Beowulf has multiple archetype that can be defined as figures, character types, settings, and story patterns that are universally shared by people across cultures. Three that stick out the most are character archetypes, symbolic archetypes, and situational archetypes. The reason these stick out the most to me is because Beowulf goes on an adventure driven by his desire to help. Also Beowulf is the main hero of the novel and is constantly saving the day. Cause Beowulf is depicted as a hero it is easy to say that this show character archetypes. Him fighting the Grendel, Grendel’s Mother and the Dragon can be seen as symbolic and situational archetypes. Situational archetypes are situations that appear over and over in stories, literature and films. There are thirteen parts of Situational archetypes. Five that pop out in Beowulf are The Quest, The Task, The Journey, The Initiation and Battle Between Good and Evil. The way the quest is seen in Beowulf is when Beowulf is heading on his journey he is determined to find glory in his heroic attempts. The task can be seen as the three different fights in Beowulf because it is tasks that he must do to achieve his desired glory. The reason behind that is in many myths, its common for the hero (in this case Beowulf) must accomplish many …show more content…
The Character archetypes in Beowulf can be seen over and over again through the three battles Beowulf fights in which can also represent good vs evil. Symbolic archetypes represent Light Vs Evil. We can see this with Herot Hall and how it is full of life and energy which represents light and how the rest of the town is darken with fear which represents darkness. As for Character archetypes we can see that all over Beowulf with Beowulf being are shining example of a hero and the Grendel being depicted as the villain and outcast. These three archetypes stood out to me and I hope through my evidence and reasoning you see
The epic poem Beowulf by Seamus Heaney used character archetypes to explore the values embodied in Anglo-Saxon culture.
The English epic Beowulf is able to show normal archetypes just like in most examples of literature. Beowulf follows the normal archetypes just like most novels like To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Both pieces of literature are completely different, but both share the archetypes of; the outcast, the mentor, and the task.
Beowulf (Heaney) is a three part poem about a man, if one can call him a man, with superhuman strength, the ability to swim for eight days straight, breathe underwater, and contest with nightmarish monsters in hand-to-hand combat, just to name a few. He, notably, combats Grendel, a spawn of Cain himself , “Grendel was the name of this grim demon… he had dwelt for a time in misery among the banished monsters, Cain's clan, whom the Creator had outlawed and condemned as outcasts. For the killing of Abel...Cain got no good from committing that murder...and out of the curse of his exile there sprang ogres and elves and evil phantoms and the giants…”
Before examining Beowulf through the archetypical lens criticism, it must be explained exactly what an archetype implies and how it affects the work being examined. An archetype is a concept that was first defined by Carl Jung, a swiss psychologist who attempted to relate recurring themes in literary works to a collective unconscious that all humans have. Jung theorized that this phenomena of recurring themes of heroes, mentors, heralds, shapeshifters, and so on in literary works could be contributed to the idea that there was a collective set of innate emotions and ideas that resided in all humans. This theory has been able to account for several literary works analyzed through the archetypical lens criticism.
Beowulf as an epic poem itself contains a large amount of differing archetypes throughout the lines of poetry. Although there are many more archetypes than just the ones that were described in detail, they all play a role in effectively producing a spectacular piece of work. The great epic poem of Beowulf, originally written by an anonymous Anglo-Saxon poet and translated by R.M Liuzza, can easily be viewed as an incredibly detailed land with a broad range of archetypes hidden with the poetic
We have a concrete hero character in Beowulf, and a concrete villain in Grendel. We see this as a theme throughout the epic poem. The dichotomy of good versus evil is the fundamental backbone of this piece of literature. It is so significant due to the fact that everything that happens in this book is someway related to good versus evil. If Beowulf wasn’t so good at heart, he would not even be enticed to leave his homeland and go help the danes. Without the drive in Beowulf 's heart to do what is right, all of his heroic moments of glory would not exist. Once this is pointed out to the reader, it becomes so clear that one could wonder why the book isn 't just named: “Beowulf, a Story of Good vs. Evil.”.
Beowulf is a hero who embodies the ideal characteristics in the Anglo-Saxon culture; these characteristics all come together to make up an epic tale. He possesses the virtues, traits and beliefs that were respected in the Anglo-Saxon culture. Beowulf displays these virtues in his own actions and words during different circumstances throughout the tale.
...ash between good and evil. Beowulf is a representation of a Godly figure, possibly Christ, whereas his enemies represent figures of darkness, possibly Satan. Due to his battle with Grendel, Beowulf realises the true abilities of Gods power and develops into a more Saint like character who is more concerned with giving help rather than Gaining fame. He seeks Gods guidance, but looks to pagan ideals when he deems so. Although he never completely takes complete advantage of Gods power, he does earn the fame and glory that he fought bravely for.
Do the poem Beowulf and the novel Grendel leave Grendel's archetype undefined? In Beowulf by Seamus Heaney, Grendel's archetype was the monster. In the poem, the storyline shows that Grendel terrorizing the Danes every night and attracts the hero's attention who that will slay him; this is a typical, epic monster archetype. On the other hand, in the novel Grendel by John Gardner it displays his first encounter with the Danes, his home life, and his thought process which indicates his archetype is more of a Social Outcast.
Pride manifests itself into many different forms and will sometimes overshadow a person 's good judgement, in turn affecting their actions. It is truly the cause for the rise and fall of men for centuries and thus has become one of the greatest concepts to be addressed in British literature. Throughout the literary works studied this semester, some form of pride has always presented itself as a major theme.
Beowulf was a perfectly shaped epic hero of fame and glory. He possesses uncommon human ability and a very loyal nature. He won the respect of all who came. in contact with him through his champion-like etiquette and dignity. Although these two characters represented entirely different types of heroes, they shared one important similarity.
Beowulf is widely regarded as a classic “good versus evil” story. The Beowulf-poet depicts Grendel, his mother and the dragon as the “evil” of this dichotomy. This raises an interesting question concerning the idea of a community: How exactly is “good” distinguished from “evil” in an absolute sense? Given that the Beowulf-poet expresses a tone suggesting that the pagan figures are the evil ones, it is clear that he is biased in his treatment. Still, this tone contradicts some of the events that play out in the epic. Building upon this, one could argue that the distinguishing of this good-evil dichotomy is relative; what is considered “evil” to the Beowulf-poet may be considered “good” from another’s perspective. With this moral relativism in mind, a psychology of confusion is established in the reader that creates a sense of uncertainty concerning one’s values in shaping a community.
Beowulf is an interesting story in that it has a meaning that is firmly rooted in fantasy creatures based in mythical origins while providing insight into religious ideals and practices of the time. It also speaks of tradition and the struggle of man against things perceived as evil. In this tradition especially, Beowulf is an incredible allegory regarding the struggle of good and evil in the Christian tradition.
The epic and oral poem Beowulf illustrates a loss of community, cultural values, and tradition. Beowulf, the main character, is an ideal king and archetypal warrior. History is relevant to Beowulf; this Germanic society was being taken over by Christian missionaries who were seeking to convert this culture. The character of Beowulf is a reflection of the Germanic culture's virtues; heroism is emphasized in the text's multiple references and constant focus on heroes and what it is to be a hero. Beowulf, who is reflective of an older generation of heroes, strives for community. In contrast, Christianity's focus is on the individual. This conflict is ended once Beowulf, a figure of the past and the old world, passes on. With Beowulf, the hero dies. Hence, Beowulf's efforts to keep his culture and his ethics alive are impossible as war and Christianity conquer the Germanic land.
Beowulf possesses several distinct traits that allow him to be defined as an ideal epic hero and Anglo-Saxon hero. He is courageous, loyal, wise, and physically powerful. Beowulf puts himself through difficult situations just to keep his people safe from evil. He battles Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon for his people, though he does it for honor as well. Beowulf shows honor in all of his acts, but he is constantly seeking fame and glory through all of his accomplishments. Beowulf has the perfect qualities and characteristics it takes to be an epic