Structurally, Beowulf is divided into three main parts, each one centering around Beowulf's confrontation with a certain monster: first Grendel, then Grendel's mother, then, fifty years later, the dragon. Each monster functions symbolically as a force of evil against him, which can be tested by the moral force of the heroic code of honor, that continues throughout the epic, represented by Beowulf, the hero who most perfectly remains to that code. The list of traits and behaviors, that include the code of honor, make up a large portion of the theme of Beowulf, as situation after situation, he is introduced to demonstr

The Odyssey depicts a magical, mystical world, in which Odysseus uses his sharp wits and bravery to overcome terrifying creatures and vengeful gods. The Odyssey picks up the story of Odysseus some time after the end of the Iliad, detailing his long and tiring ten-year journey home after the end of the Trojan War. The main themes of the Odyssey deal with the values and customs that were key to uniting a geographically and socially-fragmented ancient Greek world: hospitality to strangers, loyalty to friends, the maintenance of reputation, and the balance between pride and honor (emphasis on the "pride and honor" part).

In both books, an implied "code" is present that makes each society function correctly. In Beowulf, Beowulf seeks to follow a code of honor that metaphorically controls the way he behaves and even thinks. For example, in the previous example, I said that

Some common words found in the essay are:
Grendel Grendel's, Trojan War, Athena Zeus, Beowulf Beowulf, Cyclops Polyphemus, Aeschere Odyssey, Beowulf Odyssey, Homer's Odyssey, Beowulf Odysseus, King Ithaca, moral code, code honor, pride honor, avenge death, grendel's mother, heroic code, honorable avenge death, honorable avenge, throughout epic,
Approximate Word count = 588
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)