Examples Of Archetype In Beowulf

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

In the early medieval ages, the spread of Christianity greatly influenced the Germanic ideals. One can see this drastic transition in character while reading and comparing the books of Beowulf and King Arthur. Although the story archetypes remain the same for the most part, the archetypes reflect the different ideals of the different time periods. Archetypes such as the hunting group of companions and quest still hold significance, but reflect different ideals. The ideals of the Germanic peoples of Northern Europe drastically change as Christianity moves across the region, and the traditional story Archetypes reflect this change in cultural ideals.

Beowulf fights in three battles and wins them all. That shows his bravery and strength. After Beowulf defeats Grendel, people of all ages were “retelling Beowulf’s bravery”(Beers II.

The story, Beowulf, whose author is unknown, is a timeless story full of lessons people of this day and age can use. Although the story was first told--then written down--thousands of years ago, there are several ideas we, as a civilization, claim to be modern. This reflection of ideas is especially present within the representation of the hero and outcast archetypes within the story. In Beowulf, one sees the hero character, Beowulf, and the outcast character, Grendel, behave in ways that fit their archetypes. However, one also sees a blending of characteristics within the archetypes.

The epic poem Beowulf by Seamus Heaney used character archetypes to explore the values embodied in Anglo-Saxon culture. The first battle in the poem occurs between Beowulf and Grendel who best embody the Anglo-Saxon value of courage. Beowulf is the perfect representation of this value due to his insistence on fighting Grendel without weapons; “No weapons, therefore,/ for either this night: unarmed he shall face me” (Heaney 683-84). Thus when Beowulf proclaims that he is not using weapons he displays both honor and courage since it takes guts to fight a monster without an advantage. The Anglo-Saxons respected this quality and made their epic hero a perfect fit for this trait.

lthough heroic stories go all the way back to humanity's first writings, they are still being written today. Batman, for example, shares many of the same characteristics as Beowulf who was one of the first heros written about; therefore, making Batman an archetypal hero. A hero is figure larger than life who fights for the right reasons. Batman is a figure well known to many readers as a hero who defends Gotham City from the Joker. The Dark Knight includes many of the same archetypes found in Beowulf--such as, a hero, a outcast, symbols, and a quest.

In the epic poem Beowulf, the archetype of the hero is shown when Beowulf uses strength, bravery, and loyalty to defeat evil. The Anglo – Saxon values these qualities. Since Beowulf was a great warrior, his name was well known for all his accomplishments. Beowulf wanted to be remember for what he did. Bewoulf wanted to be remember like his father was remember.

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.

An archetype is a character or motif that appears in many types of literature, one of these is an epic hero. The epic hero is a character that appears in many old english poems, the most famous being Beowulf. Beowulf is set between 449-1066, but the exact date in unknown. During this time period many Anglo-Saxons took a part in mead hall, these mead halls and the people who were in them became their families. They were extremely loyal to them, and socially were switching from Paganism to Christianity.

The hero in the epic poem Beowulf is the main character, Beowulf. He demonstrates heroic qualities as soon as the readers are introduced to his character. Beowulf proves himself to be courageous and brave by voluntarily fighting the “undefeatable” monster, Grendel. He is greatly admired by both the Danes and Geats for his courageous acts. Although his motivation is altered to only benefit himself with the title of the greatest warrior, his plan to save the Danes is greatly appreciated by all in the land.

Beowulf is a poem that based in the 10th and 11th century that revolved around the idea of good vs evil. The poem is named after Beowulf who is a supernatural hero that slays any evil that crosses his path but is a real sweetheart when it comes to other people or the king. Beowulf is to be considered an epic poem because the hero in the story creates acts of being courageous and even superhuman in some cases, reflecting timeless values such as courage and honor, and the poem reflects unforgettable values with honor and courage. Typically in an epic poem, one will see a character or “the hero” who has outstanding courage and commit superhuman deeds and show values to other people in that era. “Then he drew himself up beside his shield./The fabled warrior in his warshirt and helmet/trusted in his own strength entirely/

Beowulf possessed the poised demeanor necessary to defeat all evils by the arrogant swing of his sword. The commitment shown by lending his life to the welfare of his people was imperative in order to be called a flawless warrior. Beowulf embodied the determination that Anglo-Saxons saw as unmeasurably valuable. If nothing more than just fiction, Beowulf is the ideal hero of the people from who he originated. “They said that of all the kings upon the earth he was the man most gracious and fair-minded, kindest to his people and keenest to win fame.”

Beowulf is an epic hero because of his strength. His strength isn’t the same as an ordinary man, “He twisted in pain and the bleeding sinews deep in his shoulder snapped muscle and on split and broke” (lines 337-340). No ordinary man would be

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.

Epic Heroes are larger than life, Beowulf is presented in the narrative poem as an epic hero from noble birth with elevated language. In the Epic, “Beowulf” is known as a hero for being larger than life. For Example, Beowulf is larger than life and legendary when he is described as “Greater and stronger than anyone anywhere in this world” (110). He has proven to be stronger than anyone anywhere and has superhuman abilities that make him larger than life. Another example in the Epic “Beowulf” that proves he is larger than life is when he was described “Nor have I ever seen, out of all men on earth, one greater” (161-163).