dauphin: The arrogant and overconfident heir to the French throne. He underestimates Henry V and mocks the English army.

  These are just some of the main characters in these works. Each character plays a role in exploring the themes and values of their respective literary period. Here are some aspects we can compare and contrast these characters on:

• Social Class: How does the character's social status influence their behavior and motivations?
• Values and Beliefs: What are the core values and beliefs that guide the character's actions?
• Role in Society: What role does the character play within their community?
• Heroism: How does the work define heroism, and how does the character embody or challenge these definitions?

   

Sample Answer

   

Beowulf

• Beowulf: A brave and strong Geatish warrior, known for his superhuman strength and swimming prowess. He is also a wise and righteous king who protects his people from monsters.  
  1. Beowulf Characters Explained - EssayPro.com

  2. Beowulf Quotes - SparkNotes

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Anglo-Saxon Judith

• Judith: A brave and resourceful woman who decapitates the Assyrian general Holofernes to save her city. She is depicted as pious and God-fearing