Beowulf’s mourning of was a clear indication of how important the king was to the people that paid homage to him. Beowulf’s funeral allowed people to give their final respect while depicting the heroic life by Beowulf. The details that stood out during Beowulf’s burial was significant to the heroic acts. The twelve soldiers rode around Beowulf’s tomb distraught by their master’s death while uttering slogans of praise. Peck and Coyle (1) outlined Beowulf as killing the fire-breathing dragon that had destroyed the royal hall. However, the same dragon was the cause of Beowulf’s death. Beowulf was buried alongside the treasure that he had obtained from the dragon. The songs by the Geats not only mourned the death of their leader but also praised him for his power and desire for fame. The worlds that the Geats used to praise their fallen might not have been entirely true.
The Geats praised Beowulf for being the most kind and fair-minded person alive. They wailed continuously for the death of their loved one, a clear indication of the crucial position they had in their lives. However, as depicted by Peck and Coyle (1), Beowulf had named a younger soldier Wiglaf as his successor. Beowulf had realized the impossibility of recovering from the fatal wounds hence the move to appoint a successor. Beowulf was remembered for his heroism, as denoted by the practices during his burial. The historical events of the Trojan War underline how heroes were remembered after their deaths.
Hector was the Prince of Troy, and he led the Trojan army during the Trojan War. While Hector died trying to save his life, one cannot term his death as heroic. Also, there were no extraordinary practices during his burial, aiming at hailing him for being a hero. Instead, Hector’s body had been held hostage by Achilles in revenge for the death of Patroclus. Having been killed by Achilles, Hector’s body was possessed by the former. Hunt et al. (53) highlighted Achilles’ rejection of the proposal to return Hector’s body to the Trojans. Achilles’ utterances were that the wolves and lambs never cooperate, and they continue hating each other to the roots of their being. Hector does not receive proper treatment after his death. Homer (18) outlined Achilles as mistreating Hector’s body for twelve days. Achilles’ acts against Hector’s body warranted his death, even though he received a better treatment compared to Hector’s experience.
Homer and Irene (18) outlined Achilles’ death as a punishment for his acts against Hector. The author highlighted Achilles’ actions as receiving condemnation from the pro-Trojan god Apollo. Hector had earlier prophesied that Achilles’ failure to take care of the former’s body would result in the death of the latter. Alexander (145) observed Achilles’ death as orchestrated by Apollo and Paris during the Trojan’s flights. Achilles is shot at the ankle by Alexander and Apollo. Achilles’ body encounters a similar standoff with that of Hector, as it resulted in the death of Glaucus. However, Achilles’ received a better testament after his death. Ajax hands over his body to be taken off to the ships as Odysseus fought off the Trojans (Alexander 145). Upon the reception of the news about the death of Achilles, the author highlighted that Achilles mother came out of the sea accompanied by the sea girls, and while crying, they spread over the great sea.
