Beowulf: An Archetypal Hero

485 Words2 Pages
Beowulf an Archetypal Hero Beowulf, A New Telling, the epic novel by Robert Nye tells an adventurous tale about Beowulf defeating the deadly, malicious Grendel and the fiercely, terrorizing firedrake. Beowulf is challenged and inspired to help the Danes, and agrees to fight Grendel. He also faces the firedrake that is out to get revenge for the geat slave stealing the goblet. As a result of Beowulf accepting the two challenges, defeating Grendel and over coming the firedrake, Beowulf is classified to be an archetypal hero. Beowulf demonstrated various challenges in proving himself an archetypal hero. The first way was by defeating Grendel, a demon that lived in the fen of Hrothgars kingdom. In the land of Hrothgars Kingdom, the Danes…show more content…
When Beowulf arrived home from the Danes, to the land of the Geats a long celebration was held in his honor for his defeat over Grendel. After years have gone by, one of the Geat slaves decides to go to the firedrake mountain to get the golden goblet to repay his master. When Beowulf is notified of the slaves’ actions, he has an uneasy feeling about what will happen. Beowulf finally meets his match. A firedrake was awakened by the stealing of his treasure. The firedrake retaliated the Geats, by burning villages and slaughtering people. Beowulf took a group of eleven trusty warriors, and the thief who stole the treasure, because he knows where the firedrake’s lair is. Wiglaf remains at Beowulf’s side. With Wiglafs encouragement, Beowulf is able to defeat the firedrake. Beowulf defeats the firedrake by letting his bees go, following their queen. They rush into the firedrakes throat, stinging the inside and killing it. This defeat, helped save the land of the Geats from trouble. Beowulf showed two different ways he became an archetypal hero. The two challenges Beowulf faced were fighting Grendel and overcoming firedrake. Beowulf faced both challenges and gained respect from those who doubted him. By accomplishing these challenges, he became an archetypal

More about Beowulf: An Archetypal Hero

Open Document