He also put up quite a fight when Hygelac died in Frisia; Beowulf escaped by defeating many of the enemy in close combat, carrying off the war gear of 30 men. At least 50 years have passed. Years pass. The claw is hung high beneath Heorot's roof (most likely on the outside beneath the gables) as a symbol of Beowulf's victory. The treasure is to be buried rather than shared by [2] Within the plot structure, however, the dragon functions differently in Beowulf than in Tolkien's fiction. Fantastic article, it was education and entertaining all at once. Critical Essays and it struck a chord (!) Now I have given my old life/for this treasure hoard; fulfill henceforth/the people's needs; I may stay here no longer. Please wait while we process your payment. In this anecdote, the Beowulf poet seems to have given the pagan ethos a fairly sympathetic and even-handed treatment. Seamus Heaney, Translators Introduction, pp. And anyone whos a Tolkien fan should read his essay. WebThe Danes bury the treasure because this was one of Beowulf's last commands before dying after fighting the dragon. In 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. I must make amends! Although he is now an old man, Beowulf believes that he can defeat the dragon by himself. The free trial period is the first 7 days of your subscription. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. 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. 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. After Beowulf dies, his followers show up. Pay particular attention to his treatment of the Dragon which is all the more horrifying for not being a giant lizard. 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. (Immunity to swords evidently runs in the family.) We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. So he does what lesser men would fear to do: he wrestles the monster with his bare hands, eventually tearing off one of its arms. WebThe fight with the dragon symbolizes Beowulf's stand against evil and destruction, and, as the hero, he knows that failure will bring destruction to his people after many years of So, to begin, a brief synopsis. Grendel's mother also sees it as a symbol, representing her personal loss and mankind's macabre sense of what might be an appropriate trophy. Did you know you can highlight text to take a note? 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. The fight with the dragon symbolizes Beowulf's stand against evil and destruction, and, as the hero, he knows that failure will bring destruction to his people after many years of peace. 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. 361-62.) Removing #book# Fortunes, however, do change, as Hrothgar predicted. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. As the author of this post writes, the morals, tropes, and figures create a bases for understanding many other English works that were to follow, so its interesting to see how relatively young Britain works with this tale and interprets its own history. When Grendel's mother is able to fight Beowulf in the cave, she has a distinct advantage; his victory is all the more significant. It has been asserted by several commentators that the fact that the treasure was buried, rather than being burned in the funeral fire, is going to result in even more trouble for the Geats, but I cannot see any specific evidence for this in my reading of the story. Both monsters have now been slain, and Beowulf is a hero. Beowulf is the oldest extant heroic poem in English and the first to present a dragon slayer. The throne comes to Beowulf, who It is only as a means of creating bonds in society that treasure has value. 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. 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. If you consider everything we are told about the treasure, the people who originally hid it, the curse put on it, the people who uncovered and used it and eventually buried it again, and about the barrow itself, and the dragon, which, for some reason, decided to guard it (although I know that there are many legends in which dragons guard treasures), there is enough material to inspire a very interesting story. Is there a work of literature, similar to Beowulf, where the hero fights a monster to save his kingdom? After the dragon is killed, Beowulf tells Wiglaf to look for the dragon's treasure and to bring it to him. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1725 titles we cover. Since he had no son, it was foolish for Beowulf to risk his life. When Wiglaf enters the dragon's tower, he sees piles of gold, precious gems, and priceless tableware strewn about. We might question Beowulf's wisdom in deciding to fight the serpent alone, rejecting the assistance of his trained warriors. The emphasis on the treasure itself in this section rehashes the moral ambiguity of materialism caused by the overlaying of a Christian value system on a pagan story. I think it is because people could relate to, and thus embrace, the faults of Arthur over the heroism in Beowulf. As the anonymous messenger Also, there are repeated hints that Beowulf will not survive this encounter. The dragon chanced upon the hoard and has been guarding it for the past three hundred years. Instant downloads of all 1725 LitChart PDFs to start your free trial of SparkNotes Plus. But hand-to-hand combat which was deployed successfully in the vanquishing of Grendel is also of no use now. 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. What does a hero's death mean to Beowulf's people? In the 2007 film version, the dragon is Grendel's younger half-brother as he's the son of the latter's mother and Beowulf whom he ironically ends up killing in the end of the movie. All are mentioned, probably because the poet borrowed from various influences in creating the poem. (For a chronology of the Geats' feuds, see Chickering, pp. Rather than viewing it as a historical document, Tolkien urged, we should be reading and appreciating it as a work of poetry. The dragon itself acts as a mock "gold-king"; one who sees attacking Beowulf's kingdom as suitable retribution for the theft of just a single cup. Here are all of the passages which tell us about the treasure, the barrow, and the two peoples who held the treasure over the past 1,000 years (which could be an indeterminate, "poetical" sort of 1,000 years), before it was discovered by the slave in the Beowulf story (the translation is from Chickering): The following notes on the dragon's treasure are from Frederick Rebsamen, page 70: Now, however, I think that the evidence for two peoples is clearly indicated in lines 2247-2252 and 3047-3057. . There will be no more songs from the scop. Latest answer posted August 24, 2018 at 7:08:52 AM, Latest answer posted October 27, 2017 at 8:44:42 AM. 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. By virtue of being a hero, Beowulf is set-apart from the society presented in the heroic epic. Tolkiens take on it. They had a feud with their uncle, Onela, and were temporarily sheltered by Heardred. 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 ancient treasures in the hoard once belonged to a regional tribe of warriors who were killed in battle some 300 years previously. The central section is the killing of the monsters. 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. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. As poetry, one of the most moving passages in the epic is the Keeper's invocation as he leaves the gold and other items in the barrow (2247-2266). They wish each other luck in the fight that will follow, and Beowulf has a premonition of his own death. [12], The fire is likely symbolic of the hellfire of the devil, reminiscent of the monster in the Book of Job. I have often wondered why the Beowulf story was lost for so long. 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. Also, Beowulf is most commonly described as an epic poem; the label makes its main character, Beowulf, an epic-hero. The dragon, like Grendel, only It also looks back to Greek and Roman epics like Homers Odyssey and Virgils Aeneid. WebAnalysis. Renews May 8, 2023 So, what about the context for the poem? Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. Which of course is heavily dependent on the rule of 3 line A; repeat line A; variation/resolution. The dragon fight is foreshadowed with earlier events: Scyld Shefing's funeral and Sigmund's death by dragon, as recounted by a bard in Hrothgar's hall. [4] Although the dragons of hagiography were less fierce than the dragon in Beowulf, similarities exist in the stories such as presenting the journey to the dragon's lair, cowering spectators, and the sending of messages relaying the outcome of the fight. Reblogged this on Willow's Corner and commented: Lines 1888-2199. [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. In proclaiming of Beowulf that He was a good king, the poet echoes his praise of the venerable Shield Sheafson and of Hrothgar (2390). You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. In Heorot, Hrothgar celebrates his victories and rewards his thanes (warriors) with various treasures. The defeat of his people had left the treasures to deteriorate. Where does the dragon come from in Beowulf? - eNotes.com He describes the wars between the Geats and the Swedes after Hrethels death, recalling his proud days as a warrior in the service of Hygelac. All glory is fleeting. 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. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. Nothing is permanent. In the previous section, the reader learns only that Beowulf came to the throne after Hygelacs death and ruled for fifty years. I would argue that Grendels mother (who is interestingly only ever referred to as the mother) commits her acts of revenge out of grief, as well as anger. Instant PDF downloads. Why does Unferth question Beowulfs ability? Educators go through a rigorous application process, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team. Despite the odds being stacked against him, he manages to overcome the monster, to borrow Christopher Bookers phrase for this type of narrative. on 50-99 accounts. Beowulf is a hero who previously killed two monsters. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. Teachers and parents! And although it is seen as the starting-point of great English literature at many universities, it is still the earliest literary text studied as part of the literary canon it is very different from other medieval poetry, such as that by Chaucer or Langland, who were writing many centuries later. In Beowulf , why did the Danes bury the treasure that Beowulf and BeowulfTranslations.net: The Dragon's Treasure - paddle trips The dragon is the opposite of a good king, hoarding treasure instead of rewarding loyalty and building a society. [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. Which passages might reflect a Christian outlook? Your group members can use the joining link below to redeem their group membership. This is deliberate. WebHe tells Wiglaf to look after the Geats when he is gone. Tolkien also argued that the poem is not an epic but anelegy, ending as it does with the moving account of its heros funeral. 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. The poem ends with Beowulfs burial at sea, which is described in much detail why this might be is discussed below. The tribe's fortunes have turned. Wiglaf excoriates them for their cowardice in leaving their king to fight the dragon by himself. This patterning of three three monsters, each of which proves successively more of a challenge to the hero is found in numerous adventure plots. 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. He believes that he has somehow offended God. Beowulf has an almost divine strength, but also something primal and temporal, but just as valuable: the courage of a wolf. Ace your assignments with our guide to Beowulf! bookmarked pages associated with this title. Beowulf and his men spend the night at Heorot and wait for Grendel to turn up. 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. 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. Sometimes God and wyrd are virtually interchangeable in the poem, possibly the result of Christian substitution. from your Reading List will also remove any Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. All the treasure that the dragon had was put on a ship with It towers high and is compared to a cliff. 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. The Seamus Heaney translation is what we recommend, unless youre up for tackling the poem in the original Old English (and if so, good luck!). Many critics and teachers believe that Beowulf contains themes that are relevant to modern life. | 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? The chain-shirts can no longer protect their owners because the warriors will fight no more battles. Discount, Discount Code Beowulf then asks that a barrow be built on a cliff overlooking the sea that sea travelers will later call Beowulf's barrow. Which passages might reflect a specifically Anglo-Saxon philosophy of life? After Heardred's death, Beowulf did become king and ruled his people well for 50 years. By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. Only when Hygelacs son met his end in a skirmish against the Swedes did Beowulf ascend the throne. People from neighboring tribes have respectfully contributed to the rich decorations and intricate designs. If he dies, his people will be lost. In his death-speech, Beowulf nominates Wiglaf as his heir and asks for a monument to be built for him on the shoreline. He is too proudto assemble a huge army for the fight, and, remembering how he defeated Grendel single-handedly in his youth, feels no fear of the dragon. He takes what he can back with him to Beowulf, making haste lest Beowulf should die before he sees what he has won. You'll be billed after your free trial ends. Previous Before he dies, Beowulf gives Wiglaf his golden necklace, rings, mail shirt, and gold-covered helmet. 2023 Course Hero, Inc. All rights reserved. His son, Heardred, inherits the throne, with Beowulf's support, but is also slain. The circumstances surrounding and leading up to Beowulfs confrontation with the dragon prepare us for a climactic spectacle. The cave where Grendel and his mother hide from the world is symbolic of their lives as outcasts. I cant quite read the Old English, but I love to read the different translations. [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. And Grendel and his mother are evil in the Christian sense of the word: the author ofBeowulf tells us that they were spawned from Cain (the first murderer in the Bible) when he was cast out of Eden. Although it is not made explicit (as far as I can tell) it seems that this man's people might have wasted away at least partly due to the powers of the spell and the fact that they had used the ancient treasure for their own purposes.