The following terms are important to understanding the heroic archetypes often found in literature, movies, television, etc. While not all may be present, the commonalities in heroic characters are undeniable. Other terms are important, yet difficult, names and places valuable to the comprehension of Beowulf. Also included are vocabulary terms appropriate to the study of Anglo-Saxon times and the myth of Beowulf.
Terms : Hide Images
| 532738754 | Unusual birth | Often born in danger or into royalty | |
| 532738755 | Leaves family | Raised away from family or separated from home | |
| 532738756 | Traumatic event | The hero's life is changed forever | |
| 532738757 | Special weapon | Only the hero can access or wield the weapon | |
| 532738758 | Supernatural help | The hero often has spiritual guidance from an external force | |
| 532738759 | Proves himself on quest | Performs feats on journey that shows his strength | |
| 532738760 | Journey and unhealable wound | Hero often travels to a hell-like place and suffers a wounding from an evil force | |
| 532738761 | Atonement with father | Hero either redeems father's evil deeds or reconciles with father | |
| 532738762 | Apotheosis | Hero is awarded spiritually at the end of his life | |
| 532738763 | Departure | Hero leaves or is forced to leave his home for an adventure | |
| 532738764 | Initiation | Hero undergoes trials and tests to prove his strength or bravery | |
| 532738765 | Return | Often the hero returns home to bless his family and friends with some reward | |
| 532738766 | Herald | Additional character who delivers messages to hero | |
| 532738767 | Mentor | Often gives aid (physical or supernatural) to hero on journey | |
| 532738768 | Shapeshifter | Someone the hero does not feel he can trust, but the hero still needs him | |
| 532738769 | The Goddess | Either an actual goddess or a female character taking the characteristics of being worshipped | |
| 532738770 | The Temptress | Characterized by sensuous beauty, this woman is one to whom the protagonist is physically attracted and who ultimately may bring about his downfall | |
| 532738771 | Helpers | Those involved with the hero who have a stake in his success or failure | |
| 532738772 | The Treasure | The "thing" for which the hero has been searching | |
| 570033473 | Geat | Beowulf's nationality | |
| 570033474 | Dane | Grendel's victims | |
| 570033475 | Grendel | Monster attacking Herot Hall | |
| 570033476 | Beowulf | Geat hero and future king | |
| 570033477 | Hrothgar | King of the Danes | |
| 570033478 | Herot | meadhall of the Danes | |
| 570033479 | Healfdane | Hrothgar's father | |
| 570033480 | Edgetho | Beowulf's father | |
| 570033481 | Higlac | Geat king and Beowulf's uncle | |
| 570033482 | Thane | Title for a feudal lord | |
| 570033483 | Wulfgar | Dane who greets Beowulf and his men; feudal lord | |
| 570033484 | Hrethel | Beowulf grandfather; past king of the Geats | |
| 570033485 | Unferth | Danes greatest warrior; Ecglaf's son | |
| 570050598 | Brecca | Beowulf's friend; Bonstan's son | |
| 570050599 | Welthow | Dane's Queen; Hrothgar's wife | |
| 570050600 | Hrunting | Beowulf's sword | |
| 570050601 | Wiglaf | Last to fight dragon with Beowulf; Wexstan's son; Geat's next king | |
| 570064791 | oppression | prolonged cruel or unjust treatment | |
| 570064792 | repression | subdue someone or something by force | |
| 570064793 | suppression | the act of forcibly putting an end to something | |
| 570064794 | allusion | an expression to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly | |
| 570064795 | epic | a long poem derived from ancient oral tradition | |
| 570064796 | spawn | produce offspring, typically undesirable | |
| 570064797 | exile | the state of being barred from one's native country | |
| 570064798 | sprawled | sit, lie, or fall with one's arms and legs apart in an awkward way | |
| 570064799 | motif | a distinctive feature or idea in literature | |
| 570064800 | embellishments | a decorative detail added to something to make it more attractive | |
| 570064801 | communal | shared by all members of a community for common use | |
| 570064802 | descents | the origin or background of a person in terms of family or nationality | |
| 570064803 | depicts | portray in words | |
| 570064804 | feudal | according to the dominant social system in medieval Europe | |
| 570064805 | mortal (adj.) | subject to death | |
| 570064806 | besieged | surrounded by enemies | |
| 570064807 | lurk | lie in wait, lie in ambush, behave in a sneaky and secretive manner | |
| 570064808 | ethical | conforming to accepted standards of social or professional behavior | |
| 570064809 | glorification | a portrayal of something as ideal, the act of glorifying (as in worship) | |
| 570064810 | bard | a lyric poet |
