The archetype of hero is a literary character that is all-round good. He or she will save other people, do the right thing, protect that is good and they will fight any monster that comes to his or her way. They are one of the basic paradigms in tales and mythology from across the world, but especially in European culture. For example, the hero archetype starts from Achilles until Beowulf via superheros such as Superman and other 1980s action
Mythological or Archetypal philosophy has been around for centuries and is used across numerous cultures. Carl Jung, a close colleague of Sigmund Freud, defined the word archetype as “a figure...that repeats itself in the course of history wherever creative fantasy is fully manifested.” Archetypes can come in various forms: characters, images, and situations. Though many different forms of archetypes appear in the tale of Beowulf, specifically, the archetypal character roles of the hero and the outcast are major aspects of the story. The role of the hero is a popularly recognizable element of many stories.
The Perception of Heroic Qualities Stories of great heroes have come and gone, but patterns have remained. These patterns are called archetypes, that can manifest themselves in different ways. The main reason that archetypes keep occurring in a hero’s journey is through the darwinism and evolution of literature. In the beginning, not all stories were written down. For a story to be put in writing it had to be great.
Beowulf, the story that has traveled through the ages. Originally as an epic adventure told by storytellers instead of being read through the pages of a book, but was finally put onto paper around 1000 ad, but the exact details are unknown. Many years after it was put onto paper, Beowulf was translated into modern English in 1837 by John Mitchell Kemble. This epic tale is an extraordinary adventure symbolizing heroism, strength, and loyalty, with character traits that are pertinent to this day.
He embodies all of the characteristics of an epic hero because of his bravery, honor, self-assurance and his acceptance of knowing that he could be killed at any point. He thrives as a hero by taking down a dragon, a vicious monster named Grendel and also Grendel’s mother. His masculinity and loyalty further develops the theme of Beowulf being an epic hero. He showed his honor and helped the Danes when no one else could by traveling from his homeland to battle the vicious monster Grendel, who terrorized the Danes.
During the time period Beowulf was written the idea of myths and archetypes were found in almost every piece of literature. There are many types of archetypes that can be found within Beowulf, but the two major archetypes presented are the hero and the outcast. Heroes were often seen as a figure larger than life, one who is in search of self-identity, and often seen to have god on their side. An outcast is a character that is separated from society because of a physical impairment, their actions, or the actions of their ancestors. However, Beowulf is unique because there are characters within the poem that blend from one archetype to another causing the character to constantly change their actions within the poem.
According to Dictionary.com, a hero is “a person noted for courageous acts or nobility of character” (Dictionary.com). Beowulf does many courageous acts in the book, such as killing Grendel and slaying the dragon. He also has “nobility of character,” as his reasons for doing these acts are purely selfless. He even knew that he was going to die before fighting the dragon, but he fought it anyway to protect his kingdom (Beowulf 165). The Britannica Dictionary defines a hero as “a person who is greatly admired” (Britannica.com).
A hero is a distinguished person of outstanding qualities and abilities, who is admired for not only having these specific characteristics but also admired by his people for his noble acts and bravery. More specifically to this story would be to look at the aspects of an Anglo-Saxon hero. An Anglo-Saxon hero is a person who is a great leader, is open to and able to protect his people and give them a sense of safety, and is also willing to put himself in harms to protect these people. These heroes were usually someone of high standing or someone with great accomplishments because they distinguished themselves by doing things for the greater good. In the epic poem Beowulf, the unknown author portrays Beowulf as a hero in order to show how being a hero requires a specific set of
Wiglaf proved to the kingdom and Beowulf he was worthy of being the new king of Geatland. All the character archetypes in Beowulf allow the reader to have a deeper understanding on all the characters and what their role is in their society. It also creates a much understandable plot since the reader knows why a certain character makes those
The physical and emotional characteristics, self-identity, and tragic downfall are each aspects which label Beowulf as a mighty archetypal
Beowulf is a hero in the same vein as Hercules in that he represents the values of Christianity and Fate, Courage, and Reputation. Beowulf is a person
A hero is someone who is admired or idealised for their courage, outstanding achievements or noble qualities, so therefore Beowulf is a hero. In literature, Beowulf is the perfect example of a Anglos-Saxon hero, he fits perfectly with the characteristics , he is strong, intelligent, courageous and plus he's humble and kind,“Beowulf, Higlac’s follower and the strongest of the Geats-greater and stronger than anymore in this world…”(109-111). In this quote it symbolizes his admirable trait and his strength. He was created for the Anglos people because they needed someone to look up to and he represented their cultural values, “None of the wise ones regretted his going, much as he was loved by the Geats: the omens were good, and they urged the
A hero can be defined as brave, strong, loyal, and a leader. Heroes tend to put their lives on the line; Beowulf is no exception. In the poem Beowulf, the main character whom goes by the name Beowulf is a prince who embodies heroic qualities. Beowulf is introduced in the middle of the poem, known as a warrior and a polished speaker. The demi-god Beowulf embarks on a journey where his courage will be tested.
A hero does not fight for fame and glory but for the greater good. A hero is someone who goes through adversity to help others in desperate times. A hero fights evil, and defends people. Beowulf should be considered a hero because he is a strong, brave warrior who defended his people and slayed evil monsters. Beowulf proves himself to be a strong, brave warrior by killing Grendel the monster.
Very little is known about the epic poem Beowulf besides that the story was told during the Anglo-Saxon period, specifically between the years 500-1100. The author is unknown, due to the fact that the story was originally told verbally and not documented until much later. Like many stories told throughout the ages, Beowulf consists of many archetypes. An archetype is a recurring symbol found in literature, such as the Hero archetype. In this epic poem, the hero, Beowulf, travels from his homeland to Denmark to save a kingdom from an awful beast that has been attacking men late at night for over twelve years.
