Journeys in Narrative

Journeys in Narrative

The Ordinary World Stage of the Monomyth in Beowulf by Anonymous

In the recapitulation sections of this module, we reviewed how the Ordinary World stage of the hero’s journey was manifest in both of our earlier readings: The Epic of Gilgamesh and Euripides’ Medea. In the previous module, you also had an AVP that illustrated the concept of the Ordinary World in six, famous Hollywood films. Now, let’s discuss the Ordinary World as it appears in Beowulf by Anonymous. Go back and review Vogler’s theory material if you need to. To fully understand this stage, you have to really see (a.) the distinctions between the two worlds of the hero/heroine’s journey and (b.) where one ends and the other begins (like gateway). Remember, the Ordinary World is the symbolic opposite of the Extraordinary World the hero or heroine must enter into on their journey/adventure. The land of the Extraordinary World is uncommon, special, and unfamiliar to the Hero—often a frightening place. The land of the Ordinary World is, by contrast, is common, non-special, and familiar to the Hero—often mundane and sometimes boring. We need to establish that for this exercise. Cite passages (use quotations and MLA parenthetical citations with page/line numbers) from both Vogler and Beowulf by Anonymous to fully support your answer.

No more than 250 words

Solution Preview

In this context, the stages of a hero’s journey are made up of ten stages that describe the adventure of the Heroine figure from Vogler and Campbell. Joseph Campbell’s monomyth can be defined as a hero’s journey. The poem Beowulf is a good example of his monomyth where it follows a hero and his adventures.

(330 words)