Beowulf's Last Battle

Lesson Transcript

Fifty years after killing the evil Grendel and his mother, the epic hero, Beowulf, faces his third and nal monster, a dragon that has been attacking (1) _____. But this last battle will be completely dierent from the ones before, and it spells the end for our epic hero.

Beowulf's Last Battle Starting around line 2200 of the great epic poem Beowulf, we have the entrance of the last of the monsters that Beowulf must overcome as part of the epic hero cycle. But this battle is unlike the earlier battles Beowulf faced as a young warrior, and the outcome is very dierent than his earlier triumphs. This lesson will focus on the summary and analysis of Beowulf's last battle.

Beowulf, King of the Geats It's been a long time since Beowulf and the Geats returned from Denmark (2) _____ years earlier. A lot has happened, most notably the death of (3) _____ and his son in battle. The throne passed from his cousin, Heardred, to Beowulf, and he has ruled wisely and well for a long, long time. There have been no major battles, and Beowulf's thanes rarely have to ght at all. But that peace and happiness crumbles when a (4) _____ emerges from the hole he's been hiding in for three hundred years.

The Slave and the Dragon A (5) _____ eeing his master creeps into the hole and sees the dragon and the treasure. The slave's greed overcomes him, so he snatches up a (6) _____. The dragon awakens and learns of the theft. It bursts out of its hole, desperate to nd the slave and get its cup back. The dragon can't nd the slave or the cup. So in fury, it ies over Geatland and burns everything. Even Beowulf's mighty (7) _____ falls to the dragon's ames. Beowulf knows he must ght the dragon. But fearing the ames, Beowulf gets a special shield made of (8) _____. He and a few hand-picked thanes, led by the slave, who shows them the way, venture out to rid Geatland of the dragon.

Beowulf 's Final Test

1/3 At the edge of the cave, Beowulf tells his (9) _____ that this will be his last battle. Bringing along his sword and the special shield, Beowulf enters the lair and tells his thanes to wait for him. He bellows a challenge, and the dragon awakens. Beowulf is immediately (10) _____ in ame. The shield keeps o the ame, but when Beowulf tries to strike the dragon, his sword (11) _____. This battle is very dierent than the earlier ones, and Beowulf needs the help of his men. But ten of the eleven (12) _____ thanes ee in fright. Only Wiglaf stays loyal and rushes to help his king.

The dragon charges again and a wall of re rains down on (13) _____ and Beowulf. Beowulf manages to wound the dragon, but the dragon's (14) _____ slices Beowulf's neck. Immediately, Beowulf feels the (15) _____ on the tusk. Wiglaf stabs at the dragon and burns his hand. Finally, Beowulf manages to pull out a dagger and slices the dragon in two. The dragon has been defeated, and the last battle is nished. But the wound in the old king's neck begins to burn, and Beowulf knows his (16) _____ is imminent.

Beowulf's Death and Legacy Beowulf leans against the stone wall of the cave, then slides to the oor. Wiglaf tries to help, but it's useless. Beowulf is dying. He wishes aloud for a son, then tells Wiglaf he will have to continue on. Beowulf begs Wiglaf to show him the treasure from the dragon's hoard. Wiglaf brings a golden banner and some treasure, and Beowulf tells him he sold his (17) _____ for these treasures and 'sold it well.' Beowulf gives Wiglaf a gold necklace and names him the next king of the Geats. Then, the mighty Beowulf dies.

Analysis Though Beowulf has been a good king for more than fty years, in the battle with the dragon he nds himself (18) _____ . No longer the young warrior who defeated Grendel with his bare hands, he prepares for what he knows will be his last battle. Beowulf knows this enemy is more powerful than any he has faced before, so he brings a shield, sword, and his warriors with him, though each fails him in the end.

The shield cannot stand up to the heat, the sword fails him, and even his warriors turn out to be (19) _____, leaving the old king to face the dragon with only the help of one loyal kinsman. The thanes' desertion is worse than just cowardice, though. When they abandon their king, they also desert the Heroic Code and all that is important to Anglo-Saxon warriors and doom their society to collapse. And, worst of all, in his last battle, Beowulf himself is failing. It is only when Wiglaf arrives that Beowulf is able to turn the tide of battle. But it's too late. The dragon dies, but so does the best warrior who had ever lived, leaving behind a people and society ready to fall into ruin. Lesson Summary

2/3 The last battle, the death of the dragon and Beowulf, ends the epic hero cycle that started when Grendel began his attacking Heorot. To the end, Beowulf never faced a monster he couldn't kill, but the cost for the dragon's life is much too high. The desertion of the thanes (20) _____ the crumbling of the Anglo-Saxon way of life. Though Beowulf leaves the kingdom in Wiglaf's hands, the story hints that this is the end for Geatland. Too much of the Heroic Code has crumbled for Wiglaf's kingdom to endure.

Beowulf's Word-hoard: -- poison -- mead hall -- engulfed -- cowards -- tusk -- untested -- Geatland -- death-- iron -- slave -- foreshadows -- Hygelac -- life -- cup-- melts -- dragon -- fifty -- Wiglaf -- thanes -- over- matched

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