Beowulf Hero's Journey

Fate, honor, and death can determine the life we lead. In the epic poem Beowulf, one can notice that the three major battles that Beowulf engages in, can represent more than just a fight itself. These drawn out battles go through the different phases of life and relate to almost anyone’s struggles and growth of aging. As Beowulf begins his life and his journey into battle, it can reflect on challenges and accomplishments in a person's journey. These three battles show how Beowulf evolves, which can be interpreted to our lives today, and also lives from hundreds of years ago.
A young and eager Beowulf awaits his first battle with a vicious monster known all around Herot. As he impatiently lies awake to attack this monster, one can compare …show more content…
The story starts with beowulf's speech to Hrothgar to inform them of what to do if he should die. “He leaped into the lake; would not wait for anyone’s answer; the heaving water covered him over.”(467-469). He left his comrades behind as one does after graduation. Each student leaves home to take on all of life's battles and find who they are. A few hours later, Grendel's’ mom finds beowulf and immediately drags him to her lair. “She welcomed him in her claws, clutched at him Savagely but could not harm him, Tried to wove her fingers through the tight Ring-woven mail on his breast, but tore and scratched in vain.” (475-479). Grendel’s mom tried to kill beowulf right away but, was incapable of killing him. Her struggle is compared to the struggles students will face throughout their life. They will get torn, pushed, and moved but, in the end they turn out prosperous. Continuing throughout the story, Beowulf finally kills Grendel's mom to still feel not avenged. Beowulf looks for Grendel in the lair and finds him dead with the arm her cut off in the previous story: Grendel. “But Beowulf repaid him for those visits, Found him lying dead in his corner, Armless, exactly as that fierce fighter Had sent him out of Herot, Then struck his head off with a single swift blow.”(557-561). Beowulf fought Grendel and Grendel's mom eliminating all conflict from the Danes. This is compared to succeeding throughout life's conflicts although,

Show More