Similarities: They are both adventure stories where a hero accepts a challenge, sets off on a quest, and for the most part succeeds in that quest. They are both about legendary characters who are serving their kings. They both face dangers and foes along the way but survive and come out triumphant. They both succomb to temptation from the ladies. They both receive laud and honor for their deeds. The stories themselves are both oral traditions that were eventually written down, surviving the ages. They both have great feast-halls with mighty kings. Both stories have Christian overtones.
Differences: Beowulf succombs to vice on a much larger scale than Gawain. The foe Beowulf faces is an evil creature, whereas Gawain faces a mythical, noble knight that teaches him a valuable lesson. Beowulf's deeds save many people and resuscitates a kingdom whereas Gawain's quest is more to defend his and his king's honor; it's not such a dramatic situation.
Those are just a few ideas to get you started, and I provided links to more thorough discussions on both stories. I hope that helps!
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