Beowulf and Gawain: An Archetypal Analysis of Cultural Evolution
What makes a hero? Is being a hero based on superpowers or are they defined through acts of selflessness? The tales of heroes have been passed down for millennia evolving with society to fit the tenacious mold in which they were created. The narrative poems Beowulf, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight both follow the monomythic pattern; which Joseph Campbell explains in The Hero with a Thousand Faces, analyzing myths throughout history and discovering that they all share the same structure. Yet the evolution of certain cultural ideals that developed during the Middle Ages causes these two heroes to embark on extremely different journeys, reflecting paradigm shifts in the ways
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Generous kings were often referred to as “ring-giver” (28) because they shared their wealth to those who proved loyal. This is prominent throughout Beowulf, although many of the kings and royal families were considered to be courageous and fierce. This can be seen in Beowulf when he insists on fighting the dragon alone, showing that he attained an attribute that all kings should possess, bravery. Although warriors were supposed to follow the warrior code, most men were driven by their desires for fame and acted out of selfishness. Yet, a true warrior figure is demonstrated by Wiglaf, who remains by Beowulf’s side as the other warriors flee. Fate is mentioned all throughout the Anglo-Saxon epic, which was a major part of their cultural ideals. Believing that everything was predetermined, and that nothing could alter the course of their life. Sir Gawain’s journey begins when the Green Knight challenges the court's knights honor and invites them to play a “game.” The court refuses to take the Green Knight's challenge, and are taunted until King Arthur volunteer his life to put an end the Green Knights persistent advances. Sir Gawain volunteers as a tribute as an attempt to prove his worthiness to be in the court, although he feels like the underdog. The Green Knight allows Gawain to cut off his head with his danish axe, with the promise that in a year's time, he will be able to do the
What is a hero? Is it someone who pulls a drowning child out of a lake or is it someone such as Nelson Mandela who inspires others to be better? I believe it is both. Although the two differ in what makes them a hero, they are still a hero. That being said, when comparing the British characters Beowulf and Sir Gawain, I found that both fit the hero archetype. Beowulf and Sir Gawain will be compared on the hero archetype characteristics of being better than the ordinary man, proving oneself many times, and having a tragic flaw.
The story begins during the New Year's feast in King Arthur's court. Then a green knight enters asking all of the knights in the court if they would like to play a game. The game is he will allow which ever knight that chooses to challenge him one swing with a battle ax to try and chop off his head, but in order to play the game, the accepting knight must meet the green knight one year later at the green chapel. The brave knight Sir Gawain accepts to the challenge of the green knight. Sir Gawain takes one swing and chops off the head of the green knight. Right after the green knight's head is chopped off he gets up immediately, picks up his head and leaves. Once a year passes, Gawain sets off on a journey to find the Green Chapel. He arrives at a castle in which a lord welcomes him to stay for several days (Gawain only needs to stay there for three). The next morning the lord makes an agreement to share everything he gets during these three days with Gawain, but Gawain must agree to do the same. During days one and two the lord's wife tries hitting on Gawain, but he only allows her to give him a few kisses. At these days Gawain shares what he got to the lord for what he has hunted those days. On the third day, Gawain finally accepts to take a magic girdle from the lord's wife, but he didn't share it with the lord. This magic girdle helped Gawain survive the three fatal swing's of the green giant's ax, only leaving him with a little nick. After Gawain survives these 3 swings at his neck, the green knight then reveals his identity and explains that he is Bercilak, the lord of the castle. He also said that the three blows were taken at him in regards to the three days of their agreement.
A hero is defined as a person who is admired for courage, outstanding achievements or noble qualities. A hero is strong in mind and body, courageous in spirit, and selfless where others are involved. Superman and Beowulf both exhibit these characteristics. The differences between Beowulf and Superman are as obvious as their similarities.
The character of Beowulf stands as a hero to the ancient Danes because of his actions. He is constantly being cited as a "war-chief" and a "gold-giver" (61). Beowulf has achieved fame through what he has done with his own hands. His identity as a leader is based upon the Danish society’s emphasis on personal action, as opposed to the delegation of responsibility through conscious thought. It is this very sense which spurs Beowulf to fight the dragon: "In my youth I engaged in many wars. Old guardian of the people, I shall still seek battle, perform a deed of fame, if the evil-doer will come to me..." (59). Beowulf derives his power from a strong link to the past. Without his history of glorious deeds, he would see himself bereft of the very power which qualifies him to be a good King. Beowulf’s bravery never comes in to question, he does meet every challenge head-on, with deadly attention. The society which labels Beowulf as a legendary hero, recognizes his actions and his bravery as a integral part of his definition as a hero. Without the society to support th...
Sir Gawain stands up for he believes that his uncle should not take on the Green Knight while so many others, as mentioned earlier, are able. Gawain is successful by not only standing for what he believes in but also in defeating the Green Knight. The Green Knight plays the role of the tempter in this scene. He first tempts the court, but is defeated. Sir Gawain overcomes his first
During the Middle Ages, both “Beowulf” and “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” were epic stories that were chanted aloud to the public. Each story told about epic heroes who went on a long journey to face or conqueror someone or something. “Beowulf” is a poem about a young man, Beowulf, who slays a monster and his mother with his bare hands to protect the people he loves. As the years go by Beowulf becomes king and a dragon begins to stir. In response to this, Beowulf fights the dragon with a sword and one loyal companion. Beowulf’s life comes to end, but so does the dragons. From this epic poem you can see that good does triumph over evil, but sometimes it comes at a cost. Along with “Beowulf”, “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” was another popular poem. This poem was about a squire, Sir Gawain, who chooses to take on a game proposed by the Green Knight instead of his uncle, King Arthur. He took on the game because he believed King Arthur’s life was more valuable than his own and that King Arthur should not risk his own life. As a result, Sir Gawain became a knight because of his loyalty and bravery. Both Sir Gawain and the Green Knight’s and Beowulf’s characters share the same quality of courage, the desire to protect people and the involvement of supernatural beings.
A hero, according to Webster’s New World Dictionary, is someone who commits an act of remarkable bravery or who has shown great courage, strength of character, or another admirable quality. He is looked up to for the brave and noble things he has done. Though Beowulf and Sir Gawain are both considered heroes they each have many different qualities. For Beowulf his reputation as a hero depends on the opinion of others within his society, for Gawain Christianity determines his bravado. In order to understand how they are both considered a hero in their society we must look at the many differences their respective societies possess.
The first test to his courage, courtesy, humility and loyalty toward his king, Arthur, occurs when the Green Knight suddenly appears at Camelot’s New Year's feast. He offers the Round Table a challenge: the game is for a man to strike him with his axe, and twelve months and a day later, the Green Knight will return the blow. When Arthur accepts the challenge, Gawain interferes and asks Arthur with humility and courtesy to “grant him the grace to stand by him” (SGGK l. 343-344). He confesses that “he is the weakest, and of wit feeblest, and the loss of his life would not be a great tragedy at all because his body, but for Arthur’s blood, is not worth much" (SGGK l. 354-357). He asks to be granted the privilege to claim the Green Knight's challenge because it does not befit a king. Proof of Gawain’s character is substantiated by his noble acceptance of the Green Knight’s beheading game in order to “release the king outright from his obligation”(SGGK l. 365). It shows courage and loyalty that even among famed knights suc...
Pieces of work from the same time period tend to have many similarities in them. Beowulf, The Canterbury Tales, and Sir Gawain all come from the same literary period of medieval times. Hence they all have numerous similarities like the supernatural theme, chivalry, and religion. However, all three stories have differences in characters, their goals and personalities. Beowulf, The Canterbury Tales, and Sir Gawain are similar pieces of works with similar themes but there minor differences in characters.
This was a time of enjoyment for the noble lords, but the mood of the room quickly changed once a mysterious green figure appeared. This mysterious knight was green all over and challenged a person in the room to take part in a beheading game. The game was played by a person in the room giving an initial blow to the green knight, who will then give a returning blow a year and a day later from the time of the initial blow. At first nobody accepts the knight 's challenge, but King Arthur had to do something to maintain his status and prestige. King Arthur ultimately accepts the request, but his nephew Sir Gawain, a great and chivalrous knight who is known to hold these qualities, willingly takes his uncle 's place. Sir Gawain stated “I have a request for you, my lord, let this adventure be mine” (4). This quote shows Sir Gawain maintaining those high expectations of being the perfect knight, risking his life in place of his lord. Once Sir Gawain delivers the blow decapitating the Green Knight 's head, the Green Knight 's body picks up his head and speaks to Sir Gawain telling him where to go to receive the returning blow a year and a day later. This also indicates that the Green Knight is supernatural able to still be alive after receiving such a brutal blow. Sir Gawain has now unofficially
A hero is someone who is idealized for his courage and noble qualities. Beowulf and Sir Gawain can certainly be called heroes. They both have many qualities that are expected of heroic knights and warriors. They are both brave, gallant, and skilled men, but are they the perfect heroes their people believe them to be? While they are portrayed as perfect heroes and they possess many heroic qualities, Beowulf and Sir Gawain are far from perfect.
To begin with, the Green Knight, similar to God, bestows a trial to Sir Gawain in order to test his faith and loyalty to his promise. The beheading agreement made between these characters is organized to assess the truth to Sir Gawain’s knightly
The three heroes discussed here, Beowulf, Sir Gawain and King Arthur, are heroes for different reasons. Beowulf, our earliest hero, is brave but his motivation is different than then other two. To Sir Gawain personal honor and valor is what is important. King Arthur, Sir Gawain's uncle, is naturally the quintessential king of the medieval period. Though all men to a certain extent share the same qualities, some are more pronounced than in the others. It is important to see how these qualities are central to their respective stories and how it helps (or hinders) them in their journeys.
During the time of their new year's eve dinner that was held at Arthur's court. Until a big disturbance happened from the green knight. The Author describes The Green Knight to be a supernatural creature that seems to just put fear in everybody's heart. The Green Knight who is immortality want's to challenge anybody who think they could defeat him. Arthur hesitates to even respond, but when The Green Knight mocks Arthur's silence, the king steps forward to challenge The Green Knight but as soon as Arthur reaches for the axe he was stopped buy Gawain who is Kings Arthur's nephew and is read as one of king Arthur's most loyal Knight. The author describes gawain as a courtly lover and is humility, piety, integrity, loyalty and honesty. Gawain
In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Gawain shows qualities of a chivalrous knight. He demonstrates that by showing generosity, courtesy, and loyalty during his travels. A mysterious knight shows up at the king’s castle and calls himself the Green Knight. The Green Knight then challenges one to play a game which he challenges the king to strike him with his axe if he will take a return hit in a year and a day. Sir Gawain steps forward to accept the challenge for his uncle King Arthur when nobody else in the castle would. He took the King’s role in the game to protect him from the Green Knight. He must learn to accept his responsibility as a knight, in accepting his fate.He demonstrates goodness at the hand of the Green Knight. He shows courage by accepting what is to come upon him during his voyage. His journey to find the Green Knight is filled with temptations.In the conversation with him and the “Lady”, Sir Gawain showed a Chivalrous code by keeping his loyalty to the king by not kissing his wife. The lady states “if I should exchange at my cho...