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. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1725 titles we cover. CliffsNotes Symbolically, Heorot represents the achievements of the Scyldings, specifically Hrothgar, and their level of civilization. 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. In Heorot, Hrothgar celebrates his victories and rewards his thanes (warriors) with various treasures. "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. Beowulf and his men spend the night at Heorot and wait for Grendel to turn up. Reblogged this on F.T. Removing #book# R. D. Fulk and Joseph Harris, Beowulfs Name, pp. Wiglaf excoriates them for their cowardice in leaving their king to fight the dragon by himself. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. xxiii-xxxvii. Just as the dead warriors cannot use the treasure, neither can the dragon. Although it is celebrated nowadays as an important work of Anglo-Saxon indeed, English literature, Beowulf was virtually unknown and forgotten about, amazingly, for nearly a thousand years. The tribe's fortunes have turned. If you enjoyed this brief summary of, and introduction to,Beowulf, then you can learn more about the poem hereat the British Library website. Latest answer posted August 24, 2018 at 7:08:52 AM, Latest answer posted October 27, 2017 at 8:44:42 AM. Battle-Scylfings Swedes. Not just Beowulf's own life is at stake. All glory is fleeting. Sometimes God and wyrd are virtually interchangeable in the poem, possibly the result of Christian substitution. 2023 Course Hero, Inc. All rights reserved. You can view our. Fantastic article, it was education and entertaining all at once. Beowulf, despite his tendency to boast a bit (isnt that where we get kennings? eNotes Editorial, 16 Sep. 2016, https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-happens-dragons-hoard-330006. the language of the Angles and Saxons from north Germany)wasOld English (the two terms are used synonymously), and at the very latest the poem was written down some time in the early eleventh century, before 1066 and the Norman invasion, which would bring many French words into English and would pave the way for Middle English (or the English of the Middle Ages). Beowulf is the first piece of English literature to present a dragonslayer. But then trouble strikes, changing his situation when he's an old man. WebThe Danes bury the treasure because this was one of Beowulf's last commands before dying after fighting the dragon. Interestingly, Beowulf's initial reaction is a feeling of guilt. "What happens to the dragon's hoard?" The dragon's hoard is buried with Beowulf's ashes. When Beowulf hears of the dragon's night raids, the king initially wonders if he could have angered God in some way, bringing this trouble to his people. He begins to plot his revenge. People from neighboring tribes have respectfully contributed to the rich decorations and intricate designs. 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. "[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. A Summary and Analysis of Beowulf Interesting Literature Always aware of his battle gear, he orders a new shield to replace his old linden-wood protector; this one is to be covered with the strongest iron. I cant quite read the Old English, but I love to read the different translations. After Heardred's death, Beowulf did become king and ruled his people well for 50 years. $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% 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. Also, there are repeated hints that Beowulf will not survive this encounter. 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! Most people know that the poem documents the struggle of the title character in vanquishing a monster named Grendel. Instant PDF downloads. 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. An Interesting Summary | the shadows illuminated. 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 dragon is the opposite of a good king, hoarding treasure instead of rewarding loyalty and building a society. Three funerals are described in Beowulf. His son, Heardred, inherits the throne, with Beowulf's support, but is also slain. The final encounter, with the dragon years later, will prove the most difficult of all and although he is successful and overcomes the monster, he will pay the ultimate price: victory will come at the cost of his own life. Want 100 or more? The dragon fight, near the end of the poem, is foreshadowed in earlier scenes. At line 2999, he says that these past battles are the reason why he is expecting trouble to rain down on the Geats, and so, at line 3010, he says that the treasure should be burned in its entirety in Beowulf's funeral pyre. Beowulf then asks that a barrow be built on a cliff overlooking the sea that sea travelers will later call Beowulf's barrow. on 50-99 accounts. It towers high and is compared to a cliff. Contact us The story is about overcoming an evil foe, only to have to give way to death at the end: even heroes must accept that they will not live forever, even if their names will. Critics cant even agree on what the first line of the poem means. Already a member? It left Beowulf to do the seeking out". But the poem doesnt begin with Beowulf. In his death-speech, Beowulf nominates Wiglaf as his heir and asks for a monument to be built for him on the shoreline. [12], The third act of the poem differs from the first two. Courageous and determined, if not quite the man he once was, the old warrior sets off. 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. "[13], A study of German and Norse texts reveals three typical narratives for the dragonslayer: a fight for the treasure, a battle to save the slayer's people, or a fight to free a woman. Now an old king, Beowulf grieves and wonders what he might have done to deserve such punishment from God. The intruder, a slave on the run from a hard-handed master, intends no harm by his theft and flees in a panic with the goblet. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. Beowulf is the oldest extant heroic poem in English and the first to present a dragon slayer. Is there a work of literature, similar to Beowulf, where the hero fights a monster to save his kingdom? [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. [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. As the anonymous messenger 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". When Beowulf tracks her to the mere and ends up in her underwater cave, he has no more interest in the claw. But hand-to-hand combat which was deployed successfully in the vanquishing of Grendel is also of no use now. [36] In his 1935 work Beowulf and the Seventh Century, Ritchie Girvan writes that Beowulf should be seen as having some degree of historical accuracy despite the presence of a dragon in it; he argues that "Tales of dragons as well as a belief in dragons survived till recent times, and the popular mind is apt to accept with credulity stories of water-monsters. Ongentheow Scylfings' (Swedes') king killed by Hygelac's warriors Wulf and Eofor. Before he dies, Beowulf gives Wiglaf his golden necklace, Under the heroic code, grief is something to be purged through vengeance, but vengeance here would mean the death of another sonan excruciating and unsatisfying prospect. [16] Moreover, the dragon is more overtly destructive. The central section is the killing of the monsters. In this anecdote, the Beowulf poet seems to have given the pagan ethos a fairly sympathetic and even-handed treatment. Which passages might reflect a Christian outlook? This is available in the Norton Critical Edition of. Since he had no son, it was foolish for Beowulf to risk his life. CliffsNotes study guides are written by real teachers and professors, so no matter what you're studying, CliffsNotes can ease your homework headaches and help you score high on exams. Fifty years pass with Beowulf in charge, when a local dragon is angered when a slave enters its lair and takes a cup from its treasure. WebWhat happens to the dragon's treasure in Beowulf? Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. He even burns the house of Beowulf, which houses the throne. Not that it refused to fight when challenged, but that it did not seek out Beowulf or anyone else. It is worth noting, though, that in many of the translations I have read (particularly the ones from the 19th century) the translators refer to the treasure as having been owned by only a single people: the people who died out and left the man who put it into the cave which eventually was guarded by the dragon. Instant downloads of all 1725 LitChart PDFs 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. By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University). He takes what he can back with him to Beowulf, making haste [38] W. P. Ker criticized the inclusion of Beowulf's fight with the dragon and his subsequent death in the poem, writing "It is as if to the end of the Odyssey there had been added some later books telling in full of the old age of Odysseus, far from the sea, and his death at the hands of Telegonus". [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. 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. By declining the throne and taking on the guardianship of the young heir until the heir comes of age, Beowulf shows that his attitude toward power is neither ambitious nor mercenary. WebWhat happens with the dragon's treasure at the end of the story, and what could this symbolize? Historical Context Essay: Christianity in Anglo-Saxon Society, Literary Context Essay: Old English Poetry. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. He [2] Nonetheless, comparative contemporary narratives did not have the complexity and distinctive elements written into Beowulf's dragon scene. My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class., Requesting a new guide requires a free LitCharts account. They had a feud with their uncle, Onela, and were temporarily sheltered by Heardred. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. When Grendel's mother is able to fight Beowulf in the cave, she has a distinct advantage; his victory is all the more significant. Always conscious of weapons and tactics, Beowulf prepares by ordering a new shield, made of iron, since the dragon-fire would make short sparks of his usual linden-wood. to start your free trial of SparkNotes Plus. 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 way the content is organized, LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in. Hygelac is killed in battle. Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. . [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. Can he still save the day, when everything he tries seems to be of no avail? 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. Everyone is dead. The ancient treasures in the hoard once belonged to a regional tribe of warriors who were killed in battle some 300 years previously. As useless to mortals as in foregoing eras. Before long, however, the aging warrior focuses on his responsibility as protector and prepares to face the monster in battle. The lengthy passages of recapitulation and reminiscence fill in the details of Beowulfs political biography. Years pass. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. When the dragon wounds Beowulf fatally, Wiglaf attacks it with his sword, and Beowulf kills it with his dagger. The dragon is the final test for Beowulf, a test of his wisdom as well as his courage. In the following post, we offer a short summary ofBeowulf, and an introduction to its main themes. What is the meaning of the Anglo-Saxon term wyrd? Beowulf is a hero who previously killed two monsters. He carefully buried the precious objects, lamenting all the while his lonely state. 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. In ending with the tale of a dragon attempting to defend a mound of treasure, the poem prefigures not only the works of J. R. R. Tolkien (who, as well as being the author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, was also an influential Anglo-Saxon scholar who translated Beowulfandwrote an important article on it of which more below) but also, more surprisingly, other poems like Lewis Carrolls nonsense masterpiece, Jabberwocky. | Many critics and teachers believe that Beowulf contains themes that are relevant to modern life. In The next night, Grendels mother angered by the attack on her son turns up to wreak vengeance, and once again Beowulf finds himself having to roll up his sleeves and engage in fierce combat, which this time takes place in the underwater lair of the monster deep beneath the surface of a lake. Rather than directly drawing on the work of Homer and Virgil, the Beowulf poet simply seems to have hit upon the idea of using similar plot devices and character types. The dragon, therefore, is a stark contrast to the other two antagonists. There are more than 85 translations of Beowulf, and each one is slightly biased in its interpretation. Here, the tension is similar but even more frustrating. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. The poem then ends with Beowulf, now in his twilight years, slaying a third monster (this time, a dragon), although this encounter proves his undoing, as he is fatally wounded in the battle. He commissions a mighty shield from the iron-smith, one that hehopes will stand up against the breath of flame. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." Filled with grief and rage, she retrieves the arm from Heorot and kills another Scylding in the process. Major Symbols in Beowulf - CliffsNotes This is why it is odd that the story of the poem is generally thought of as Beowulf versus Grendel. Youve successfully purchased a group discount. As Hrothgar warned, and as the Beowulf poet reminds us throughout the epic, all glory is fleeting. Did you know you can highlight text to take a note? Major Themes in Beowulf. The bee theory appears unlikely, however as does the idea that it is from the same root as our word bear, suggesting bearlike strength. 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. 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. He takes what he can back with him to Beowulf, making haste lest Beowulf should die before he sees what he has won. Waking up to find the goblet stolen, the dragon bursts forth from the barrow to hunt the thief, scorching the earth as it travels. You'll be billed after your free trial ends. His son Heardred rules after Hygelac, but he is also soon killed in battle. This realization isnt exactly a Christian lesson in the transience of earthly things, since no alternative spiritual world is proposed; neither, however, does it reflect a greedy, purely materialistic lust for gold.

What Happened To Millie On A Different World, The Yellow Man Will Inherit The Earth, Barrel Shroud 9mm, Articles W