Archetypes In Beowulf

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. He is alone and does not have his parents. He often has a birthright that is unknown to him. The hero is also judged because of the things that he will do and his reaction towards the people. He must risk his life for others. Campbell, Joseph. "A Hero's Journey Archetype." Google Docs. Web. 17 Sept. 2015. Joseph Campbell has described the journey as a cycle that has three phases. The three stages

Sissel supplied for a Hero’s Journey Archetypes, there are many stages of the hero’s journey. Some of those stages are; Call to Adventure, Refusal of the call, Supernatural Aid, The Crossing of the First Threshold, The Belly of the Whale. Campbell, Joseph. "A Hero's Journey Archetype." Google Docs. Web. 17 Sept. 2015.

Within the epic poem of Beowulf, his father’s name is Scyld, and well he died after Beowulf was born. He is the wielder of Glory. After his father passes, they put him out to sea with his treasures. Beowulf then becomes king and succeeds his father. He later has a son Healfdene. Then Healfdene has four children, three sons and a daughter. One of which became king that was Hrothgar. Hrothgar built a mead hall, which got attacked by a monster named Grendel. Grendel then took and killed 30 men. This happened for twelve years that Grendel killed the warriors over night.

Beowulf heard the cries for help from the heroes as well as, his grandson, Hrothgar. He came to help them out. Beowulf brought 14 of his best companions to go along and help him defeat the monster that they do not know about yet. Took them roughly 24 hours to make it to where Hrothgar is. When they reached the mead hall (Heorot), they then found out that Grendel is the one that has been killing

He left his land to go help Hrothgar at the mead hall. Beowulf then waited till the monster (Grendel) comes to attack at night again so he could fight and try to kill him, but he fatally wounds Grendel and later he did die. Another trial was when Grendel’s mother and Beowulf fought, and then killed her as well. He came back to Hrothgar’s mead hall with the trophy of Grendel’s head along with the arm that he already previously had. Beowulf got praised for the mighty battle and saving the rest of Hrothgar’s men. After that he then went back home to become king of his own people. This sums up the main three stage cycle of Beowulf’s journey in comparison to A Hero’s Journey Archetype.

Beowulf followed the main aspects of a Hero’s Journey Archetype. There were many pieces that the poem did not follow, but that was expected. A writing piece will never hit every single aspect of a layout of how that story/poem should be. They mostly hit the big, main points as Beowulf did. Beowulf did follow how a Hero’s Journey Archetype laid out for the poem, but yes, it didn’t completely follow the outline that was given to the