The deaths of Beowulf and Odysseus: narrative time and mythological tale-types

Juxtaposing the stories of Beowulf ’s and Odysseus’ deaths highlights some dis­tinctive features of each, with particular attention to narrative time. In Beowulf, the triad of symbols ‘death-dragon-hoard’ emerges as a meaningful constellation, with an underlying tale-type concerned with death, immortality, and narrative resolution, as illustrated by com­paranda such as Gilgamesh. In the Odyssey, by contrast, death and resolution are deferred to an indefinite future. The standard narrative of Odysseus’ death, the Telegonos legend, is a variant of the ‘mortal combat of the father and son’ tale-type, and is a fuller exemplar of that type than has been appreciated.