Archetypes In Beowulf

Beowulf as a Quest
Beowulf is a quest epic poem, that was written somewhere between the late 10th century and the early 11th century. It contains a story about an Anglo-Saxon warrior. The warrior, Beowulf, goes on a quest to save the Danes and the Geats. In order for a story to be a quest, it has to archetypes. Beowulf is a quest, because it has archetypal characters, symbols and situations.
The most important quality that makes Beowulf a quest is archetypal characters. The hero is a main part in archetypal characters. The hero of the story is Beowulf. What makes Beowulf the hero of the story is how he slays all of the villains in the epic poem. In the translated version of Beowulf by Charles W. Kennedy, Beowulf slays Grendel’s mother, and “She [sinks] in death; the sword [is] bloody” (51). Villains play a significant role as characters in a quest as well. The villains include

A place of light is a key point in archetypal symbolism. Heorot is the place of light in the epic poem. Everyone feels safe enough to let themselves fall ¨Fast in slumber, forgetting greif¨(6). Many times This setting in Beowulf is the swamp Grendel and his mother live. Grendel and his mother were banished to this land, because of Cain. The two became ¨Wild and lonely the land they live¨(44). Supernatural intervening is a major piece in archetypal symbolism as well. Two critical examples of supernatural intervention in the novel. One is Beowulf going into the battle against Grendel without armour and a sword. Another is Beowulf conveniently finding the giant's sword, which he used to kill Grendel's mother. Both were very lucky, because if both would not of happened Beowulf would of died. Our hero did not know that swords ¨Could work no harm to the hideous foe”(27). The giant's sword was the ¨choicest of weapons worthy and