Question

In the story, Beowulf starting from The Wrath of Grendel to the end of The Farewell, what are important events in order and label the 8 steps of the heroic journey.

Answer 1

you just need to apply the eight stages of the hero's journey to Beowulf,

call to adventure
the threshold
The challenges
The abyss
The transformation
The revelation
The atonement
The return

Here are the eight, count 'em 8 steps of the Hero's Journey

1. THE CALL
*Invites adventure, offer the opportunity to foce the unknown, and gain something of physical or spiritual value
*The hero = naturally obscure or mysterious origin & is superior in some regard, but not invinsible and may choose or be dragged into journey
*The Call or The Quest
a) Something is taken from us (quest to reclaim)
b) sense of something lacking (quest to find whats missing)
c) need to save or restore honor (quest to claim honor)
d) something is not permitted by members of society (quest to win rights)
2. THE THRESHOLD
*"Jumping off point" for the adventure
*Interface between the known and unknown
*Encounter beings of situations that block the passage. These "gaurdians" protect us when we are unprepared for the journey and later step aside and point the way
*encounter companions who assist and direct and guides who mento
Initiation and Transformation
3. THE CHALLENGES
*hero faces unclear path
*the way is beset with danger, temptation, and loneliness
*hero matures
*temptations try to pull hero away from path with fear, doubt, and distraction
*challenges strike the heros greatest weakness
4. THE ABYSS
*the greatest challenge that must be faced alone
*possible that the challenge beats the hero. If the hero does not try again, life is left unfulfilled
5. THE TRANSFORMATION
*hero has conquered Abyss; transformation is complete
*final step is a moment of death and rebirth (aka decent into darkness)
a)fear must die to make way for courage
b)ignorance must die tomake way for courage
c)dependency and irresponsibility mus die for independance and power
6. THE REVELATION
*sudden dramatic change in the way the hero views life and the hero realizes the attained goal is symbolic (ie. the newfound maturity is more important than the ring, cup, fleece etc.)
*occurs during of after Abyss
7. THE ATONEMENT
* hero is "at-one" with new self
*incorperates the changes caused from the Journey and is fully "reborn"
* imbalance is corrected....until the next call
The Return
8. THE RETURN
*the final stage of the journey = return to everyday life
*hero discovers new gift
*essence of the return is to begin contributing to society (but not always)

Remember tragic heros die and their return is a spiritual symbolic one