Beowulf
Ashley Harris
D01B
Monomyth Essay
2/27/2013
Beowulf Joseph Campbells idea of the monomyth and the hero is that there is stages of a heros journey. He states in Hero with a Thousand Faces, "A hero ventures forth from the world common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man" (Campbell 30). The three stages of the monomyth are separation, initiation, and return. These stages can be applied to the heroic myth, Beowulf. It is known for adventure and fits Joseph Campbells description of a hero's journey. The first stage of the monomyth is separation, it is the beginning of every hero's journey. In this stage, the call to adventure is the point in a person's life when he or she is first given notice that everything is going to change, whether he or she knows it or not. Beowulf was raised by a king and was born a warrior figure. He then became the Leader of the Geats in Scandinavia. Beowulf set out to find monsters and slay them for glory of his people. On his journey, he encounters with 9 monsters and slays them all with no problem. He was told that there was a monster in Denmark that is causing chaos and goes to Denmark to slay the monster that uproars King Hrothgars land. This is also known as the hero's call to
D01B
Monomyth Essay
2/27/2013
Beowulf Joseph Campbells idea of the monomyth and the hero is that there is stages of a heros journey. He states in Hero with a Thousand Faces, "A hero ventures forth from the world common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man" (Campbell 30). The three stages of the monomyth are separation, initiation, and return. These stages can be applied to the heroic myth, Beowulf. It is known for adventure and fits Joseph Campbells description of a hero's journey. The first stage of the monomyth is separation, it is the beginning of every hero's journey. In this stage, the call to adventure is the point in a person's life when he or she is first given notice that everything is going to change, whether he or she knows it or not. Beowulf was raised by a king and was born a warrior figure. He then became the Leader of the Geats in Scandinavia. Beowulf set out to find monsters and slay them for glory of his people. On his journey, he encounters with 9 monsters and slays them all with no problem. He was told that there was a monster in Denmark that is causing chaos and goes to Denmark to slay the monster that uproars King Hrothgars land. This is also known as the hero's call to