Wiglaf excoriates them for their cowardice in leaving their king to fight the dragon by himself. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. Also, there are repeated hints that Beowulf will not survive this encounter. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1725 titles we cover. Beowulf and Wiglaf (Lines 27112845). On his return from Heorot, where he killed Grendel and Grendel's mother, Beowulf becomes king of the Geats and rules wisely for fifty years until a slave awakens and angers a dragon by stealing a jewelled cup from its lair. Most people know that the poem documents the struggle of the title character in vanquishing a monster named Beowulf and a troop of men leave to find the dragon's lair. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1725 titles we cover. [24] Before he faces the dragon, Beowulf thinks of his past: his childhood and wars the Geats endured during that period, foreshadowing the future. Not just Beowulf's own life is at stake. No, it turns out that the first part of Beowulfs name is more probably related to a pre-Christian god named Beow. 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. [2] Within the plot structure, however, the dragon functions differently in Beowulf than in Tolkien's fiction. Why does Grendels mother take back Grendels arm? After Heardred's death, Beowulf did become king and ruled his people well for 50 years. We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. [39] Adrien Bonjour opined in 1953 that the dragon's "ultimate significance in the poem" remains a "mystery". these shall the fire eat,/the blaze enfold--nor shall an earl wear these|rings as reminders, nor a fair maiden/wrap her throat/in a ring adornment, . But the poem doesnt begin with Beowulf. Save over 50% with a SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan! Under Beowulfs reign, the feuding with Sweden eventually ceased when Beowulf avenged Hygelacs death. [21] The people's fate depend on the outcome of the fight between the hero and the dragon, and, as a hero, Beowulf must knowingly face death. This is a matter of some conjecture, with guesses ranging anywhere between the eighth century and the first half of the eleventh century. Once the dragon found out that a piece of his treasure was missing, he left his shelter where his treasures were and flew out over the land, burning things as he rested. Beowulf also takes pains to protect his fame even in death through the creation of his barrow. PDF downloads of all 1725 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. I cannot however find any strong evidence to support Frederick Rebsamen's assertion that "the old curse will probably punish the Geats since they left much of the treasure undestroyed in the burial mound.". Travelling deeper into the monsters lair, Beowulf comes across the dying Grendel, and armed with his new magic sword decides to lop off the sons head as well, for good measure. Why does Beowulf want to see the treasure? WebWhen Beowulf sees the treasure, he thanks God for it and proclaims that he has sold his life well for the treasure. Unfortunately, the distinguishing feature of Beowulf's death is that his loyal retainers, with the exception of Wiglaf, failed to come to his aid when Beowulf could have used their help. At least 50 years have passed. The poem ends with his subsequent death and burial at sea. The poem continues to enjoy popularity, thanks to a bestselling translation by Seamus Heaney and a translation by J. R. R. Tolkien, which was only published in 2014. The way the content is organized, LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in. The dragon's motivation is vengeance even though the poet makes it clear that the fire-breathing reptile, like the deceased warriors, has no use for the cup or any of the rest of the treasure. At line 3028, it is written that the messenger's predictions eventually came true. He devotes his life to guarding a treasure that he frankly has no use for. not so far removed from, say, a James Bond or Indiana Jones film, or a fast-paced fantasy novel or superhero comic strip Yesbut also, surely, the Western? This is deliberate. Purchasing McKinstry and commented: And funnily enough, listening to a Mozart piano concerto, the same pattern was in the phrases, with the third line, the variation, leading of course to a musical resolution /transformation which enables the lead on the the complete next stage so, in this, there is Beowulf triumphs, Beowulf triumphs again, Beowulf triumphs but in this third phrase his phrase resolves with transformation/death. It begins to emerge nightly from its barrow to torment the countryside, still seething with rage at the theft. (For more on Tolkien, have a read of our five fascinating facts about him.). Previous [23] The dragon's hoard symbolizes the vestige of an older society, now lost to wars and famine, left behind by a survivor of that period. Talking of Tolkien, it was his influential 1936 essay, Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics, which was really responsible for a shift in the way that people read Beowulf. dawn-scorcher, flame-snake, the worm epithets for the dragon. Grendel and his mother, then, are similarly outcasts, something that has been rejected by mainstream society and whose violence must be overcome. Removing #book# How utterly fascinating! All the treasure that the dragon had was put on a ship with Now I have given my old life/for this treasure hoard; fulfill henceforth/the people's needs; I may stay here no longer. Accessed 2 May 2023. Who are the experts?Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions. Onela killed Geat King Heardred. The Beowulf dragon was adapted for Middle-earth in J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit (1937), one of the forerunners of modern high fantasy. The hoard, because it stands as a symbol of betrayal, is put into Beowulf's barrow where it lies for all time as "useless to men" as when it lay in the dragon's barrow. Indeed, during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries many scholars endeavoured to show that the author of Beowulf had been influenced by these classical works, but, in summary, the truth appears to be far more interesting. [46] Aia Hussein of the National Endowment for the Humanities has written that the fight between Harry Potter and the Hungarian Horntail in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2000) by J. K. Rowling was influenced by the confrontation between the dragon and the title character in Beowulf.[47]. Filled with grief and rage, she retrieves the arm from Heorot and kills another Scylding in the process. When the monster appears, Beowulf and his men attack the troll-like monster with their swords. In lines 2912-2998, he reminds them of past battles between the Geats and other groups, referred to variously as Franks, Frisians, Merovingian, Swedes and Battle-Scylfings. He begins to plot his revenge. 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. [41], The poet Seamus Heaney, author of a major translation of Beowulf, suggests that Beowulf's attitude towards fighting the dragon reflects his "chthonic wisdom refined in the crucible of experience", that is there is already a "beyond-the-grave aspect" to his resoluteness. maybe I should have stuck with reading English instead of switching to Philosophy and obtained a better class of degree than the Gentlemans I ended up woth (a pass, just like T S Eliot). People from neighboring tribes have respectfully contributed to the rich decorations and intricate designs. The odds continue to be stacked against our hero, the difficulties multiplying, the tension raised to an almost unbearable pitch. By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University). It is a place of light, warmth, and joy, contrasting with Grendel's morbid swamp as well as the dark and cold of winters in Scandinavia. Contact us An Interesting Summary | the shadows illuminated. Tolkien also argues that Beowulfs death following his combat with the dragon represents a fitting and more elemental end for the hero, who had successfully vanquished the monster Grendel and Grendels mother (who, although not human, were nevertheless closer to man than a dragon). Although he is now an old man, Beowulf believes that he can defeat the dragon by himself. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. Start your 48-hour free trial to get access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts. The cave itself represents a world alien to Heorot. Much of this section is retrospective and nostalgic, as Beowulf, sensing that his end is near, feels compelled to rehearse the story of his distinguished life. Meanwhile, his kinsman Wiglaf scolds the other members of the troop for not going in to help, before coming to Beowulf's aid. Dickerson and O'Hara further elaborated that through its dragon, Beowulf turned the "notion of having a monstrous evil (and not mere human foes) as the enemy" into "a hallmark of modern fantasy" present in C. S. Lewis' Narnia books, Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea books, and the Thomas Covenant series by Stephen Donaldson. The film being referenced in the comment above by poetmcgonagall, is a film adaptation of Michael Crightons excellent Eaters of the Dead which gives a facinating take on the Beowulf/Grendel legend. Soon it is Geatlands turn to face terror. The legend of the dragon-slayer already existed in Norse sagas such as the tale of Sigurd and Fafnir, and the Beowulf poet incorporates motifs and themes common to dragon-lore in the poem. Interesting post (!) In Often a symbol is emblematic of the values of the characters. [37] Raymond Wilson Chambers, in his Beowulf: An Introduction to the Study of the Poem with a Discussion of the Stories of Offa and Finn, says that Beowulf's dragon acts like "the typical dragon of Old English proverbial lore" because he guards treasure. Are you sure you want to remove #bookConfirmation# Since translation is a form of interpretation, I believe Heaneys translation is particularly biased in thinking about Beowulf in the ancient Ango-Saxon tale and makes Beowulf a more complex character than the original tale describes, torn by his glorious role as epic hero and his duty to his people within a carefully constructed social structure. This is available in the Norton Critical Edition of. Fortunes, however, do change, as Hrothgar predicted. The claw is hung high beneath Heorot's roof (most likely on the outside beneath the gables) as a symbol of Beowulf's victory. In lines 3151-3155, a woman sings a grief song, in which she says that she fears that the Geats will soon experience invasion, death, slavery, shame, and terror. Theres an excellent film called The Thirteenth Warrior, in which an exiled Islamic poet joins a band of Vikings to defeat what appears to be a Beowulfian monster attacking a hall. Wiglaf decides that the treasure hoard, because it is tainted by the cowardice of the men who should have supported Beowulf, should become part of Beowulf's funeral pyre and barrow: . SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. So, the warriors end up building Beowulf his funeral pyre and burying the dragon's hoard with his ashes. Thus the characters role is split and this binary role is portrayed in different ways depending on the translation of Beowulf. Eadgils and Eanmund Ohthere's sons, Swedes. "[8] Furthermore, Tolkien believes the Beowulf poet emphasizes the monsters Beowulf fights in the poem and claims the dragon is as much of a plot device as anything. This is, of course, because Anglo-Saxon (i.e. I think it is because people could relate to, and thus embrace, the faults of Arthur over the heroism in Beowulf. Latest answer posted August 24, 2018 at 7:08:52 AM, Latest answer posted October 27, 2017 at 8:44:42 AM. On the cliff outside the barrow, Beowulf speaks to his men, recounting his youth as a ward in King Hrethels court. Grendel flees, eventually dying of his wound. [7], Beowulf scholar J. R. R. Tolkien considered the dragon in Beowulf to be one of only two real dragons in northern European literature, writing of it, "dragons, real dragons, essential both to the machinery and the ideas of a poem or tale, are actually rare. As descendants of Cain, they are associated with sorcery, black magic, demons, ancient runes, and hell itself. cant even agree on what the first line of the poem means, Beowulf: A Translation and Commentary, together with Sellic Spell, Lewis Carrolls nonsense masterpiece, Jabberwocky, Christopher Bookers phrase for this type of narrative, Happy Tolkien Reading Day! [5], The dragon with his hoard is a common motif in early Germanic literature with the story existing to varying extents in the Norse sagas, but it is most notable in the Vlsunga saga and in Beowulf. [2] Nonetheless, comparative contemporary narratives did not have the complexity and distinctive elements written into Beowulf's dragon scene. WebHe tells Wiglaf to look after the Geats when he is gone. The dragon's treasure-trove poignantly represents the vanity of human wishes as well as the mutability of time. The ancient treasures in the hoard once belonged to a regional tribe of warriors who were killed in battle some 300 years previously. The treasure hoard, without a people to use and "polish" it, is useless. False pride? LitCharts Teacher Editions. Seamus Heaney, Translators Introduction, pp. and any corresponding bookmarks? Beowulf now is clearly an old man. Queen Hygd offered Beowulf the throne after her husband (Hygelac) died, thinking that her young son (Heardred) was unable to protect the kingdom; Beowulf refused but served the young king faithfully. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. [2] Beowulf is the earliest surviving piece of Anglo-Saxon literature to feature a dragon, and it is possible that the poet had access to similar stories from Germanic legend. | For 300 years, the dragon has peacefully guarded a treasure-trove, originally the riches of a now-defunct tribe but long hidden in a "high barrow-hall, / towering stone-mound" (2212-13). Youve successfully purchased a group discount. At his death, peace in his lands will end, and his people will again suffer a period of war and hardship. Very Interesting. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. Despite the odds being stacked against him, he manages to overcome the monster, to borrow Christopher Bookers phrase for this type of narrative. They had a feud with their uncle, Onela, and were temporarily sheltered by Heardred. Interestingly, Beowulf's initial reaction is a feeling of guilt. He takes what he can back with him to Beowulf, making haste lest Beowulf should die before he sees what he has won. (For a chronology of the Geats' feuds, see Chickering, pp. to start your free trial of SparkNotes Plus. 98-100. [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. When Beowulf sees the treasure, he thanks God for it and proclaims that he has sold his life well for the treasure. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. In addition, the "gold of the ancients was wrapped in a spell" when it was stored away, and it seems clear that it was not the man in lines 2247-2252 who cast the spell, nor his companions, who had all died, but rather some previous race. Can he still save the day, when everything he tries seems to be of no avail? The dragon, like Grendel, only Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. WebWhat happens to the dragon's treasure in Beowulf? The circumstances surrounding and leading up to Beowulfs confrontation with the dragon prepare us for a climactic spectacle. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. If you enjoyed this brief summary of, and introduction to,Beowulf, then you can learn more about the poem hereat the British Library website. Is there a work of literature, similar to Beowulf, where the hero fights a monster to save his kingdom? The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. Before he dies, Beowulf gives Wiglaf his golden necklace, rings, mail shirt, and gold-covered helmet. Educators go through a rigorous application process, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team. At this point, we assume that the gold hoard will be taken out of the dragon's barrow and put to use. The sword melts to its hilt after Beowulf uses it to decapitate eNotes Editorial, 16 Sep. 2016, https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-happens-dragons-hoard-330006. The scene includes extended flashbacks to the Geatish-Swedish wars, a detailed description of the dragon and the dragon-hoard, and ends with intricate funerary imagery. The problem starts when a fugitive, apparently a runaway slave, stumbles across the Before long, however, the aging warrior focuses on his responsibility as protector and prepares to face the monster in battle. The unknown ancestor who buries the treasure, for example, behaves as mournfully as if he were actually burying his deceased kinsmenor, indeed, himself. These aspects seem to be hard-wired within us and to be integral parts of human nature: for instance, ideas of bravery and of triumphing over an evil, superhuman force. The treasure also brings about Beowulfs death. Possibly the poems Christian narrator sees greed for treasure as a kind of spiritual death, suffered by pagans who value treasure over Heaven. The dragon hoards his treasure in a barrow, that is, a grave. . You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. on 50-99 accounts. Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. The poet recounts the death of King Hygelac in combat in Friesland. [28] As king of his people, Beowulf defends them against the dragon, and when his thanes desert him, the poem shows the disintegration of a "heroic society" which "depends upon the honouring of mutual obligations between lord and thane". Teachers and parents! Instant downloads of all 1725 LitChart PDFs May 1, 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 It towers high and is compared to a cliff. Well start with a brief summary ofBeowulfbefore proceeding to some textual analysis and critical reading. 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". Time passes, and Hygelac dies in battle with the Franks. "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. Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. He speaks of the mutability of time and the loss of the good men, heroes, and princes, who no longer have any use for the treasure. He believes that he has somehow offended God. The hero takes it upon himself to save the kingdom at immense personal risk to himself. The second part passes rapidly over King Hygelacs subsequent death in a battle (of historical record), the death of his son, and Beowulfs succession to the kingship and his peaceful rule of 50 years. But now a fire-breathing dragon ravages his land and the doughty but aging Beowulf engages it. The dragon is the opposite of a good king, hoarding treasure instead of rewarding loyalty and building a society. They placed in the barrow rings and jewels, All such ornaments as erst in the treasure. [45], J. R. R. Tolkien used the dragon story of Beowulf as a template for Smaug of The Hobbit; in each case, the dragon awakens upon the hoard being disturbed by one stealing a chalice and goes into a wrathful rampage until slain by another person. [29], Wiglaf remains loyal to his king and stays to confront the dragon. He takes what he can back with him to Beowulf, making haste But this action has consequences, and is in fact merely the prologue to a bigger conflict that must take place: that between Beowulf and Grendels mother. Fantastic article, it was education and entertaining all at once. In fact, gold can be seen as a symbol of social interaction: a lord rewards SparkNotes PLUS So, to begin, a brief synopsis. Beowulf feels that death will be easier to bear if he can look at the treasure with his own eyes. As translator Seamus Heaney points out in his introduction, the idea of gold in the Sigemund episode is associated almost entirely with goodness and honor, while here it is also associated with greed, theft, evil, and death. He ignores the vast treasure in the cave, instead choosing to carry the magnificent, huge head as symbolic of his victory over both ogres. Whereas the earlier clash establishes Beowulfs reputation as a hero, we know this last clash must seal Beowulfs heroic reputation forever. It was only rescued from obscurity in 1815, when an Icelandic-Danish scholar named Thorkelin printed an edition of the poem. One thing that the basic overarching story or plot summary ofBeowulf makes clear is just how formative and archetypal it is, not just in heroic English literature, but in fantasy literature, too. TO CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION AND AVOID BEING CHARGED, YOU MUST CANCEL BEFORE THE END OF THE FREE TRIAL PERIOD. He tells them that they will not have the treasure, because they have disgraced themselves. However, in order to be recognized as heroic hero, Beowulf must participate in society in some meaningful way. Critical Essays Tolkien also argued that the poem is not an epic but anelegy, ending as it does with the moving account of its heros funeral. "[44], In From Homer to Harry Potter: A Handbook on Myth and Fantasy, Matthew Dickerson and David O'Hara argue that the Beowulf poet added the figure of the dragon to "the potthat is ladled out of by most modern fantasy writers"; they argued that both numerous works with villainous dragons, as well as literature with benign dragons like the My Father's Dragon books and the Pern series by Anne McCaffrey, were influenced by Beowulf's dragon. funnily enough with a podcast i was listening to yesterday made by a music blogger, who did a 20 minute podcast on the 12 bar blues https://goodmusicspeaks.wordpress.com/good-music-speaks-podcast-3/. A great dragon lurks beneath the earth, jealously guarding its treasure, until one day a thief manages to infiltrate the barrow, or mound, where the treasure lies. In lines 2892-2897a, Wiglaf commands a messenger to go back to town, and give a report to the citizens who had not seen the battle with the dragon. When Wiglaf enters the dragon's tower, he sees piles of gold, precious gems, and priceless tableware strewn about. In a parallel that cannot be missed, the dragon does the same, in a slightly different way, to Beowulf. But this next conflict will prove even more difficult: as well as swords being useless, the strong sword (Hrunting) given to Beowulf by Unferth will also be powerless against Grendels mother. Yet Beowulfs premonition of his own death attests to his strong sense of fate, an important component of these characters self-conceptions. He commissions a mighty shield from the iron-smith, one that hehopes will stand up against the breath of flame. What happens in Beowulf, the jewel in the crown of Anglo-Saxon poetry? This plot, as our brief summary of Beowulf above suggests,shares many of the typical elements of heroic narratives. The problem starts when a fugitive, apparently a runaway slave, stumbles across the dragon's treasure-trove. Perhaps someone will (or has) written a history of the treasure and the barrow - it could make a very adventurous tale, in which Beowulf's battle with the dragon, and the reinternment of the treasure in his funeral mound (the gold having gone back into the earth for the third time) might be merely one short chapter. The other is dark and dank and full of evil, beneath a mere in the middle of a fen and the symbolic home of resentful outcasts. Log in here. Hrethels grief at the accident is great, but because of the peculiar circumstances surrounding his sons death, Hrethel is locked in inaction. I must make amends! But this much constitutes a reasonably complete summary of the plot ofBeowulf. He cuts the dragon in the belly to reduce the flames, and Beowulf deals the fatal blow. Well, yes though for a while the chances of Beowulf triumphing are looking less and less likely. The poem actually begins with Scyld Sheffings funeral, and it ends with Beowulfs. Years pass. swift roan Horses played an important role among the royalty, but most of the fighting was executed on foot. Complete your free account to request a guide. The problem is that Beowulf was a young man during those glorious battles. What feats has Beowulf already accomplished [when he is introduced]? The cave also represents their heritage. You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv@bn.com. When was Beowulfwritten? from your Reading List will also remove any bookmarked pages associated with this title. The poet has no reservations about giving away his ending.
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