Menu Close

How is the dragon killed in Beowulf?

How is the dragon killed in Beowulf?

The dragon lands a bite on Beowulf’s neck, and blood begins to flow. Wiglaf rushes to Beowulf’s aid, stabbing the dragon in the belly, and the dragon scorches Wiglaf’s hand. In desperation Beowulf pulls a knife from his belt and stabs it deep into the dragon’s flank. The blow is fatal, and the writhing serpent withers.

What happens to the body of the dragon in Beowulf?

The Geats then rise and go to Beowulf’s body. With seven of the greatest Geatish thanes, Wiglaf returns to the dragon’s bier to collect the treasure that Beowulf bought with his life. They hurl the dragon’s body into the water. The pyre is built high and decked with armor, according to Beowulf’s wishes.

Does the dragon survive in Beowulf?

Moreover, the dragon is vanquished through Wiglaf’s actions: although Beowulf dies fighting the dragon, the dragon dies at the hand of the companion. The dragon battle is structured in thirds: the preparation for the battle, the events prior to the battle, and the battle itself.

Is the dragon in Beowulf a villain?

Beowulf (in the foreground) battling the Dragon (in the back). The Dragon is the third and final enemy in the Old English epic poem Beowulf, one of the earliest known works of fiction.

What do the geats create for Beowulf after he dies killing the dragon?

The Geats build Beowulf’s funeral pyre, stacking it high with precious armor and treasures. They light the fire and Beowulf’s body burns while his people wail and mourn him.

How did the dragon bring about Beowulf’s 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 Beowulf’s death. Possibly the poem’s Christian narrator sees greed for treasure as a kind of spiritual death, suffered by pagans who value treasure over Heaven.

What happens to the Dragon in The Hobbit?

The dragon fight ends Beowulf, while Tolkien uses the dragon motif (and the dragon’s love for treasure) to trigger a chain of events in The Hobbit. The Beowulf dragon is the earliest example in literature of the typical European dragon and first incidence of a fire-breathing dragon.

Where does the Dragon Hoard his treasure in Beowulf?

Possibly the poem’s 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. When you visit any website, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies.

What’s the difference between Beowulf and The Hobbit?

Within the plot structure, however, the dragon functions differently in Beowulf than in Tolkien’s fiction. The dragon fight ends Beowulf, while Tolkien uses the dragon motif (and the dragon’s love for treasure) to trigger a chain of events in The Hobbit.