Beowulf as an archetypal hero: 'Beowulf', Seamus Heaney's translation and Joseph Campbell

The title character of Beowulf functions as an archetypal hero who can be analyzed through the work of mythologist, Joseph Campbell. Beowulf's adventures follow the separation-initiation-return pattern described by Campbell. Furthermore, Seamus Heaney's translation of Beowulf adds to mythological understanding of the poem which is clarified by reading it in light of Campbell's theory. Just as sixty years ago, Tolkien's work gave the reader a new way of understanding Beowulf, Heaney's interpretation allows the reader to notice fresh aspects of the poem. Additionally, Heaney's reading, with its emphasis on the "mythic potency" of the work, is especially receptive to interpretation in the light of the mythic undercurrents that Campbell examines so extensively. The introduction, too, stresses the universality and timelessness of these old tales. Moreover, comparing these folkloric elements to similar ones found in fairy tales might broaden the reader's understanding of the poem.