[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. Under Beowulfs reign, the feuding with Sweden eventually ceased when Beowulf avenged Hygelacs death. Like Beowulf, the dragon uses its strength to accrue a huge mound of treasure, but in the end all the treasure does is bring about its death. 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 treasure is buried with the great warrior in his funeral barrow and, we are told, remains there still, a mighty horde of riches that is of absolutely no use to anybody. Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. WebWhat happens with the dragon's treasure at the end of the story, and what could this symbolize? 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. 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. The creature attacks the neighboring towns in revenge. Beowulfs reminiscences about his glory days and the narrators mention of Beowulfs old age reinforce the reality that every lifeeven that of a legendary warriormust come to an end. The odds continue to be stacked against our hero, the difficulties multiplying, the tension raised to an almost unbearable pitch. The thief steals a gem-covered goblet, arousing the wrath of the dragon. Hrethels grief at the accident is great, but because of the peculiar circumstances surrounding his sons death, Hrethel is locked in inaction. He tells us that the stewards sleep who once burnished battle-masks. 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. 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 Everyone is dead. Beowulf scholar Alexander writes that the dragon fight likely signifies Beowulf's (and by extension, society's) battle against evil. The contrast drawn between Hrothgar, who earlier calls on the young Beowulf to eradicate Grendel, and the now old Beowulf, who enlists no such help against the dragon, accentuates Beowulfs valor and instills in us a confidence that Beowulf is still mighty enough to eradicate a menacing foe. The ancient treasures in the hoard once belonged to a regional tribe of warriors who were killed in battle some 300 years previously. The survivor seems to realize that the treasure is meaningless without a community in which to circulate. He thus stands in contrast to the power-hungry usurper Hrothulf. The dragon fight, near the end of the poem, is foreshadowed in earlier scenes. Please wait while we process your payment. In an ancient time a prince's thane hid it, as he was the last of The way the content is organized, LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in. [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. After Heardred's death, Beowulf did become king and ruled his people well for 50 years. Removing #book# At least 50 years have passed. WebThe defeat of his people had left the treasures to deteriorate. for a group? Beowulf and his men spend the night at Heorot and wait for Grendel to turn up. from your Reading List will also remove any "[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. Continue to start your free trial. In the Septuagint, Job's monster is characterized as a draco, and identified with the devil. swift roan Horses played an important role among the royalty, but most of the fighting was executed on foot. from your Reading List will also remove any It seems logical that the "noble" race who originally mined the gold and created the treasure could not be the race which wasted away and left only this man. Beowulf declined, however, not wanting to disturb the order of succession. Hetware technically, the Chattuarii; here indistinguishable from Frisians; joined with Franks against Hygelac. LitCharts Teacher Editions. Discount, Discount Code As useless to mortals as in foregoing eras. PDF downloads of all 1725 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. The problem starts when a fugitive, apparently a runaway slave, stumbles across the dragon's treasure-trove. Latest answer posted September 20, 2017 at 7:28:10 PM. ), he was pretty much the perfect herointregrity, strong, clever, self-sacrificing. WebShare Cite. What happens in Beowulf, the jewel in the crown of Anglo-Saxon poetry? eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. [16] Moreover, the dragon is more overtly destructive. The dragon's treasure-trove poignantly represents the vanity of human wishes as well as the mutability of time. Not just Beowulf's own life is at stake. Are you sure you want to remove #bookConfirmation# Sometimes it can end up there. Which of course is heavily dependent on the rule of 3 line A; repeat line A; variation/resolution. To a greater or lesser extent, it can be seen in much modern fantasy fiction such as that by Tolkien. 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. Following his victory over the two monsters, Beowulf then returns to the waters surface (at noon which, interestingly, when the poem was written, was actually three oclock in the afternoon, or the ninth hour after dawn) before rejoining his men and journeying back to the hall for mead and rejoicing. Waking up to find the goblet stolen, the dragon bursts forth from the barrow to hunt the thief, scorching the earth as it travels. That lends special meaning to his victories and to Beowulf's eventual liberation of the hall from the ravages of the ogres. eNotes Editorial, 16 Sep. 2016, https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-happens-dragons-hoard-330006. Whose funerals are they? [25] An embattled society without "social cohesion" is represented by the avarice of the "dragon jealously guarding its gold hoard",[26]and the elegy for Beowulf becomes an elegy for the entire culture. Already a member? This patterning of three three monsters, each of which proves successively more of a challenge to the hero is found in numerous adventure plots. [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. 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. The free trial period is the first 7 days of your subscription. [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". Complete your free account to request a guide. 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. Reblogged this on Willow's Corner and commented: It will be moved to my TBR pile. Why did the Danes bury the treasure that Beowulf and Wiglaf recovered from the dragon? Previous 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. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights, Beowulf: 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. 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. Free trial is available to new customers only. This section moves us into the third part of the poem, which centers around the aged Beowulfs fight with the dragon. Ive had the Heaney translation on my shelves for years, but your post has piqued my interest. Three funerals are described in Beowulf. Thus the characters role is split and this binary role is portrayed in different ways depending on the translation of Beowulf. [39] Adrien Bonjour opined in 1953 that the dragon's "ultimate significance in the poem" remains a "mystery". 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. [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. Contact us Before he dies, Beowulf gives Wiglaf his golden necklace, rings, mail shirt, and gold-covered helmet. The narrator explains that this particular barrow was the, Without a generous king to give the treasure and loyal warriors to earn it, the treasure is "useless.". Time passes, and Hygelac dies in battle with the Franks. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. Waking up to find The passing of time brings changes to the lives of the Geats as it does to everyone. Nothing is permanent. 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 He repeatedly tells us that Beowulf is about to meet his death. The dragon chanced upon the hoard and has been guarding it for the past three hundred years. The habit is so well known that examples are superfluous". Are you sure you want to remove #bookConfirmation# He remembers victories against Grendel and Grendel's mother, as well as a heroic escape from Frisia after Hygelac was killed. In his last moments, Beowulf focuses more on his good qualities as a king than as a warrior. Beowulf and Wiglaf (Lines 27112845). In the following post, we offer a short summary ofBeowulf, and an introduction to its main themes. Also, there are repeated hints that Beowulf will not survive this encounter. [2] Nonetheless, comparative contemporary narratives did not have the complexity and distinctive elements written into Beowulf's dragon scene. Beowulf, despite his tendency to boast a bit (isnt that where we get kennings? 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 believes that he has somehow offended God. They took the metals from the earth, and the Keeper now returns the treasures to it. A lone Geat fugitive, apparently a servant or slave escaping a cruel master, has stolen a single flagon from the hoard, outraging the dragon and inciting him to vengeance. [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. [24] Before he faces the dragon, Beowulf thinks of his past: his childhood and wars the Geats endured during that period, foreshadowing the future. [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. Grendel's head, which he is able to find after a strange, perhaps holy brilliance illuminates the dimly lighted cave, is much more impressive. The poets explicit comparison between Hygelac, who died, and Beowulf, who lived, in the combat in Friesland similarly builds our expectations that Beowulf will succeed in his quest. What does a hero's death mean to Beowulf's people? 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. Not finding the offender, the dragon goes on a rampage, breathing fire and incinerating homes and villages. I think it is because people could relate to, and thus embrace, the faults of Arthur over the heroism in Beowulf. His imagined elegy foreshadows Beowulf's death and elegy to come. [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. 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! Instant PDF downloads. You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv@bn.com. The building is like a palace. [3] Secular Germanic literature and the literature of Christian hagiography featured dragons and dragon fights. Refine any search. Time is out of joint as the poet reveals the events leading up to Beowulf's becoming king. We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. and any corresponding bookmarks? This is a great commentary on the story of Beowulf. Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Why does Unferth question Beowulfs ability? WebAlthough his sword, Hrunting, loaned to him by Unferth, fails to penetrate the mother's hide, Beowulf discovers a giant magic sword in the cave and is able to kill the mother with it. He tells them that they will not have the treasure, because they have disgraced themselves. (including. It is only as a means of creating bonds in society that treasure has value. 20% Critics cant even agree on what the first line of the poem means. (Immunity to swords evidently runs in the family.) This fight results in one last victory for our great hero, followed by his own death from the mortal would inflicted by the poisoned horn of the beast (though presumably Beowulf was rather advanced in years by this point anyway). It was only rescued from obscurity in 1815, when an Icelandic-Danish scholar named Thorkelin printed an edition of the poem. The hall is also symbolic in that it is the setting of Beowulf's first great battle, the defeat of Grendel. Interesting Literature is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.co.uk. 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. Tolkien expands on Beowulf's dragon in his own fiction, which indicates the lasting impact of the Beowulf poem. To everyone's alarm, however, a terrifying dragon begins to stalk the countryside at night, destroying homes including Beowulf's great hall with his fiery breath. Is there a work of literature, similar to Beowulf, where the hero fights a monster to save his kingdom? I never thought of Jabberwocky like that but now that its pointed out I can definitely see it, Pingback: 10 Short Medieval Poems Everyone Should Read | Interesting Literature. The mutability of time is central to Hrothgar's sermon (1700-84), and it provides the framework for the final third of the poem. At this point, we assume that the gold hoard will be taken out of the dragon's barrow and put to use. Beowulfs name, by the way, was long thought to mean bee-wolf, as in the two animals. From beginning to end, the tone of this section is one of death and doom. Beowulf is the oldest extant heroic poem in English and the first to present a dragon slayer. 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. At this point, we only know that the king and his heir have been killed in separate conflicts. Dont have an account? 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. Reblogged this on cjheries and commented: It is set in Denmark, has a Swedish hero, and when read in the original Anglo-Saxon seems almost more German than English. Men must endure their going hence, as Shakespeare has it inKing Lear (a line borrowed for C. S. Lewiss tombstone). 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. more important to honor Beowulf than to be concerned w/ worldly treasures; buried w/ Beowulf Created by: jjordan93 "What happens to the dragon's hoard?" Beowulf hears that Grendel is killing Hrothgars men at Heorot and so our hero departs from home to go and help rid Heorot of this monster. Struggling with distance learning? Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. Interesting post (!) Although he has been given a strong sword (named Hrunting) by Unferth (a man who had previously doubted Beowulf the sword is given as a token of friendship), Beowulf finds this sword useless against Grendels mother. His son Heardred rules after Hygelac, but he is also soon killed in battle. 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. 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. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. As the good king he is, Beowulf has given his life not only to protect his people from the dragon but also to provide his people with enough wealth to take care of them after he is gone. What happens to the dragon and its treasure? May 1, 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 Which passages might reflect a specifically Anglo-Saxon philosophy of life? 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. Did not Hrothgar warn him of this in the sermon? [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]. What this tells us, I think, is how deep-rooted is the human need for the idea of the stranger who rides (all right, comes by boat) into town, deals with the monster/fear/rich landowner/evil bandit who is terrorising the townfolk and rides out again. Before he dies, Beowulf gives Wiglaf his golden necklace, | 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? Beowulf, like Hrothgar, rules well for fifty years. The tribe's fortunes have turned. . Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. The poem ends with Beowulfs burial at sea, which is described in much detail why this might be is discussed below. Ace your assignments with our guide to Beowulf! 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. 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. 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. Complete your free account to request a guide. Soon it is Geatlands turn to face terror. The final act of the Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf includes Beowulf's fight with a dragon, the third monster he encounters in the epic. 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. Beowulf describes the treasure as his final gift to his people, and passes on his kingship to Wiglaf, who is clearly the most deserving and competent of the Geats. The central section is the killing of the monsters. It towers high and is compared to a cliff. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. [27] The dragon's hoard is representative of a people lost and antique, which is juxtaposed against the Geatish people, whose history is new and fleeting. [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. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. The dragon is the final test for Beowulf, a test of his wisdom as well as his courage. The cave where Grendel and his mother hide from the world is symbolic of their lives as outcasts. At line 3028, it is written that the messenger's predictions eventually came true. Eadgils, supplied by Beowulf, later killed Onela. In proclaiming of Beowulf that He was a good king, the poet echoes his praise of the venerable Shield Sheafson and of Hrothgar (2390). Interestingly, Beowulf's initial reaction is a feeling of guilt. 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). [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". (including. Beowulf is a classic overcoming the monster story. 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. 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 hall is a home for the warriors who sleep there and functions as a seat of government. 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. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. WebIronically, Beowulf dies thinking that the treasure he has won will benefit his people; instead, the Geats burn or bury all of it with Beowulf. If you enjoyed this brief summary of, and introduction to,Beowulf, then you can learn more about the poem hereat the British Library website. WebWhat happens to the dragon's treasure in Beowulf? People from neighboring tribes have respectfully contributed to the rich decorations and intricate designs. 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. If, in my first year at Reading University in 1964/65, we had studied Beowulf instead of extracts from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (so dull!) The dragon's barrow holds wealth in abundance, yet the wealth is of no use to anyone. Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. I certainly realize that it is not perfectly clear whether the treasure was owned by one people or two. Beowulf is a hero who previously killed two monsters. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. Central Idea Essay: Honor Codes & Heroism. 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. This is, of course, because Anglo-Saxon (i.e. "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. 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. Well, yes though for a while the chances of Beowulf triumphing are looking less and less likely. He takes what he can back with him to Beowulf, making haste 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. After his battles against Grendel's mother and Grendel, Beowulf returns home and becomes king of the Geats. One is high and bright and full of song and joy, towering as the Scyldings' greatest achievement. [17][18], Beowulf's fight with the dragon has been described variously as an act of either altruism[19] or recklessness. This depiction indicates the growing importance and stabilization of the modern concept of the dragon within European mythology. 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. When was Beowulfwritten? The producers showed some respect for scholarship by including authentic details, for instance the rituals surrounding the ship burial of a Viking chief. He is the protector of his people and almost immediately begins preparations to fight the dragon. Just as the dead warriors cannot use the treasure, neither can the dragon. Often a symbol is emblematic of the values of the characters. Purchasing WebThe Danes bury the treasure because this was one of Beowulf's last commands before dying after fighting the dragon. Hygelac is killed in battle. 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. How utterly fascinating! 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.
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what happens to the dragon's treasure in beowulf