Although there are many monsters in literature not all are the same. This includes the two monsters known from the epic classics Beowulf and Gilgamesh. Grendel, known as the antagonist of Beowulf, terrorized the people of Heorot until the hero Beowulf came to stop him. Also known as the antagonist of Gilgamesh is Humbaba. He is a monster who protects and keeps humans out of the Cedar Forest. Some people may believe, most fictional monsters have the same traits, cruel, mean, and unlawful, but some monsters, including Grendal and Humbaba from the well-known epics Beowulf and Gilgamesh can have drastically different and similar characteristics to those of each other.
One of the most famous monster, Grendel, was known as a bloodthirsty…show more content… The gods had ordered him to protect this forest from humans who wanted to cut down it’s trees. Because of his servitude, Gilgamesh considered him a slave of the gods: “He was the slave who did for gods, but whom the gods would never notice” (Mason, 62). Unlike Grendel Humbaba did not hurt humans out of bloodlust, but because of the task given to him by the gods. When the hero Gilgamesh and his friend come to fight Humbaba they briefly describe his appearance. They describe him as “a water buffalo bellowing down the path, his huge and clumsy legs, and his flailing arms” (Mason, 62). He is also said to have shoulders like a porters. This is very different compared to Grendel who could sneak around without waking any of the soldiers in Heorot’s mead hall. At the end of the fight right as Gilgamesh is about to kill Humbaba, the giant monster starts to plead for mercy. He exclaims, “I’ll serve you as I served the gods” (Mason, 63) trying to dissuade Gilgamesh from killing him. Although Gilgamesh’s companion, Enkidu, tells him he believes Humbaba is lying. Therefore, he listens to his friend and swings his ax down on Humbaba leading to the end of the