Topic > Heroes of the past: Beowulf and King Arthur

IndexHeroesQuestThe role of women in textsThe role of the supernatural in textsModern film: BeowulfConclusionsWorks CitedHeroic stories are fundamental in world literature, reflecting the daily lives of individuals. Such narratives follow a particular structure to reveal a character's journey to success. Some of the stories feature heroic figures from the past, including Beowulf and King Arthur. Heroes face many challenges, but ultimately emerge strong and earn respect. However, the research paper includes the discussion of heroes, the monomyth formula, and the role of women in the selected texts. The role of supernatural phenomena and modern cinema. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayHeroesA hero is an individual who gives his life to something greater than himself according to Cambell's definition. To be a hero, the first step is to have a calling to adventure or a strong need, and although at first someone is afraid and may refuse the request, the person overcomes the fear, crosses the threshold and embarks on the journey (Campbell 2004). However, as they continue their adventurous journey, they face several trials, meet friends and enemies, prepare for some trials and hardships. Sometimes, they can face more significant fears, and after such an ordeal, they become a hero. In Beowulf, the protagonist, Beowulf, is a hero who fights the monster Gredel, the fire-breathing dragon, and Gredel's mother. Therefore, his travels and encounters reveal him as the strongest warrior due to his unique abilities. Furthermore, he becomes an effective leader even in old age. During his youth, Beowulf was a great warrior with courage and strength, as depicted in the swimming match against Breca (Liuzza 2000). The Germanic Hero Code dictates that a hero must have certain values ​​such as loyalty, pride, and courtesy. He is unable to rule as king for many years, but eventually takes the throne. Beowulf seems to do something to improve people's living conditions by accepting challenges to defeat the ferocious monsters Grendel, Grendel's mother, and the dragon. In Higham, NJ King Arthur: Making of a legend, King Arthur is a hero who saved the English from the Saxons and became king around 500 AD Celtic mythology describes King Arthur as a great king claimed by groups such as Scotland, Brittany, Wales and Cornwall. There is also a theory that depicted him as a Roman soldier with high mythical power being the central figure in the legends, although convincing evidence is lacking. English authors and audiences claimed Arthur as their hero, the love story originated from French culture. Arthur is typical in various romantic works in films and theater. Arthur can be seen as an indulgent man in various romances, even though Lancelot, his most trusted knight, betrayed him by having an affair with his wife, Queen Geneverie. However, he is also a model for modern behavior such as in Britain, where his ideas were used to represent medieval chivalry. QuestCambell argues that every story has a particular structure with a beginning, middle and end. The opening defines the hero and the story behind his progress. The next is to introduce some conflict that causes problems for the heroine, which she must overcome and come out on top (Cambell 2004). However, the mythical sagas consist of a single story, the monomyth telling the hero's journey, which has three main parts. The parts include departure, initiation, and return, although each has its own subsections. The hero behaves supernaturally and faces several challenges which he continues to defeat. The hero routine has variousrepeated critical individuals such as the hero, mentors, villains, and a goddess. Plus, there are magic potions, assistants, thieves and tricksters. Furthermore, there is the struggle of good and evil or light and darkness. The story of Beowulf is in the form of an epic poem involving a terrifying demon named Gredel and his defeat by Beowulf. Beowulf follows the parts identified by Cambell which include departure, initiation and return, each with its own subsections. For example, Beowulf's separation is the reminder of his adventures. He leaves his home and the call to adventure takes him to dark places where he experiences terrible accidents. The structure has three main parts that include Beowulf's final fight with Grendel, the fight with Grendel's mother, and the fight against the dragon. The story follows the six elements of an epic, which are the hero's plot, actions of superhuman strength, vast setting, involving the supernatural, a sustained style of elevation, and an omniscient poet. In the poem, Beowulf is an incredible hero with supernatural power and courage. Beowulf's journey across sea and land on his way to Gredel's home represents the vast setting of the poem. The supernatural being is Gredel, who is a demon while in the entire narrative the author is objective and omniscient. In King Arthur, the story also follows Cambell's structure in telling the heroic story of King Arthur. The story begins with exposition, followed by conflict and escalating action. In this stage, Arthur pulls a sword from a rock, which reveals him as a hero and the king of England. The conflict is evident in this story too. Arthur faces several battles as he tries to protect his throne and use Merlin's magic. It beats all its atrocities. At the round table, King Arthur marries the beautiful Guinevere, and Sir Lancelot becomes Guinevere's most powerful champion. The return is depicted as Arthur claims the throne for himself while Mildred and Morgana have a plan to strike. Mordred proves the existence of an affair with Lancelot, and Guinevere is then heartbroken. This is the resolution and at this stage Guinevere is sentenced to death before being saved by Lancelot. Ultimately, Modred and Arthur end up in a vicious circle, but later Arthur manages to kill him. Arthur suffers a fatal wound and clings to life. Morgana reappears with the desire to cure Arthur in the Mist. However, from the analysis, Arthur's story follows Cambell in the analysis of the texts. Therefore, the story follows Cambell's similar structure in bringing out the nature of the hero in the narrative. At the end of the story, Arthur is a hero. Although he can also be a villain as he has suffered fatal injuries. The role of women in Beowulf lyrics is epic and in the poem women play different roles due to their unique characteristics. In the poem, women are described as trustworthy and fulfill certain roles in society. Wealhtheow and Hygd are kind, but other women, like Gredel's mother, are monstrous. However, the women represent the Angelo-Saxon culture of the 7th century, which represent women as peaceful and assertive. Women were the property of men and would play the role of weavers of peace by marrying them into warring tribes. For example, they played the role of passing the cup from one warrior to another during ceremonies. Wealhtheow is “regal” and “dignified”. She is a respectable woman for her courtesy, she represents the voice of women in that society. Women also provided entertainment as they assisted in organizing celebrations and parties in the halls. However, some women were disastrous, like the two villains in the poem. For example, Gredel's mother was evil and unhospitable. He uses violence to solve problems and cannot accommodate people in theirssalt. They use weapons and physical abuse instead of using diplomacy and polite language. Modthryth is a rather manipulative and evil queen capable of killing anyone who comes near her hall. Although the women of this region are subservient to their men, they fulfill certain roles in society. Some are good, while others are purely evil and can harm others in the community. In King Arthur, women play an important role and have a significant influence on many of the events that occurred. For example, Lancelot and Guinevere's love reveals the definition of women compared to their men. Some women are loyal, while others have unacceptable behavior. For example, Morgan le Fay is a queen who tempts Lancelot into conflict with Guinevere. Queen Guinevere helps create suspense and develop the plot as she penetrates the male world, a rare trait in other women. Some ladies also accompany the queen to keep the knights in good company. However, women have no legitimate power simply because they are figures that can be discarded due to male domination of society. The women suffer the humiliation seen at the round table as the bond between the knights leaves no room for Guinevere. It becomes essential in the absence of the knights, its role is to provide companionship when needed. Queen Guinevere is the only one who never fully conforms to society's expectations. For example, she rejects Modred's wish to inherit her as his queen. The role of the supernatural in textsThe Arthurian legends use supernatural phenomena in the development of themes and plot. Some examples include the use of magic and other fearsome beasts. Supernatural contributes to the main themes of the narrative, such as heroism, revenge and human nature. Merlin and Griffin are some of the examples of supernatural beings used in the text. The creatures make it easier to improve the story and force people to use their imagination to interpret the message. Magical events that created witchcraft and magic are frequent in Arthurian legends. Queen Morgause practices black magic, while Merlin dedicates himself to white magic. Merlin predicts difficult circumstances that King Arthur will have to endure in the future. He also transforms Arthur into different creatures, including fish, birds and ants, creating suspense. History cannot be attractive without magic as some individuals such as the Lady of the Lake, Morgan Le Fay and Merlin play an important role in the development of the legend of the great King Arthur. Arthur was protected in battles thanks to the magical protection of various characters such as witches. For example, King Arthur received items such as the magic sword/Excalibur. The sword increased his stamina and courage in attacking his enemies, including his son. He was always determined to achieve his goals and never feared that he might be fatally injured. Attacking monsters was reason for him to use magical powers as supernatural beings were quite powerful. In Beowulf, supernatural powers show up in many cases throughout the text, for example, monsters such as Gredel, Grendel's mother, and the dragon represent mythological creatures that only exist in fiction. Without supernatural beings, development is challenging and affects the flow of the story in Beowulf. Beowulf compares the monsters to the biblical descendants of Cain due to their heinous characters. The creatures used their supernatural powers to harm people and make life difficult for the villagers. Beowulf must fight the dragon, the lake animals and the sea monsters. Supernatural beings help demonstrate the protagonist's heroic characteristics. The story blends the supernatural with religion to depict evil. Monsters also reveal strength, 2007.