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Examples Of Archetypes In Beowulf

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Beowulf follows the mythological/archetypal Hero Quest, but the unknown author still manages to throw in surprises to keep the readers on their toes. The basic mythological Hero’s Quest, most often, has twelve main sections throughout each story. The traditional components being the call to adventure, accepting the call, and the archetypes developed in the hero’s journey. However, Beowulf does not follow most of the traditional mythological Hero’s Quest. The unknown author creates Beowulf's outside the box story through his own words. The long-established Hero Quest was constructed by a man named Joseph Campbell. Campbell recognized similar elements within hero myths, told around the world. The research he did led him to discover basic elements …show more content…

“After defeating the enemy, surviving death and finally overcoming his greatest personal challenge, the Hero is ultimately transformed into a new state, emerging from battle as a stronger person and often with a prize.” (Bronzite 1) Beowulf didn’t change after any of his fights. He remained the same prideful warrior as when he went into the fight. If anything, he became more prideful due to the outcome of the fight being his victory. Beowulf did, however, receive an award from Hrothgar for defeating Grendel and Grendel’s mother. His kingdom, when he was older, received to treasure from the dragon's keep and buried it with Beowulf. So, he technically received an award for defeating the dragon, but he gave his life to get it and never got to really enjoy it. Of the last three stages, Beowulf only connects with the first one, the road back. “This stage in the Hero's journey represents a reverse echo of the Call to Adventure in which the Hero had to cross the first threshold” (Bronzite 1) Beowulf journey’s home after his fight with Grendel and Grendel’s mother, and gives his rewards he earned to his king. However, there was no journey home after Beowulf’s with the dragon. Beowulf’s fight with the dragon was his last hero

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