Beowulf is an epic poem originally told in the Old English between the 8th and 11th centuries. 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. About Beowulf; Beowulf Summary; Character List; Lines 1-193 Summary and Analysis; Related Links After the dragon arrives and attacks, Beowulf is shown, worrying about the usefulness of life when battles and death are waiting. 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. The problem is that Beowulf was a young man during those glorious battles. Fortunes, however, do change, as Hrothgar predicted. 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. He also avenged Heardred's death by killing King Onela, who had seized the Swedish throne. Find a summary of this and each chapter of Beowulf! We might question Beowulf's wisdom in deciding to fight the serpent alone, rejecting the assistance of his trained warriors. © 2020 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. dawn-scorcher, flame-snake, the worm epithets for the dragon. Eadgils and Eanmund Ohthere's sons, Swedes. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. Geseah ða sigehreðig, þa he bi sesse geong, magoþegn modig maððumsigla fealo, gold glitinian grunde getenge, wundur on wealle, ond þæs wyrmes denn, Beowulf could have become king sooner but was more loyal than ambitious. He slept in peace until the slave stole the cup as a plea for mercy from his lord. They took the metals from the earth, and the Keeper now returns the treasures to it. The hero is of noble birth or high position, and he reflects the values that are important to his society. Having fought bravely through his life, he is now ready to face the dragon. Copyright © 1999 - 2020 GradeSaver LLC. Facing the Dragon (Lines 2324–2710) Themes and Colors Key LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Beowulf, which … Summary Beowulf gives Hrothgar Grendel’s head and the hilt of the jeweled, magical sword made by the giants. So Beowulf ruled for fifty years peacefully until the dragon came. Lines 2200-2396: A Dragon Wakes Beowulf rules the Geats wisely for fifty years. Beowulf continues telling King Hygelac about everything that happened while he was visiting Hrothgar and fighting Grendel and his mother. Beowulf The Dragon (Lines 2200–2323) Summary & Analysis | LitCharts. The horrible news causes him to wonder if he has done something to upset God. Each man has his own dragon to fight (the monster of greed for the survivor and the actual dragon for Beowulf), even as they wait for death. 2752 ða ic snude gefrægn sunu Wihstanes æfter wordcwydum wundum dryhtne hyran heaðosiocum, hringnet beran, 2755 brogdne beadusercean under beorges hrof. ; Bettina Jordan, pres.) Courageous and determined, if not quite the man he once was, the old warrior sets off. Before long, however, the aging warrior focuses on his responsibility as protector and prepares to face the monster in battle. 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. The narrator clearly represents the change in men between youth and old age. Years pass. Beowulf learns of the threat through the message that one of his mead-halls has been destroyed. Ongentheow Scylfings' (Swedes') king killed by Hygelac's warriors Wulf and Eofor. Beowulf refused it in favor of Hygelac's son Heardred. Did not Hrothgar warn him of this in the sermon? GradeSaver, 14 March 2000 Web. The problem starts when a fugitive, apparently a runaway slave, stumbles across the dragon's treasure-trove. Not affiliated with Harvard College. The chain-shirts can no longer protect their owners because the warriors will fight no more battles. The Swedes, however, betrayed Heardred and killed him, thus leaving Beowulf as the only heir. Hygelac is killed in battle. For example, in line 2311, he tells us, in the understatement of litotes, that the termination of the dragon raids will be "hard for their [the Geats'] ring-giving lord." After Heardred's death, Beowulf did become king and ruled his people well for 50 years. Everyone is dead. Sometimes God and wyrd are virtually interchangeable in the poem, possibly the result of Christian substitution. Facing the Dragon (Lines 2324–2710) Themes and Colors Key LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Beowulf, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. A story imagined previously actually occurs, showing the predicting nature of stories. He was a good king and helped end the feuding. He is the protector of his people and almost immediately begins preparations to fight the dragon. Removing #book# 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 recalls the sad events of Hygelac's death. and any corresponding bookmarks? Yet he fully realized that he is not the same young man who saved Heorot, and he has no desire to do battle. He could approach with a full army but supposedly bases his decision on former triumphs over Grendel and the mother. 361-62.) Beowulf The Dragon (Lines 2200–2323) Summary & Analysis | LitCharts. Hygelac died in the land of the Frisians, and Beowulf only barely escaped alive. 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). Hygelac has died in a distant land, leaving Beowulf to reign the Geats. He also avenged Heardred's death by killing King Onela, who had seized the Swedish throne. Hygelac's sons are killed not by a brother, but by a brother tribe in the Swedes. Beowulf ... (Lines 2200–2323) Summary & Analysis Next.

Samsung Galaxy Book Flex Release Date, Kroger Pork Loin Nutrition, Toasted Almond Ice Cream Cake, Tomato Sauce From Frozen Tomatoes, Sennheiser E604 3-pack Used, Vickers Hardness Conversion Calculator, Whole Foods Kale Cranberry Salad Recipe,