Hamlet and Beowulf

     Hamlet's and Beowulf's diction differentiate completely.  Hamlet is a young, angst-filled kid while Beowulf is in the prime of his life and is a strong capable man.  Hamlet is still a boy who has very different problems as Beowulf which causes him to approach them in a different way.  Hamlet is calculating and clever, while Beowulf just punches monsters to solve his problems.  Hamlet is not an epic hero because he uses language to solve his problems rather than punches and superior muscles.
     Hamlet must be clever to solve his problems, while Beowulf must be confident and arrogant to overcome his challenges.  Hamlet will use his vast vocabulary and education to play word games with characters to show his superiority.  Beowulf is arrogant and will never back down from a fight because this is what society has demanded from him as an epic hero.  Hamlet is able to deduce that Claudius had killed his father by setting up an elaborate scheme in which he re-enacted Claudius killing his brother and taking the throne.  This is something Beowulf would have never done because he has his fists to do the talking for him.  Beowulf would have just crushed the face of Claudius if any suspicion arose that murder was involved in the death of his father.
    Hamlet is more complex than the average epic hero.  Hamlet has many flaws about his character rather than just one epic flaw like Beowulf.  Hamlet can't control his emotions after his father's death even though this is against social customs.  Hamlet also is unable to trust anyone after the ghost of his father tells Hamlet that his father was murdered by Claudius.  Hamlet also contemplates suicide several times throughout the book which is something that an epic hero would never consider.  This makes Hamlet seem more Human and allows the audience to connect with him easily.  This differs greatly from an epic hero like Beowulf.  Epic heroes will be perfect human being, almost god-like, except for one flaw.  This was used in stories to show that even one human flaw can cause the downfall and death of great men, but it causes them to seem less human.
     Hamlet differs from the epic hero from his use of language.   Hamlet is human in his language which makes the audience able to connect with him.  He also must use language to solve questions and problems that are presented to him.  This shows Hamlet to be a very clever person while an epic hero would just use his demi-god abilities to throw his problems into the deep recesses of the earth.