A World Lit Only By Fire

Champions of Two Worlds Heroes come in many different ways. Some are born through the fires of war, some are assumed so because of legacy and some earn it from conquering what no other has previously. Dante from The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri and Beowulf from Beowulf both represent heroes of their time and age. They are both very different but experience much of the same challenge. Dante must face a journey through hell itself, and Beowulf must fight to stay alive and save the lives of others to repay honor. These dangerous journeys both have their respective obstacles, each more difficult and dire than the last. With ordinance from a divine and holy power, both were able to overcome the grueling challenges they were faced with. The return adventure proves to reveal each hero as he truly is: a hero, both to the people they rescued and conqueror of the land they ventured through. Each hero, Beowulf and Dante, will arise a champion of two worlds.
The first hero is Beowulf, from the epic poem Beowulf. Eros will often encounter a challenge to save a society from a monstrous force or villain. Beowulf is a brave warrior from Geatland, and is given call to defeat the mighty beast Grendel. Grendel is an exemplar model of a threatening danger to the Danish society. Grendel lays waste to Herot, the mighty mead hall. Grendel is described as having been born from a hell within the earth, spawned from the hatred of Cain. Grendel is this inherently evil monster who slays anyone, given the opportunity. Grendel and Beowulf are portrayed as polar opposites in how society views them. This difference in portrayal heightens the character of each, emphasizing Beowulf’s heroism and Grendel’s maliciousness. Beowulf visits the great king to free him of the plight of Grendel. Beowulf succeeds and frees the society from the terrors of the villain Grendel. However Beowulf’s journey is not yet over. He is now needed to slay Grendel’s mother, who herself reigns terror. Her feral