Beowulf, Sir Gawain, and King Arthur - Three Heroes The three heroes discussed here, Beowulf, Sir Gawain, and King Arthur, are heroes for different reasons. Beowulf, our first hero, is brave but his motivation is different than the other two. For Sir Gawain, personal honor and valor are what matters. King Arthur, Sir Gawain's uncle, is of course the quintessential king of the medieval period. Although all men share the same qualities to some extent, some are more pronounced than others. It's important to see how these qualities are central to their respective stories and how these help (or hinder) them on their journeys. Beowulf's greatest asset is his courage, some might say bravado. There is no doubt that he is a great warrior. Beowulf's heroism belongs to a different age than that of King Arthur or Sir Gawain. For this reason his boasting of his exploits could seem decidedly anti-heroic. When he tells Unferth "I hold it true that I had more courage, more strength in swimming than any other man" (514-15 (41) could be interpreted inappropriately. What he is saying, however, is true. Furthermore, to be successful he must orally deliver his record. However, boasting aside, Beowulf is undoubtedly a brave man. When Beowulf decides to kill Grendel's mother he simply "puts on his armor for battle, heeding no danger..." (1328 -29 60).The sword fails him, he uses his physical strength: "With the strength of his hand, as a man must do. He who thinks of winning in the confusion of battle does not fear death" (; 1420- 23 62) He certainly seeks fame. While this is true, he must not underestimate his courageous actions. He earns his fame by fighting threats to society. He uses what is rightfully his King Arthur for several reasons because being king he must be brave and to govern the state people must respect him. Beowulf's Courage tells the story. First because it details his rise to fame and secondly it also outlines his downfall. Sir Gawain's honor is his best value, even if he has suffered a setback. His honor is the catalyst for what happens in the rest of the poem.