The most important component in both Sir Gawain and The Green Knight and Beowulf are the central characters. There are three fundamental characteristics of Sir Gawain and Beowulf: their true identity as individuals and what they truly do with it, the feelings of others towards them, and their actions that define their personalities as heroic characters. When these three qualities are in sync with each other, it's simply easier to see characters in a much more realistic perspective. Although Beowulf is a more self-centered character, while Gawain is more human; both characters go through dramatic changes at the beginning and end of their missions. Sir Gawain, the central character of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, is the story of a courageous knight whose rise to greatness begins with a challenge issued by a mysterious green warrior. When his beheading game was rejected by the Knights of the Round Table, the Green Knight taunted them by stating, “What, is this the house of Arthur…/that all speak of in so many kingdoms? / where are now your arrogance and your victories, / your ferocity, your anger and your great speeches? / now is the feast and fame of the Round Table / overwhelmed by a word of on wyghes speche, why all dare to drede without dynt schewed !”(Fitt 1.309-315). At this point Arthur, angrily, decides to accept the challenge. Gawain gives the reader a glimpse into his character by describing himself and why he should be the one to take on the challenge. Regarding Arthur, Gawain states: "the weakest of them, I know, and the dullest/ so my death would be the least loss, if the truth should be told/ just because you are my uncle must I be praised/ no virtue I know in myself only your blood” (Fitt 1. 354-25...... middle of the paper ...... calls for very masculine approaches which include: skillful use of weapons, invoking pain and instilling fear. possession of the sword that Beowulf uses to kill her expresses a more masculine side of Grendel's mother. The poet states that she possesses a sword that any warrior would dream of having. However, the intention of both women, direct or indirect, is to inhibit the sword to the hero to carry out his deed, as well as testing his own courage. In both poems, women are portrayed as evil and manipulative, whether sexually conniving or simply destructive with devilish powers, a woman is described. like an enemy like a figure of a man. Works Cited Beowulf Canada: Broadview Press, 2009 Heaney, Seamus. Beowulf a new translation. New York: W. W. Norton & Co. Seventh printing, 2000. Print.Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Canada: Broadview Press, 2009