Unferth in Beowulf and Odysseus in Homer’s Odyssey :: comparison compare contrast essays

Unferth in Beowulf and Odysseus in the Odyssey Kemp Malone in his essay Beowulf comments that the heros swimming represent with Breca, an episode of more than 100 lines, is not told as such, but effectuate in a frame the flitting between Unferth and Beowulf (Malone 144). This contention or quarrel between the hero and a rude challenger appears not only(prenominal) in Beowulf but in other heroic poetry handle the Odyssey. When Beowulf and his crew of brave Geat warriors arrive to the court of King Hrothgar of Denmark, one of the big business valet de chambres retainers, Unferth by name, has been drinking too heavily of the mead. This puts him into a drunk state of mind wherein he unwisely and rudely challenges the hero regarding a swimming contest sometime earlier Unferth, Ecglafs son, rose to speak, who sit down at the fee of the lord of the Scyldings he unbound a battle-rune - the journeying of Beowulf, the brave ocean farthester, caused him chagrin, for he would not gra nt that any other man under the heavens might ever care more for celebrated deeds than he himself Are you the same Beowulf who challenged Breca to a swimming harmonize on the open sea? There break of pride you both tested sea-ways, through foolish boasting risked lives on the deep. None could deter you, friend or foe, keep either of you from that hapless trip, when you went swimming out of the bay, your arms embracing the crests, sea-currents, flung out your hands to measure the sea-roads, the ocean of wind. The souse seas boiled in winters pourings. You both toiled seven nights goaded by the waves, and in that swimming he overcame you, had greater strength.(499ff.) So far Unferth, a proud warrior himself, tells Beowulf that the hero is foolish and that he has been bested in this sea-competition by his opponent both of which are big, embarrassing putdowns. Unferth continues to rub it in The sea cast him up on the Heatho-Raems shore from there at aurora he sought his home land, beloved by his people, came back to the Brondings, fair peace-fort where he had subjects, stronghold, and treasures. The good son of Beanstan had truly fulfilled his whole boast against you(519ff.) zippo like siding 100% with the foe Before even listening both sides of the story Finally, in concluding, Unferth states his minimal expectations of Beowulf considering the latters peach failure against Breca