On Courage, Honor, and the Human Experience
Moral Codes and the Hero's Journey
All stories, epics, and fables mysteriously contain recurring elements. Collectively, these patterns and structures are called "The Hero's Journey," as articulated by Joseph Campbell in his iconic book The Hero with a Thousand Faces. From the Call to Adventure to the Supreme Ordeal, these recurring elements have been examined, analyzed, and organized into a useful framework for writers to implement within their own fictions—each shaped profoundly by the moral code the hero follows. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and the epic Beowulf, both protagonists heed the Call to Adventure by embarking on perilous journeys that lead them from the comfort or familiarity of the ordinary world into the dangers of their purposeful fate which will test their mettle. Gawain's path is governed by the chivalric code of courtly behavior—emphasizing nobility of character, self-control, and courtesy; while Beowulf's heroic code (i.e. Germanic code) reflects courage, loyalty, generosity, high moral standards, and vengeance. By comparing and contrasting the ways each poem weaves each hero's respective codes into each stage of the Hero's Journey, we can begin to unravel the mysteries of how each code impacts each quest differently.
The Call to Adventure, Refusal, and Acceptance
In both poems, the Call to Adventure leads each hero from the comfort and familiarity of their everyday lives into the darkness and uncertainty of the unknown. Gawain is reluctant but compelled by chivalric code, when Bernlak de Hautdesert, as the Green Knight, issues his beheading challenge, orchestrated by the might of Morgan le Fay. By contrast, Beowulf's call arrives when Hrothgar's hall, Heorot, is terrorized by Grendel. When news reaches Beowulf, he reacts without hesitation and with glorious purpose. While neither hero refuses, Beowulf feels no fear of dishonor. Gawain is compelled to react out of duty to his King, while Beowulf reacts out of duty for his own reputation greeting the adventure with eager confidence. Heroic code prizes strength and fame by the exercise of great and daring courage. Beowulf throws caution to the wind and leaps at the opportunity for glory and renown.
The Unknown, Supernatural Aid, and Talismans
Once the heroes are committed to this quest, they embark into the unknown and enter into a world of uncertainty filled with dangers, supernatural creatures, unnatural beauty, and the looming threat of death at every turn. Each hero stumbles upon a form of supernatural aid or talisman. For Gawain, while he wields the pentangle-emblazoned shield symbolizing his five virtues, his talisman is undoubtedly Lady Bernlak's girdle. Beowulf's supernatural aid appears as a mysterious and ancient giant-sword "mid the war-gems" of Grendel's mother's lair. The sword is said to have been "the work of the giants," "brightly it glimmered," and "melted entirely" after being burnt by the "strange-spirit poisonous" blood of Grendel's decapitated head after the battle with his mother. Both heroes tread into realms beyond normal human experience—Gawain into a wild chapel near Christmas tide, Beowulf into dark, flooded, swampy mere—but their aids symbolize their respective codes: Gawain's shield and girdle embody moral virtues, while Beowulf's sword and faith emphasize warfare and destiny.
The Supreme Ordeal and Times of Testing
The Climax or Supreme Ordeal, which fully tests each hero's adherence to their respective codes, prepares them for the final showdown. Everything that they have endured has led them to this point. Gawain endures the psychological strain of being decapitated by three feigned axe blows from the Green Knight. His flinching, shame, and subsequent mocking by the Green Knight at the first blow bring him to humiliation. His acceptance and standing still "as a stone, or a stump that is twisted into the rocky ground with a hundred roots" at the second blow. Finally, the third blow, which lightly nicks his neck, bringing about "blood glint on the snow," causing him to leap "a spear's length." These instances reveal the tension between self-preservation and honesty. Gawain's failure to disclose the girdle shows cowardice but also serves as a lesson that true chivalry includes humility and penance. In Beowulf, the Supreme Ordeal occurs in his final battle with the dragon, the "people-despoiler," the "fierce-raging fire drake." Though aged, Beowulf fights the dragon wielding the sword Naegling, which fails him and causes him to use his war-knife and manages to land the killing blow. Beowulf is mortally wounded by the poisonous bite of the dragon and eventually succumbs to his wounds. Heroic code demanded Beowulf's duty to his people and fame over personal safety—even unto death. Both ordeals reflect their respective codes: Gawain's survival coupled with moral growth, and Beowulf's death securing his legend.
Conclusion
While Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Beowulf both lead us through the Hero's Journey, their heroes' quests diverge because of the codes they embody. Through their trials, both heroes confront adversity from external sources as well as internal ones—each shaped by the codes in which they adhere. Gawain's journey emphasizes moral integrity within a chivalric framework that values humility alongside bravery. Gawain's experiences also bring to light the subtle attributes of repentance and the acceptance of imperfection. Beowulf's quest, governed by heroic code, celebrates physical courage and the pursuit of glory and renown—even at the cost of life itself. The Christian knight learns virtue through trial, and the Germanic warrior achieves glory through conquest, each fulfilling Campbell's archetype in their own ways. By comparing both poems, the significance of how moral codes shape the destinies of our heroes is made manifest. A light is shown on understanding courage, honor, and the human experience.
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Together in action, united in spirit, aligned in purpose. Ordo Luminis.