Sir Gawain is the central figure in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight whose fundamental character change is the focus of the story. At the beginning of the poem he is an eager, optimistic, and loyal knight who accepts the Green Knight's challenge to protect Arthur and preserve the reputation of Camelot. In the end, Sir Gawain realizes his weaknesses and becomes seriously troubled by them. He realizes that like all men he fears mortality. In the epic Beowulf, Beowulf, a mighty Geat hero warrior, comes to the rescue of the Danish king, Hrothgar, when the great hall, Heorot, is attacked by the monster Grendel. Beowulf kills the beast bare-handed and gains great prestige. He later sets off to slay Grendel's mother as well. After going back to Sweden and reigning for over fifty years, he dies wresting with yet another creature, a dragon. Beowulf and Sir Gawain...