Why is the dragon angry in Beowulf?

Fifty years pass with Beowulf in charge, when a local dragon is angered when a slave enters its lair and takes a cup from its treasure. The creature attacks the neighboring towns in revenge.

What did the dragon want in Beowulf?

The dragon is “driven […] to guard heathen gold, / through age-long vigils, though to little avail” (ll. 2275-7). Like Beowulf, the dragon uses its strength to accrue a huge mound of treasure, but in the end all the treasure does is bring about its death. The treasure also brings about Beowulf’s death.

How is the dragon greedy in Beowulf?

The dragon is exceedingly greedy – marking a stark contrast to good kings, who create loyalty and love among their people and warriors through generosity. After a thief steals from the dragon’s horde, the dragon goes on a rampage and terrorizes the Geats. Beowulf, the king of the Geats, fights the dragon.

What happened to the dragon in Beowulf?

The dragon lands a bite on Beowulf’s neck, and blood begins to flow. Wiglaf rushes to Beowulf’s aid, stabbing the dragon in the belly, and the dragon scorches Wiglaf’s hand. In desperation Beowulf pulls a knife from his belt and stabs it deep into the dragon’s flank. The blow is fatal, and the writhing serpent withers.

Is the dragon in Beowulf evil?

The Dragon. Dragons appear throughout medieval folklore. They represent evil that is challenged by heroes and for the most part they are the stories. In Beowulf, the dragon is portrayed as an evil creature that dislikes mankind especially those who dare intrude on its hoard or steal from it.

How does Beowulf plan to fight the dragon?

Even Beowulf’s mighty mead hall falls to the dragon’s fury. Beowulf believes he must have offended God and prepares to fight the dragon. But fearing the beast, Beowulf requests a special shield made of iron. He believes he can fight the dragon with just a few men and does not raise an army.

What sin does the dragon represent in Beowulf?

According to Chance, Grendel represents envy, his mother represents pride, and the dragon represents avarice, or greed.

Is the dragon in Beowulf his son?

The Dragon appears as the secondary antagonist in the 2007 film adaptation of the same name. He is also known as the Golden Man and is the son of Beowulf and Grendel’s Mother. He first takes the form of a man colored in gold, then takes the appearance of a dragon that bears his father’s appearance.

How are Beowulf and the dragon different?

The dragon is the poem’s most potent symbol, embodying the idea of wyrd, or fate, that imbues the story with an atmosphere of doom and death. Whereas Beowulf is essentially invulnerable to Grendel and his mother, he is in danger from the beginning against the dragon.

Why does Beowulf get angry at the Dragon?

It isn’t Beowulf who steals from the dragon and brings on the initial anger. The text says “someone [unknown]managed to enter by [the dragon] and interfere with the heathen trove. He…removed a gem-studded goblet; it gained him nothing, though with a thief’s wiled he had outwitted the sleeping dragon.

What did Beowulf steal from the Dragon’s Lair?

Beowulf stole a goblet from the dragon’s lair. “He had handled and removed a gem-studded goblet; it gained him nothing, though with a thief’s wiles he had outwitted the sleeping dragon; that drove him into rage, as the people of that country would soon discover.”

How is the dragon similar to Beowulf?

Like Beowulf, the dragon uses its strength to accrue a huge mound of treasure, but in the end all the treasure does is bring about its death. The treasure also brings about Beowulf’s death.

What is the role of the Dragon in Beowulf?

The dragon is “driven […] to guard heathen gold, / through age-long vigils, though to little avail” (ll.2275-7). Like Beowulf, the dragon uses its strength to accrue a huge mound of treasure, but in the end all the treasure does is bring about its death. The treasure also brings about Beowulf’s death.