A much as I would like to give J.K. Rowling all the credit for this beautiful creation, I can't. So many of the topics or characters that she bestowed in the magical series stemmed from Beowulf.
So much of Beowulf is about lineage, and although in Harry Potter Hermione is awesome and a muggle born, that plays an important role. Harry will always look just like James but with Lily's eyes, and Beowulf just can't seem to start speaking without being proclaimed "Ecgtheow's son." (Like seriously what's up with that you slayed a freaking dragon, and two other unbeatable beasts and you still have to live in you father's shadow?)
Another important part of Beowulf is his wyrd or his fate, in almost a predestined way the world has created what it wants for Beowulf. For Harry Potter there is a mystical orb that proclaims that he must be willing to die, for Beowulf his sword "failed when he unsheathed it."Each hero has to deal with what comes his way and both are given a death sentencing challenge.
De ja vu hmm it seems like I have read to this fight before? Both heroes fight pretty much the same battle. Several times. Thank you mysterious author for teaching modern authors that you don't have to come up with new innovative ideas to have a best seller.
For every similarity between the two books (and there are many many more) there is one major difference. Harry Potter is confident, but faces challenges that humble him. HP would not have survived book one had it not been for his two friends and hell of a lot of luck. He has to acknowledge his limitations and be willing to ask for help in order to succeed. Beowulf is not as likeable. His fatal flaw is hubris, and there is no escaping his encompassing skill in his opinion.
