A Close Reading of an Excerpt from The Poem Beowulf

Beowulf is an epic poem that chronicles the adventures of a warrior who willingly and honorably overcomes several obstacles to safeguard humanity. Specifically, within this passage, the unknown poet employs stylistic devices such as imagery to portray and promote the recurring themes of the poem, such as heroism, materialism, and mortality. Accordingly, this paper offers a close reading of lines 2752-2816 from the poem Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney.

In his final moments of life, Beowulf dispatches Wiglaf on a quest to retrieve the highly sought after treasure hidden in the dragon’s cave. Within these early lines of the passage, the poet utilizes imagery to create a mood of amazement. As the passage starts, the author offers a vivid description of the previous scene, with the intention of creating a mood of wonder. The passage describes the sender as a “languishing, war-weary lord” (Heaney, 2012: 2752), then goes on to explain the glamour of the treasure hidden in the dragon’s cave as “a treasure-trove of astonishing richness”. This creates a transition that draws the audience from scene to scene as the plot unfolds. Through this imagery, the author helps his audience to visualize and understand the importance of treasure – within the Anglo-Saxon culture–even without having to identify it directly. Therefore, the imagery utilized in these lines of the poem introduces the theme of materialism within the selected passage.

This passage also plays an influential role in relation to the entirety of the epic, as it displays Beowulf’s befitting end. As Beowulf lies on the ground, taking in his final moments on Earth, he is described to have been happy and content that he was able to save the treasure for his people. This narrative ties with the overall theme of heroism throughout the poem, where Beowulf was determined to serve his people and save them, even amidst extraordinary challenges (Parker, 2017). Beowulf’s death would have been meaningless if he did not achieve his goal of being a hero for his people. As “he saw too a standard, entirely of gold, hanging high over the board, a masterpiece of filigree,” (Heaney, 2012: 2768) he acknowledged that it was worth it to fight and kill the dragon. Thus, Beowulf dies a hero, remaining courageous in fight over evil for the sake of his people. This upholds his character since he is presented as a courageous warrior throughout the poem. He is not deterred by his advanced age, and he manages to defeat the dragon, just as he had defeated Grendel when he was younger. Beowulf lives up to his promise of protecting his people by remaining a loyal warrior against all odds.

The mood of this excerpt is somber, eliciting a tone of doom, with the looming death of Beowulf. In line 2802, Beowulf claims that he “can hold out no longer”, implying that his death is nigh. In the previous scenes, the fight between Beowulf and the dragon was presented as an analogy of the struggle between good and evil. While Beowulf is seen as the good king (Heaney 2012: 2390), the dragon is the enemy representing evil. Beowulf’s decision to fight with the dragon upholds him as the hero he is, although he is now advanced in age. Even though Beowulf succeeds in slaying the dragon, he has a strong sense of premonition regarding his death, and the following scenes that emphasize his age while reminiscing about his earlier victories reinforce this. Thus, the passage further supports the theme of mortality by confirming that death haunts even the mightiest members of society. This is reinforced when Beowulf says, “fate swept us away, sent my whole brave high-born clan/ to their final doom/ now I must follow them.” He seems aware of his imminent death, and he has resigned to the fate that awaits him.

The theme of materialism is also presented in the text through the high value placed upon the treasure within the dragon’s cave. As he realizes he is about to die, Beowulf “gazed sadly at the gold”, realizing that even the gold and the treasure that cost him his life does not elevate his spirits now. Nevertheless, he does not regret the sacrifice he made for the Great Land, as he thanks God in the subsequent lines. The astonishing riches of the treasure hold great value for his people, and he knows that he leaves his people so well endowed. Beowulf is keen to see the treasure and behold its grandeur in his last moments alive, which further reflects the importance of materials within the Anglo-Saxon culture.

Another major event that takes place in the passage involves the handing over of the leadership mantle to Wiglaf. In his deathbed, Beowulf entrusts the people to Wiglaf, saying, “It is up to you/ to look after their needs”. This choice enhances the theme of heroism since Wiglaf was brave enough to join Beowulf in fighting the dragon. Thus, Beowulf is confident that the young warrior is fit to lead since he can face challenges head-on for the sake of his people. As Beowulf dies, Wiglaf takes over the leadership, bringing in an element of continuity. Moreover, the excerpt illustrates the theme of mortality since Beowulf’s victory costs him his life. Thus, death is presented as an inevitable end for all human beings. Beowulf remains brave and courageous in the face of death, instructing Wiglaf on his desires for his burial, and handing over his gold collar to bless Wiglaf as his heir.

In brief, the poet narrates the story of Beowulf in his deathbed within this passage. The tone is somber as the looming doom of the King’s death is apparent. Beowulf is aware that he is dying, and he prepares for his burial, including handing over his leadership to Wiglaf. The theme of mortality is seen in this case, since even the brave and courageous kings, loved by the people, must die. Heroism is upheld, as Beowulf is willing to fight the dragon to save his people even in his old age. On the other hand, the value of the treasure represents the theme of materialism as imagery is used generously in the text to describe the treasure. The character of the King as brave and courageous is upheld throughout the passage until he utters his last words. 

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