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Archetypal Hero Quest In Beowulf

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The story of Beowulf successfully follows every step of an Archetypal Hero Quest; the hero, Beowulf, answers a call, makes a decision, prepares, faces obstacles, reaches a climax, and returns home. Beowulf is met with three large battles within Beowulf, first with Grendel, then with Grendel’s mother, and his last fatal battle, with a dragon. Each battle carries aspects that add to the Hero Quest but do not fully create one until all are together. The call is the beginning of a Hero Quest. In the story of Beowulf, the hero, Beowulf, does not know about the issue until the call. In Beowulf the call is the acts of Grendel. Grendel is a descendant of the cursed son of Adam and Eve, Caine. In the bible, Caine kills his brother resulting in a curse brought upon by God. Due to this, Grendel lives a life of seclusion and rejection. He takes out his loneliness on the prosperous hall of the Danes. The news of Grendel terrorizing the kingdom became a tale overseas, which is how Beowulf hears of Grendel and his acts. The kingdom had not received successful help, and Beowulf believes that he is capable of helping and takes this as his calling. After the call in a Hero Quest, the hero must make a decision. When Beowulf hears of Grendel and gathers men to help, he has accepted the Hero Quest, therefore, made …show more content…

Before each battle, Beowulf meets major obstacles. When traveling the seas to fight Grendel he reports that there were several sea creatures. When Beowulf arrives, he meets his shadow; an evil figure who mirrors those things the hero most fears or dislikes about himself. Beowulf’s shadow is Unferth. Unferth was intoxicated and tried to accuse Beowulf of not being as magnificent as he claimed. Beowulf explained how Unferth was wrong and claimed that Unferth should not make such accusations when he killed his own family. Beowulf overcame his shadow, and later on Unferth becomes a

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All seemed well until, Grendel's mother attacks the hall and takes back her son’s arm. Beowulf walks back into the hall after all of this is over and hears Hrothgar lament the death of his counsellor. Hrothgar realizes that Grendel's mother was just trying to avenge her son. This attack brings out the stories of the country people and their monster stories. Off in the distance, Beowulf hears a mere and he bolsters courage from Hrothgar.

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Soon after, Grendel’s mother wanted vengeance for her son and begun to kill more men in Herot. Beowulf found the mother’s home and killed her and Grendel at once. Towards the end of the epic poem, he also defeated a dragon with the help of Wiglaf. Other soldiers went to the cave with Beowulf but when he needed their help, they all cowered away while Wiglaf went to help his king. The scene showed how not everyone can face the same bravery as Beowulf once did.

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Within this paper, there are two different pieces writing that will be compared. Those writings are The Epic Poem of Beowulf and A Hero’s Journey Archetype. This paper will be discussing this question: How does Beowulf follow the Hero’s Journey Archetypes? According to Hero’s Journey Archetype, the characteristics of a hero is that, the hero is male.

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The idea of a hero is explored differently in the ancient Anglo-Saxon text Beowulf and John Gardner’s Grendel. During the time period of both of the stories being a hero is very important to everyone. Beowulf is not a true hero, even if he tries to make himself out to seem like a true hero, based on modern ideas of the Hero. In the poem Beowulf being a hero is very important to the main character Beowulf.

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Chapter 11: “The Great Geat” In chapter 11, Grendel feels some sort of feeling and sensation of somebody arriving which eventually happens to be Beowulf. Grendel watches as Beowulf and his men arrive and hears their intentions of their arrival while Beowulf is talking to the Danish coastguard. Later on Beowulf arrives to the meadhall, and Grendel listens to Beowulf’s plan on helping Hrothgar kill Grendel. As Grendel continues to eavesdrop, he learns more Beowulf’s characteristics and his stories that express him being a hero and a man of pure courage.

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The Quest archetype in "Beowulf" is represented by the titular hero's journey to defeat the monstrous Grendel and later the dragon. Beowulf is depicted as a great warrior and a hero who is willing to risk his life to protect his people. The Quest serves as a demonstration of Beowulf's bravery and his determination to overcome evil and restore peace to his kingdom. Through the Quest, Beowulf becomes a symbol of hope and inspiration for his people, demonstrating that even in the face of great adversity, one can rise above and triumph.

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The story tells of many characters who faced the same circumstances as Beowulf, yet failed to respond in a similar and valiant effort, like Beowulf. For example, when facing the dragon nearly all of his hand picked soldiers coward in fear. Beowulf then showed humility by turning down his first offer to be king. When Hrothgar died, he offered Beowulf the throne; however, he refused, which allowed the rightful heir, Hrothgar’s son to be placed into power. This decision exemplifies the value he placed on ethics and honor.

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Beowulf is the main hero in the poem, and he travels to the land of the Danes to help King Hrothgar get rid of the monster Grendel. After having slain Grendel, there is still a huge crisis present. Grendel’s mother comes to the Hall of Heorot to avenge the death of her kinsmen by killing Aeschere. Aeschere is one of Hrothgar’s most trusted advisors, and his loss bear’s heavy on Hrothgar’s heart. In the culture displayed in Beowulf, the bonds of friendship and kinsmanship are very important to the characters.

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This make the hero face a challenge and the beginning of change. When Beowulf had heard about Grendel he got a ship and sailed

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