Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Beowulf Journal 3

            The epic, Beowulf, opens with a suspenseful, eerie mood; however, the story closes on a mournful, elegiac note. Further, the somber nature of the story’s closing is seen when Beowulf “unclasped the collar of gold from his neck and gave it to [Wiglaf]” (Heaney 47) then stated “you are the last of us, the only one left of the Waegmundings” (Heaney 47). The image of Beowulf handing down his gold collar to Wiglaf shows that Beowulf is close to death, and it is an image of a king passing down his war armor and legacy to the next generation. In addition, by stating that Wiglaf was the last Waegmundings, Beowulf is lamenting the fact that his lineage is dying out. The last lines of the epic states, “they said [Beowulf] was the man most gracious and fair-minded, kindest to his people and keenest to win fame” (Heaney 48). The line displays the prestige and respect Beowulf held in the hearts of his people, and it depicts a crowd of somber people in mourning for the loss of their greatest king yet. Therefore, Beowulf is an epic that tragically ends with the death of the hero, Beowulf.

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