Beowulf LRJ #3

The values portrayed in Beowulf's battle with the dragon all deal with duty to fight and the glory that comes from fighting. It is seen as honorable to fight in the place of a fallen member of their kin, to fight for someone who has given to them, and to fight no matter the consequences (death is graciously accepted). When Beowulf is struggling between life and death, Wiglaf came to fight by his side. "But within one heart sorrow welled up: in a man of worth the claims of kinship cannot be denied" (Haney 2599-2601). This excerpt describes Wiglaf's loyalty to Beowulf and his fellow soldiers; he fights when everyone else retreats. Wiglaf has another reason to fight by Beowulf's side. He says, "I would rather my body were robed in the same burning blaze as my gold-giver's body than to go back home bearing arms" (Haney 2651-2653). Here, Wiglaf acknowledges that he would rather accept an honorable death next to someone who has given him so much, than to be safe while that same person dies. Beowulf too acknowledges his acceptance of death, just as long as his people are safe. "...I have been allowed to leave my people so well endowed on the day I die" (Haney 2797-2798). Though he is so close to death, he still has his people's best interests at heart, rather than his own.

This section of Beowulf, the battle with the dragon, is a bit different than the other sections that were read. Here, Beowulf is defending his homeland, rather than another king's land (such as Hrothgar), because of this he feels stress and anxiety instead of his usual egotistic charisma. He has to face reality; just because he is Beowulf, that does not mean he is always safe. "...a hard truth: his own home, the best of the buildings, had been burnt to a cinder..." (Haney 2325-2326). Even though he was king, his house was destroyed in the inferno of the dragon's breath, just as the common folk. He was not used to such disaster. "His mind was in turmoil, unaccustomed to anxiety and gloom confused his brain..." (Haney 2331-2332). Instead of being hired to fight, as he had in the past, he needed to take initiative himself.

Beowulf's death would be considered an honorable/fitting death for a hero of that era. Societies of his time placed such value on defending one's homeland; anyone brave enough to fight, no matter if they lived or died, was glorified. Beowulf told his kingdom, "This fight is not yours, nor is it up to any man except me..." (Haney 2532-2533). Whether he felt he was responsible to protect his people or if he just wanted honor, he fought for them regardless and deserves to be called a hero. Beowulf did not just fight, but he fought until the bitter end, and it was not easy. "...it was no easy thing to have to give ground like that and go unwillingly to inhabit another home in a place beyond..." (Haney 2587-2590). Even though the dragon's venom was killing Beowulf, he slayed the dragon before he took his last breath. "Beowulf dealt a deadly wound"(Haney 2705). Beowulf died fighting, which was the only honorable way to die in his time. His death fits him because he was a hero in life, so he shall be a hero in death.