[14] The characteristics of Beowulf's dragon appear to be specific to the poem, and the poet may have melded together dragon motifs to create a dragon with specific traits that weave together the complicated plot of the narrative. Although the analogy might seem a little crude, the mechanics of the plot are not so far removed from, say, a James Bond or Indiana Jones film, or a fast-paced fantasy novel or superhero comic strip. Hygelac fell while Beowulf survived thanks to his great strength and swimming ability. Well, yes though for a while the chances of Beowulf triumphing are looking less and less likely. Hygelac's death (c. 520 AD) is one historical event in the epic; it was recorded by Saint Gregory of Tours in his Historia Francorum. This depiction indicates the growing importance and stabilization of the modern concept of the dragon within European mythology. [10] The Beowulf dragon is described with Old English terms such as draca (dragon), and wyrm (reptile, or serpent), and as a creature with a venomous bite. Beowulf: The Dragon (Lines 22002323) Summary What happens to the treasure in Beowulf? WebIn Beowulf, gold, treasure, and gifts are less important for their economic value than their social value. And anyone whos a Tolkien fan should read his essay. It is also provocative that the Geats, despite being advised by Wiglaf's messenger to burn the treasure, bury it in his funeral mound instead, leaving the possibility that someone could unearth it again in the future. The messenger describes the death scene to the citizens, and then, at line 2912, tells them that their enemies will soon find out that Beowulf is dead, and come after them, taking advantage of their new weakness. They are 'inmates of hell', 'adversaries of God', 'offspring of Cain', 'enemies of mankind'.And so Beowulf, for all that he moves in the world of the primitive Heroic Age of the Germans, nevertheless is almost a Christian knight". [20] In contrast with the previous battles, the fight with the dragon occurs in Beowulf's kingdom and ends in defeat, whereas Beowulf fought the other monsters victoriously in a land distant from his home. The hero takes it upon himself to save the kingdom at immense personal risk to himself. Beowulf is from a different kingdom the nearby Geatland, in modern-day Sweden so we have one of the classic tropes of adventure narratives, that of the hero leaving home to go and vanquish some foe in a foreign land. It opens with an account of a Danish king named Hrothgar, who was the one responsible for building a great hall (named Heorot), a hall which is now being terrorised by the monstrous Grendel. A Summary and Analysis of Beowulf Interesting Literature The parallel in the story lies with the similarity to Beowulf's hero Sigemund and his companion: Wiglaf is a younger companion to Beowulf and, in his courage, shows himself to be Beowulf's successor. He believes that he has somehow offended God. This suggests that different cultures, in these old days of oral storytelling, utilised the same methods in very different works of literature, without having direct knowledge of each other. He and his thanes climb to the dragon's lair where, upon seeing the beast, the thanes flee in terror, leaving only Wiglaf to battle at Beowulf's side. The pattern is the establishment of the house of the Geats, the rescue of the house of Heorot by destroyng the house of Grendel, and the end of the house of the Geats with Beowulf. The foreshadowing is even more specific immediately after Beowulf orders his new shield; the poet bluntly reveals that the king is "to reach the end of his seafaring days, / his life in this world, together with the serpent" (242-43). [29], Wiglaf remains loyal to his king and stays to confront the dragon. Why does the dragon attack Beowulf's kingdom? . All glory is fleeting. I wanted to share it with you all. WebSomeone accidentally took his treasure Beowulf worries that which of the following is the reason for the dragon's attacks: He offended God How does Beowulf feel as he Beowulf feels that death will be easier to bear if he can look at the treasure with his own eyes. Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaneys translation in particular equates Beowulf with the dragon, another other figure, in a way that is not replicated by the other translators to emphasize Beowulfs role as a distinct hero. Although the Beowulf dragon exhibits many existing motifs common to Germanic tradition, the Beowulf poet was the first to combine features and present a distinctive fire-breathing dragon. The ancient treasures in the hoard once belonged to a regional tribe of warriors; almost the entire tribe was killed in battle some 300 years previously. But what is less well known is that Beowulf has to slay not one big monster, but three: after he has taken care of Grendel, the dead monsters mother shows up, and she proves even more of a challenge for our hero (though ultimately Beowulf triumphs and wins the day). [30][31] The presence of a companion is seen as a motif in other dragon stories, but the Beowulf poet breaks hagiographic tradition with the hero's suffering (hacking, burning, stabbing) and subsequent death. WebIn Beowulf, some of the most important symbols are Hrothgar's mead-hall, Grendel's cave, Grendel's arm and head, and the dragon's treasure-trove. Is he driven by vanity? Why does Unferth question Beowulfs ability? | Interesting Literature, Five Fascinating Facts about Jabberwocky | Interesting Literature, Five Fascinating Facts about Geoffrey Chaucer | Interesting Literature, 10 Short Medieval Poems Everyone Should Read | Interesting Literature, What Happens in Beowulf? I have often wondered why the Beowulf story was lost for so long. The way the content is organized, LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in. "Cain's monstrous progeny in Beowulf: part I, Noachic tradition", "The Dragon-Lore of Middle-earth: Tolkien and Old English and Old Norse Tradition", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_dragon_(Beowulf)&oldid=1136193441, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 29 January 2023, at 05:14.
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