Both stories are about courageous men confronting their abilities to carry on in situations that test their self-esteem, confidence and strength, in both a physical and mental sense . It's not always easy to compare two stories that have completely different contours, but looking deeper you always discover similarities between those who embark on adventures that couldn't be compared to anything possible today. Early British literature can be blunt and brutal at times, but most of the time it tells wonderful stories of a bold individual using their strengths and weaknesses to create an overall positive outcome in their journeys.