Beowulf A Hero's Journey Research Paper

Beowulf is tested when Grendel’s mother retaliates to her son’s death. She lashes out and kills Hrothgar’s best man. Then, Beowulf goes down into her cave where he duels her. He nearly loses his life when both his sword and armor fail him. “No sword could slice her evil skin , that Hrunting could not hurt her, was useless now when he needed it.” (1521-24) He took a magical sword that was hanging on her wall and killed her with it. Beowulf’s helpers in this stage would be the sword and God. Without the sword he would not have been to kill Grendel’s mother. Beowulf relies on God’s help and often gives Him thanks after a battle is over. The next stage in his journey is the climax or final battle. After defeating Grendel’s mother, Beowulf returns to his hometown where he reigns as king for fifty years. He is a good king, keeping peace in his country. After fifty years of peace, a fire-breathing dragon is awoken, so he must go protect his people. Beowulf and his warriors venture out to the dragon’s lair. He goes in alone, confident that he can defeat the beast. He is sadly mistaken; Beowulf’s armor starts to melt and his sword breaks against the dragon‘s scaly back. He was left there to die when all of his fellow warriors ran away cowardly into the woods. Only one brave soldier remained: Wiglaf. The final stage in initiation is the hero’s flight. This story’s flight is Wiglaf saving Beowulf.

Beowulf reveals that his duty to go to Danes was to fight the great beast Grendel. He believes that he is strong enough to defeat the monster. From lines 150-153 he describes his quests of victory in the past he says he rose “from the darkness of war” and that he was “Dripping with enemies blood”. He declares the not only will Grendel be defeated but all “evil” will be removed from the hall. He attributes the outcome of the fight to the Lord in line 174.

My son and I haven’t had the best life, his father has not been around for a very long time, and ever since people found out that he is the “seed of Cain,” they treated him horribly and did not see how good of a boy he was. I could tell Grendel was getting tired of the way he was being treated because all the goodness that was once in him was no longer there, he soon started lurking in the shadows, like you might consider a “monster” to do. I always wanted more for him, more friends, and to be well liked. Although Grendel and I never had the best life I always tried to be kind to him and show him what he may have to do to survive our way of living and what it would take for people to stop looking down on him. Nobody can understand what it is like to be us, and I would not want them to feel

Jared Lamorte 10/11/17 English 4 Mrs.Schroeder A hero can be depicted as a person that embodies perfection and godly traits. Beowulf is able to fight off monster and dragons when the odds are not in his favor. This depiction thought his journey of departure, initiation, and return portrays him as a hero to all. The monomyth of the traditional hero’s journey can be seen in literature across many time periods.

Beowulf’s triumphs are short lived due to another attack on Herot. This time, Grendel’s mother comes to the great mead hall to avenge her son. The battle between Grendel’s mother and Beowulf differs greatly from the previous battle with the beast’s son. After another attack, Beowulf now must seek out his new enemy, and fight her on her own turf. As it stood, the scores were even between the monsters and the Danes, but Beowulf now looked for victory over the monsters, not revenge. Beowulf also had to regain his reputation. He had just won a trophy, when the bigger, badder bully came up to him and took it straight from his grasp. Now Beowulf traveled to the burning lake, which proved a test of its own. He then swam to the bottom of the lake where the monster resided. All of this just to get to the monster shows that this brave hero would do anything to set the scores right for his people and for the glory that came with it.

Beowulf took it upon himself and accepted the task of killing Grendel “Heard how Grendel filled nights with horror/And quickly commanded a boat fitted out” (line 111-112). Beowulf heard how Grendel was killing kings Hrothgar men and knew no one could stop him but him and if he did he would be remember forever by them. Beowulf leaves his home to help people he does not even no “The young warrior Beowulf, a nobleman from the land of the Geats, travels to the kingdom of the Danes, where he saves the people of King Hrothgar by slaying the monster Grendel and his mother”. He comes to a land of sacred people and kills not just one beats but two he will forever be remember by them. Even after years Beowulf will still put his life on the line for the fame “In endless battles. I am old, now,/But I will Fight again, seek fame still/If the dragon hiding in his tower dares/to face me” (line 625-628).

Beowulf’s last test of courage comes in his old age when his people are threatened by a “mighty” dragon. Beowulf felt as if something he had done had caused the irascible beast to wreck havoc on his people, “killing and destroying” them and their homes with its “molten” breath. Knowing what had to be done, Beowulf bravely faced the dragon, while all of his people, except for one, fled in fear. His last battle, which ended in death, displayed Beowulf’s unwavering courage, the type that every hero should possess.

To most of society, a hero is one who is courageous, honest and acquires worthy qualities. There have always been heroes whether they are not here today, a modern day hero or a hero in literature. Those who advocate for the cause they believe in are heroes, they are able to use their own platform for people who are not able to. To most, people who are courageous and inspiring are seen as heroes especially when describing an epic hero. An epic hero are usually people in an epic poem awarded for their achievements and have strong and noble qualities. A hero shows great courage and strength like Beowulf, Michael Brock, from The Street Lawyer, and Michelle Obama who are great inspiring advocates that have gained trust from the people they advocate for.

The Epic Poem Beowulf comes from roughly around 1000 A.D. when Old English was still being used. Old English was a combinations of many different languages and cultures mixed into one. Although Beowulf doesn’t have a known author, it is Burton Raffel who translated the text from old English to what we now consider modern day English. An epic poem wasn’t about just anything, it had a much more specific group it fell under. Regularly you will see some type of hero that will come along and save his people for different things. It is believed that the motivations of Beowulf himself are that it is his duty to go be a hero, then not only because he is expected to go but he wants to go be a hero, and lastly his motivation would

A hero can be defined in several ways. Someone can be considered a hero by the qualities he or she displays. The epic poem Beowulf, written by an unknown author, describes the most heroic man and role model of the Anglo-Saxon times. This hero Beowulf has all the qualities and traits that a true hero expresses. Beowulf, as depicted in the epic Beowulf, is the prototype of the epic hero, a larger-than-life figure who embodies the virtues and ideals of his culture.

Being a hero can be defined many different ways. Several qualities like courage, respect, and strength can define heroism. A hero is noted for his or her actions for being brave, powerful, and acting with honor. In the epic poem, Beowulf, the main character Beowulf shows all of these characteristics by defending the Danish king, Hrothgar, and his people. He is a true hero by honoring his country and exerting his power and strength to protect others. Beowulf embodies the qualities of bravery, being powerful, and demonstrating his honor; therefore, he can be considered a true hero.

Early in the epic poem Beowulf, Beowulf begins his mission to kill Grendel “Strongest of the Geats set sail across the sea to Hrothgar on a mission to help the people of Herot and kill grendel” (Ln 110). Beowulf heard of the deadly attacks that Grendel was bringing upon the people of Herot, and knew his call was to go and be the hero and saving grace of Herot. The next piece of evidence from the Epic proving to us that beowulf stays on his missions until completion is whenever he has to go kill Grendel’s angry mother. “And struck with all the strength he had left caught her in the neck and cuti it through, broke bones and all” (ln 641-643). This was one of the last battles that Beowulf fought in and throughout each and every one that he fights in he shows us to never give up on our goals and the missions we are trying to

As I sit at home waiting for my son to arrive home, I think about how much he has grown up these past ten years. When Grendel was a young boy he would never go out of our lare. Anything and everything would scare him even a small snake slithering on top of the green muckey water. Seeing him overcome his fear of things makes me an extremely proud mother. Being a single mother has been difficult. I have stayed up a million nights making sure he is sleeping and is save. Also, I know my son needs guidance as he starts his journey in the world. It is my job to give him that guidance and help him when he needs some.

A hero is one who is not only strong, but one who uses his strength to uphold others. A hero is humble, philanthropic, magnanimous and selfless, a humanitarian at best. In the unprecedented epic Beowulf, the tale’s namesake exemplifies every characteristic befitting an Anglo-Saxon hero. He is honest, loyal, and courageous. He portrays these characteristics in the battle against Grendel, the affray with Grendel’s mother, and the fight against the dragon that inevitably ended his life.

A hero is idolized by his culture for his push forward and never back down attitude. In the story Beowulf there is one man who proves to be the ideal hero for himself and for his culture his name is Beowulf he proves to be the ideal hero by defeating Grendel, Grendel's Mother and the dragon which are the ideal villains according to Anglo Saxons.