Beowulf and Roland are two of literature's most famous heroes. Although many know their names and stories, few realize what qualifies them as literary heroes and how their hero stories compare. Joseph Campbell, in his book A Hero with a Thousand Faces, illuminates the stages of a classic hero arc. This information is very useful in helping us express the true value of these characters in their pre-modern societies. In describing his work, one writer says: "Campbell describes the hero's journey, a universal motif of adventure and transformation that runs through virtually every mythic tradition in the world." » Campbell's work, coupled with literary analysis of the texts, will help us understand whether or not Beowulf and Roland can be considered fallen heroes. For the two heroes, we will focus on two particular stages of their heroic journey: the belly of the whale and supernatural help. We'll start by taking a look at the belly of Campbell's whale and where it may be found in the timeline of Beowulf and Roland. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Campbell describes the belly of the whale as follows: “The idea that the passage of the magical threshold is a transit to a sphere of rebirth is symbolized in the world image of the womb of the belly of the whale . The hero, instead of conquering or reconciling the power of the threshold, is swallowed up in the unknown and would have seemed to be dead (74). This stage is depicted in many hero stories and conjures up images of Jonah in the belly of a whale or, in a more modern context, the Millennium Falcon from George Lucas's Star Wars being pulled by the Star's tractor beam. Death. At this point, the hero appears to be completely surrounded and trapped in a hostile area or situation and it seems unlikely that he will be able to escape. For those familiar with Beowulf and The Song of Roland, this may sound familiar. In Beowulf, this stage occurs when the Norse hero enters Grendel's mother's lair to fight the beast. The reader learns that Beowulf addresses his companions before entering the lair and tells them what to do if he is not to return. This interaction immediately sets a dark tone to the scene in which Beowulf's death is a very possible outcome. We know that this lair, at the bottom of a lake, is isolated from any potential help when we are told "it was the best part of the day before he could see the solid bottom (line 1495-1496)". The remoteness of the lair is matched only by the savagery of Grendel's mother, as we are told: "The hero observed this swamp thing from hell, the tarn witch in all her terrible strength, then raised his war sword and swung his arm: the decorated blade. came down ringing and singing on his head. But he soon found his torch extinguished: the brilliant blade refused to bite (1518-1524).” Beowulf is isolated, surrounded by enemies, and struggles to overcome his obstacles. Even his companions believe him to be dead. This scene fits perfectly within the settings of Campbell's whale belly. Beowulf does not actually die in the lair, but rather defeats Grendel's mother and emerges victorious. It can be argued that Beowulf actually changed after this battle. He has cemented his place as a powerful warrior and hero and emerges from the lair with the ambition and platform to become a ruler, which he eventually does. Roland was not so lucky, however, and this fact marks a major distinction between the two's hero's journeys. Roland's belly of the whale stage takes placewhen he fought the Saracens in the rearguard. Similar to Beowulf's situation, Roland receives no help and is completely surrounded by enemies. Towards the end of the battle we are told: "as soon as Roland sees this outlaw race, whose members are all blacker than ink and have no white on them, except their teeth, the count said: Now I am absolutely sure, without a doubt, that we will die today (1932-1936). Roland eventually succumbs to death from the wounds he received during the battle and so it can be said that he actually perished in the figurative belly of the whale. Although Beowulf survives Roland, the two are similar in that they are both seemingly recipients. of supernatural help. Campbell describes the stage of supernatural help by saying: “Having answered his own call and continuing courageously to follow the consequences, the hero finds all the forces of the unconscious at his side. Mother Nature herself supports this colossal task. And to the extent that the hero's act coincides with that for which his society is ready, he seems to follow the great rhythm of the historical process (59). This is the case for Beowulf and Roland and the supernatural help takes the form of protection granted by God. Both stories were written by Christian authors and the evidence for this is abundant. In Beowulf, it is often the case that his seemingly incredible feats are attributed to the power and protection bestowed upon him by God. When telling Hrothgar Beowulf of his victory over Grendel's mother, he says: “It was a hard-fought affair, a desperate affair that might have gone wrong; if God had not helped me, the outcome would have been quick and fatal (1653-1657). Likewise, The Song of Roland is littered with Christian references and themes. Throughout the battle, Roland possesses seemingly supernatural strength and easily cuts down hundreds of Saracens. It is heavily implied that it is his Christian faith that allows him this ability. Also, when Roland dies, we are told: “Then God sent his angel Cherub and Saint Michael of the Sea and Peril; they came with Saint Gabriel and took the soul of the count to Paradise (2393-2397).” When Roland dies, God literally sends his angels and saints to deliver Roland's soul. Roland and Beowulf's faith, along with their impressive fighting skills, make a strong case as proof of supernatural help from above. While recognizing some of the heroic stages that Beowulf goes through and Roland helps us label them as heroes, we are left with the question of whether or not they are indeed "fallen" heroes? A fallen hero can be defined in many ways, but in the most basic sense it is a person who does something heroic and then dies. In this case, both Beowulf and Roland fit this description. However, the more interesting question is whether their fall or death marks the start of unrest for their people and, in a sense, sets the stage for some sort of broader societal downfall. Or does their death mean the start of new prosperity for their people? In Roland's case, I would say it is the latter solution. Although his death caused great grief to all French people, including Charlemagne, it can be argued that his death only cemented the power and virtue of the French. Immediately after his death, Charlemagne felt a great sense of loss and also felt that his kingdom would now be susceptible to attack: "Who will lead my armies with enough strength when he who has always guided us is dead?" (2926-2927)”. However Charlemagne quickly answers this question by defeating Marsilla and then killing Baligant in single combat. He.