A CONTRASTIVE ANALYSIS OF BEOWULF’S FIRST AND THE LAST
FIGHTING AGAINST TWO MONSTERS
Salma Haque
Assistant Professor
haque_salma@yahoo.com
Tahmina Akhter
Lecturer
tahminaiiuc@yahoo.com
Department of English Language and Literature
International Islamic University Chittagong
Female Campus, Bahaddarhat, opposite Zia Smriti Park
Chittagong, Bangladesh
Abstract
Beowulf, the epic, is a literary wonder of its time and the story of youth and old age of
a monster-slaying hero Beowulf who fights three battles, with three monsters in three
different purposes and strategies. These three battles are: his fighting against
Grendel, his mother and the Dragon. The monsters are important to reveal the
difference between youth and old age, the inevitable truth that man is mortal and
the limitations of the hero. The objective of this paper is to show through the contrast
of the first and the last fighting of Beowulf that the last fighting is a reckless decision
of the hero as it is more dangerous than the first one for the fire-breathing Dragon is
more precarious than the first fiend Grendel. Moreover, as a king he cannot
undertake risk because the Dragon’s death is the triumph over evil but his death
symbolizes huge difference between hero and the king. At the same time we observe
that hero or ruler can overcome monsters but cannot death.
.
Key words: Grendel, Dragon, youth, old age, Beowulf the hero, and as a king
Beowulf, the most precious relic of Old English
is a long record of terror, blood, glory, and
death. In it “… monsters are closely associated
with
the
slaying
of
friends
and
kinsmen”(Leyerle, 37). The epic begins with the
story of king Hrothgar of Denmark. Throughout
the poem the narrator paints a picture of the
perfect hero in the form of the protagonist,
Beowulf. During his life, he was considered as a
great warrior, not only to his kingdom, but
throughout the world. In fact, it is about man
and demons and narrates the rise and fall of
the superhuman hero through his three
fightings. As critic Brodeur suggests: “The poet
[144]
carefully reinforces and points his opposition of
ends and beginnings . . .” (Brodeur, 74).
According to some critics this poem is divided
between his fighting with Grendel and with the
unnamed Dragon. This view of the structure as
two-parts has generally prevailed since its
inception in J.R.R Tolkien’s ‘Beowulf: The
Monsters and the Critics’ in Proceedings of the
British Academy. All through the poem the
hero is occupied in killing monsters and the
three chief episodes are well-diversified.
In Beowulf monster fightings draw readers’
attention greatly. Each fight of Beowulf with
them shows an important part of his character.
Actually, Beowulf’s first encounter, the climax
of the epic, reveals him as the strongest
warrior around but the last one, the anti-climax
of the poem, shows his helplessness in the
hands of old age and death. In fact there is a
change of temper between the wrestling with
Grendel in the night at Heorot while the
sentiment of the dragon is different. Each
monster represents specific thing as it is never
used in the great work meaninglessly. They
play major antagonistic roles and appear as
symbols of evils to God, man and beasts. The
two monsters have something in common. Yet
there is a strong contrast between them and
the two fightings.
The first menace Grendel receives little
description. It appears to be a giant and is a
descendent of Cain embodying resentment and
malice. The Dragon, however, is not presented
in such a fashion. It is plainly not human,
creating a stark contrast to the other two
antagonists. It is slippery, fire-breathing and
fiercer than the first demon. It attacks human
beings out of revenge for his stolen treasure
and devastates the land quickly; whereas
Grendel ravaged the hall for its loneliness and
jealousy over the Danes for twelve years:
Then a powerful
demon, a prowler through
the dark
nursed
a
hard
grievance.
It
harrowed him
to hear the din of
the loud banquet
every day in the
hall……………..
(ll-84-7)
The first fight was fought when Beowulf was
not a ruler but he fights against the Dragon as a
king of the Geats. Grendel was not his
responsibility but he rescued the people of his
neighbouring kingdom for various reasons. He
was inspired by glory and personal quest. He
also traveled great distances to prove his
strength at impossible odds against such
supernatural demon for his knowledge about
the vulnerability of Hrothgar, the Danish king,
who was unable to win over it for his old age.
Hence, Beowulf undertook a huge job all alone.
However, his confrontation with the Dragon
has one reason-to protect his people and he
plans his revenge.
In fact Beowulf makes a foolish decision to
fight against the Dragon without speculating on
the outcome of such a fight which is more
dangerous than Grendel-fight. Furthermore,
this task belongs to heroes. Hrothgar, the
Danish king, exemplified this statement who
sought protection for his people rather than
fighting for them as he was old when his
kingdom was attacked by Grendel for twelve
years. He also knew that the duty of the king
differed from the duty of a hero or warrior. As
a result, he was not blamed anywhere for not
facing Grendel in battle as his death could have
been unsafe for his people. He also knew that a
king’s most important duty was to his people,
and his survival was necessary for maintaining
social stability, however, Beowulf forgets it in
his old age and immediately decides to attack
the fiend forgetting his limitations and the
[145]
differences between youth and old age. So the
last combat is inconsiderate but the first
decision was rational. Even he did not take any
warrior with him due to his over-confidence,
pride and glory though fourteen well-chosen
warriors accompanied him for Denmark for
killing the first monster. The greatest battle in
life lies within each man in the struggle to
overcome personal vanity and pride. He is
oblivious of this truth. Being over confident of
his prowess, he is unwilling to share praise for
his success with the retainers:
Yet the prince of the
ring was too proud
to line up with a large
army
against the sky-plague.
(ll- 2845-7)
The setting of the first fighting was realistic as
it took place at the magnificent hall of a foreign
land of king Hrothgar. Contradictorily to fight
against the Dragon, Beowulf follows it in its lair
of his kingdom:
Hard by the rock face
that hale veteran,
A good man who had gone
repeatedly
into combat and danger
and come through,
saw a stone arch and a
gushing stream
that burst from the
barrow, blazing and wafting
a deadly heat.
The way the hero comes to know about the
demonic attacks is also different. Beowulf
found out the nightly assail of the bloodthirsty
evil Grendel by a scop who sang a poem about
Hrothgar’s misfortune but Beowulf’s own
people give him the bad news about the
Dragon’s raid. Even no song is composed on it.
Therefore, the news of his misfortune does not
reach any outsider and nobody comes forward
to rescue him and their people from grief. King
Hrothgar also borrowed advice but Beowulf
does not.
Grendel had human emotions and was an
outcast. However, the Dragon is without such
emotions as Grendel is semi-human and the
later is a complete demon. Thus Grendel
symbolizes malice and the Dragon epitomizes
evil and corruption. Grendel also lacked
dragon traits such as a connection to venom or
fire.
At the first combat Beowulf was brave,
charismatic, well-respected unanimously. Due
to his decreasing military skill, old age and
fears of death he cannot be the saviour of his
distressed people during the last battle. In
contrast, in the first fighting he was immensely
hopeful about his success and there was prior
jubilation at the prospect of his victory over the
fiend. King Hrothgar and his queen thanked
him for assuring them of hope and there was
festive cheers :
. . . the laughter
started, the din got louder
and the crowd was
happy
(ll- 2542-7)
The nature of the evils also differ greatly.
Grendel was hungry for soul and it was
treasure destroying. Accordingly Hrothgar
failed to buy Grendel off with gold as it had no
use of it. On the other hand, the Dragon is
treasure –guarding.
(ll- 611-2)
The first victory was not only celebrated by a
great feast and lavish gifts but also a bard sang
his story to honour him; whereas after the last
fight there is no celebration, rather the
lamenting people prepare the funeral for their
hero:
[146]
The Geat people built a
pyre for Beowulf,
(ll- 2329-31).
Thus Beowulf’s first expedition combined
strength, God’s grace and virtues and during
the last fight he loses some of his virtues and
the blessings of God.
In the first battle which symbolizes the clash of
good and evil, Beowulf insisted Hrothgar
earnestly to accept his proposal to fight with
the monster because as a hero he wanted to
seek glory in his youth. Moreover, God gifted
thirty men’s power in his single grip and so it
was possible for him to use it against Grendel,
but for the exceptionality of the Dragon he
cannot apply his extraordinary power against
it. So, we get a frustrating tone in his last fight.
Though like Hrothgar he does not remain idle,
he knows he is going to face molten venom
from which he must get a fatal blow as the last
one is the conflict between life and death.
King Hrothgar showed his patience against the
attack of Grendel as he wisely thought it would
be a complete suicide if he faced the monster
in his old age. He waited for twelve winters.
Beowulf is totally opposite. He decides
hurriedly and never wants to rely on anyone
except himself for his great success in
vanquishing Grendel forgetting the difference
between youth and old age. He desires to be a
sacrificial figure for his people in the last
struggle which leads to his death and the
insecurity of his people:
This fight is not
yours;
Nor is it up to any
man except me
To measure his
strength against the monster
…
Stacked and decked
it until it stood
foursquare
Hung with helmets,
heavy shields
And shining armor,
just as he had
ordered.
(ll-3136-9)
Despite being confident in the first fight,
Beowulf is aware of mortality from the
beginning and we find him sad, restless and
frightened of his impending death as the
nature of the two fightings is strikingly
dissimilar:
…I
shall win the gold
By my courage,
or
else
mortal
combat,
Doom of battle
will bear your lord
away.
(ll-2535-7)
Hrothgar thought the monster’s attack was due
to his pride of wealth. But after the attack of
the Dragon Beowulf gets confused. He has
always considered him to be a God-chosen
protector of his people and-has also thought
that God’s grace will never end for him. When
suddenly the fire-dragon terrorizes him he
realizes that God has withdrawn His blessings
from him. Now he must face it alone either for
reward or for punishment:
His mind was in
turmoil
Unaccustomed
anxiety and gloom
Confused
his
brain………………..
(ll-2532-5)
During the first fight Beowulf got every
opportunity to detect the loophole
and
[147]
weaknesses of Grendel which was a wellknown figure to all as many sad lays
were
sung on this curse of God. For twelve years he
ravished the mead-hall –it is a
long time to know the extra-ordinary strength,
attacking style and physical features
of a
monster. The hero also carefully watched its
technique of attack. Whereas the
Dragon
is a sudden infliction. That is why, Beowulf
cannot measure its power or
technique of
fighting against human beings.
his uncle, we find the uncle more successful than
Beowulf.. Hygelac had hero like
warriors who were ready to protect his people.
Beowulf has no such fighters to
guarding safe his people:
Then Beowulf was
given bad news,
the hard truth: his own
home ,
the best of buildings,
had been burned to a cinder,
the throne room of the
Geats.
(ll-2325-30)
the narration progresses, Beowulf
learned the techniques as well as
limitations
of Grendel and waited for its unvarying arrival
time which was also known to
all; whereas he is unaware about the Dragon’s
way of fighting, its strength and
weaknesses. It also remains a mystery even
after its destruction. As the Geats are
terrified of it, they do not dare to bring its
lifeless body with them as a sign of
booty
which Beowulf did with Grendel’s head after
his successful killing of it. In one sense
the hero is very helpless since Grendel targeted
only the mead- hall. It came to the
hall
to pass the night. If it did not find anybody
inside, left the place empty-handed
and its
power was limited to the vacant hall only. But
the Dragon is quick, rough and
vindictive and the whole nation have come
under its power. Unferth, one of the
Danish
thanes questioned him about his ability to win
before Beowulf’s conflict with
Grendel.
As
Fate favoured Beowulf in the first encounter
but not in the last one. In the first struggle his
target was mostly revenge. Therefore, “
Although Grendel’s cave is rich in treasure,
Beowulf takes away only a golden hilt and the
severed head of Grendel; his object is to gain
revenge not treasure”(Leyerle,12). While in the
last fighting he seeks treasure:
. . . I give
thanks
That I behold this
treasure here in front of me,
That I have been
allowed to leave my people
So well endowed on
the day I die.
(ll-2795-2800)
To Beowulf the first fight was an adventure, but
the second one is a necessity for his
subjects. After the settlement as a king, Beowulf
gets fifty long years to build up a
nation. But he is too self- dependent and never
thinks of collaborative work. So his
nation remains cowards and frightened. If we
compare him with Hygelac, the king
and
[148]
Surprisingly nobody doubts his strength in his
last fighting though he is very old.
In contrast to Grendel’s sharply focused
attacks, the Dragon attacks widely and
indiscriminately. Its awful and immeasurable
anger is not directed at any person or object
but to a large degree. Beowulf’s hall is burnt
not because it has a special significance for the
attackers as Heorot did for Grendel, but simply
because it happens to be in the Dragon’s path.
The Dragon’s power cannot easily be measured
by human standards and its aim is truly chilling
in its scope; it does not seek control of one hall
during the night but in the countryside
surrounding its barrow. Unlike his earlier battle
against Grendel, in his battle with the Dragon
he receives serious neck injuries for his inability
to differentiate his former and present
strength. For this reason he cannot return from
a situation where he is unable to gain victory
over the monster as it is more dangerous than
Grendel. Thus, Grendel taught him the truth of
bravery and the value of everything. On the
other hand, the Dragon’s lesson is that nothing
is important and all things go back to be
nothing in the end. “. . . some commentators
view it as an essentially irresponsible act . . .
”(Bloom, 20). But his killing of Grendel is
praised as an act of heroism, prudence,
generosity and tact.
The first battle was relatively easy for Beowulf;
whereas during the last battle he
needs
weapons for getting victory for his weakness as
a warrior. In the first
combat Beowulf was unarmed but won as he
was unstoppable, nevertheless
in the last one despite using war -harness he
does not win over the demon to give
the message that “ . . . man is mortal
himself”(Kaske,14).
Sometimes it is needed to break an old code
only to set a new one. Beowulf was
afraid of breaking the heroic code of single
effort. Against the Dragon a
combined effort was necessary which Beowulf
failed to attain though he had
all opportunity to establish a new example by
taking the help from others as a king,
Although in his youth he was modest and mild,
repeatedly thanked God, he loses
some of his humbleness with the passage of
time. His grand victories make the
veteran king show his pride against which king
Hrothgar warned him years before
immediately after his success in Grendel
killing:
Yet the prince of the
rings was too proud
To line up with a large
army
Against the sky plague.
(ll-2345-8)
Hence he begins to think that all conquests and
the exceptional power of thirty men
in one grip are his own attainments not the
credit of God and considers him to
be unparallel, does not need the help from
anyone; even before his death does
not
call his comrades but earlier his warriors ran to
his assistance with weapons
against Grendel. Wiglaf, his dear retainer
criticizes the cowardly thanes for not
joining Beowulf:
Let
us go to him,
Help
our
leader
through the hot flame
And dread of the fire.
(ll-2648-50)
Wiglaf also realizes the need of strong bonding
between kings and soldiers but Beowulf cannot
for his excessive pride of heroism and his
inability to differentiate youth from old age. He
[149]
thinks that he is the protector of his people, so
proudly forgets to seek help from God:
but as a king of the
people I shall pursue this fight
for the glory of winning,
if the evil one will only
abandon his earth-fort
and face me in the open.
stability.(www.ethesis.net/beowulf/beowulf.ht
m) Irving also suggests “When kings die or their
power wanes, war and chaos ensue”(Irving 33).
Though he brought relief from Grendel and
restored order in Denmark but after he last
fighting: “Loyalty dies, protection vanishes, and
the good society disintegrates . . . the
destructive fire, and social chaos succeeds the
joys of the wine-hall”. (Lee, 182) as he is no
more. Sorrows will not be eased.
Contradictorily, it will be renewed and
Beowulf’s death in the hands of the demon is
the beginning of insecurity for the Geats
(ll-2512-4)
The Dragon is a sky plague, a curse for Beowulf.
His conceit makes God angry and he snatches
away the superman power from Beowulf.
Consequently, during the last combat he loses
the mercy of God, which he got when facing
Grendel.
On the eve of national crisis, Beowulf could
have united the warriors as well as his people
in the cause of insecurity. But he does not do it
and his people get disconnected. So in the last
combat he lacks wisdom which he showed in
the first fight. Actually he forgets that in youth
rulers can depend on strength but in old age
they should rely on maturity and wisdom.
Previously, Beowulf did not have the risk of
leaving his people leaderless. During his last
fighting, the question of selecting successor
arises as he has not done it before. As the
atmosphere of danger progresses through a
society, a strong leader is crucial to unite the
people of the region to support a common
cause. This was the job of Beowulf but he fails
to do it even in his extreme old age as he did
not think of delegating his power to any other
leader. Before confirming his successor, he
risks his life by fighting against the firebreathing demon where he can be vanished
any time. The poem suggests that, by
sacrificing himself, Beowulf unnecessarily
leaves his people without a king. Earlier he was
not a ruler. So he could undertake great risk
with Grendel. But “A king’s most important
duty is to his people, and his survival is
necessary
for
maintaining
social
Now war is looming
over our nation,
soon it will be known
to
Franks
that
the
and
Frisians, far and wide,
king
is
gone.
(ll- 2910-13)
Unlike Beowulf’s earlier battle against Grendel
he receives serious injury and dies of the
poisonous fangs of the Dragon. Because at the
first fighting he was more powerful than the
monster but the Dragon poses more risk for
him. Consequently, he killed Grendel alone but
with the aid of Wiglaf he succeeds in killing the
beast:
There was no way
Beowulf
could
manage to get the better
Of the monster with
his sword. Wiglaf sits
at Beowulf’s side, the
son of Weohstan,
the
living
warrior
watching by the dead,
Keeping weary vigil,
holding a wake
[150]
For the loved and the
but as king of the
people I shall pursue this fight
for the glory of
winning …
Although he fights for the protection of his
people, they do not show their gratitude to
him for undertaking risk; whereas the Danish
celebrated his victory and he was gifted
plentifully by the king.
His first fight made the Danes happy and
restored their hope. On the contrary, he makes
an unwise decision to kill the Dragon in old age
before confirming his heir. When he has lost
consciousness only Wiglaf, his retainer, revives
him with some water. His people for whom he
has taken risk abandon him. Thogh his people
bemoan the loss of their leader, do not jump to
his rescue. They betray him by deserting the
king. Only Wiglaf stays with him to confront
the Dragon. He performs an important service
for his coward, disloyal people:
No
help or backing was
to be had then
from his highborn
comrades;
that
hand-picked troop
broke ranks and ran
for their lives
to the safety of the
wood.
(ll-2511-3)
In reality an overdose of courage turns into
pride, and it comes before the fall, as Hrothgar
warned Beowulf. There is a marked difference
in disposition between the young Beowulf of
the first half and the grey haired king of the
second. His tone was confident in the first fight
but in the last struggle his tone is sorrowful and
he is less sure.
Grendel killed men to quench his thirst for
human blood, but the Dragon wanted revenge
irresistibly. The contrasts also show that in old
age one can prove him a wise and effective
ruler but not a successful warrior as youthful
combat differs from old one greatly. The
qualities that make a good retainer –blind
courage and self-sacrifice for the sake of
personal glory are very bad qualities for a king.
Beowulf’s obsession for power, name and fame
monopolizes his mind, so even at the time of
death he cannot seek pardon from God rather
wants to see the treasure and gold:
The beginning of an utterance Broke out
from the king’s breat-cage. The old lord gazed
sadly at the gold.
loathed.
(ll-2904-10)
(ll-2792-93)
The two evils are the combinations of human
and inhuman characteristics. The poet’s subtle
use of language creates multiple layers of
meaning for them. The dark nature of human
immorality is witnessed in and defined by the
two monsters’ actions. They become the
cautionary figures warning against evil and
prove, by horrific negation, the importance to
human life of virtuous conduct. If we take the
characters – Grendel, Beowulf and the Dragon
metaphorically we find the last battle is a
blunder for the hero who is also a king.
(ll-2596-99)
Beowulf remains courageous for fame in his
elder years as he did in his youth forgetting
that he is no longer the young, eager man he
was those many years ago though he still
boasts:
I risked
my life
Often when I was
young. Now I am old,
[151]
Grendel symbolizes an evil thane as he is semihuman. He disliked the happiness and
brotherhood among the people of Heorot and
desired to end them with his murderous raid.
By destroying the essence of community,
Grendel worked against the conception of
friendship and brotherhood of the thanes. The
Dragon also is representative of human evil
and exists as a parody of the ideal kingship, his
actions resembling those violent and evil
rulers. He is a twisted incarnation of
guardianship that extends dictatorial control
over the kingdom, ignoring the laws. A King is
an institution; individual protection against his
rage is seer vanity as well as insanity.
Before the last combat he forgets that fighting
against a food seeker and fighting against a
treasure hunter are not the same. First one is
necessity, anybody can entrap it. But nobody
can stand before a treasure hunter; nothing
can fulfill its voracity except fatal combat.
Thus the first fighting did not end in mutual
destruction but the dragon- fightresults in
double death. Hence it is courageous but rash.
According to Margaret Goldsmith: “Beowulf
has grown arrogant and makes a mistake in
fighting the dragon alone” (Goldsmith, 19).
Beowulf and the Danish king Shield Sheafson
share incredible strength. Sheafson’s violent
tendencies diluted in his descendents- Beow
and Hrothgar. They were nation builders, could
move people, unite them under one royal
www.ethesisi.net/beowulf/beowulf.htm
house, towards centralized government which
Beowulf failed.
Analyzing Beowulf’s two combats with the
monsters, it can be said that through the
contrasts some important truth has emerged.
That is nobody can win over death, no matter
how powerful a king is, as God not only gives
life but also takes it from any person
irrespective of his/her position in the world.
References:
Bloom, Harold. Beowulf, New York: Chalsea
House Publishers, 2007.
Brodeur, Arthur Gilchrist, The Art of Beowulf,
Berkeley: University of California Press, 1954.
Goldsmith, M.E., The Mode and Meaning of
Beowulf. London: Athlone Press, 1970
Irving, Edward B.A Reading of Beowulf, New
Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1968.
Kaske, R. E. Critical Approaches to Six Major
English Works. R. M. Lumianisky and Harshel
Baker(ed.)
Philadelphia:
University
of
Pennsylvania Press,1971.
Ker, W. P. The Dark Ages, New York: Scribner’s,
1911.
Lee, Alvin A. The Guest-Hall of Eden: Four
Essays on the Design of Old English Poetry,
New Haven and London: Yale University Press,
1972.
Leyerle, John, “The Interlace Structure of
Beowulf”, University of Toronto Quaterly, 37,
October, 1967.
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