Honor in Beowulf and Parzival Throughout literary history authors have created and restored figures throughout time who seem to represent what is honorable and chivalrous. The two literary legends compared in this article are Beowulf and Parzival. These two figures in their own way find within themselves what is virtuous. At first glance it seems that Beowulf is the warrior who embodies honor, but when the two characters are compared in depth, it becomes obvious that Parzival's journey through manhood takes him to a much more noble and honorable place. Beowulf and Parzival's journey began on the same path, each fatherless, they strove to seek what they saw as adventure. They jumped to whet their desire for the unknown and for a chance to be a hero. We learn that a young Beowulf challenges his equal to a match of strength. Unferth tells this story of "when out of pride the two [them] tried the seas and out of a trivial boast committed [their] lives to the deep waters, irresistible to the efforts of friend or foe of any kind from that sea-swimming,"( Beowulf, 65 years old). Beowulf's stubborn pride led him, even at a young age, to challenge what may have seemed beyond his reach for glory. Later, Beowulf, hearing the horrible stories of the monster Grendel who had wreaked havoc in Heorot, suddenly left his homeland to demonstrate his gallantry. "The wiser ones tried to dissuade him from traveling hardly or at all," but the stubborn Beowulf refused to listen to reason. Unlike Beowulf, Parzival was actually hidden from any opportunities for adventure by his mother. He fled to a place where he believed he could escape any trace of knighthood, which he believed was evil. However he was unsuccessful and as soon as Parzival laid eyes on the divine knight, he decided to leave his mother and everything he knew to seek adventure. Her son's absence led her to an early grave. This is an action for which Parzival was later deemed "less than honorable" and which he deeply regretted. Both of these guys started young and refused to listen to the reasons of their elders. Against the will of the wisest and most experienced people, they allowed themselves to be overwhelmed by pride and ambition. This did not prove to be a promising start for either of them.