Wiglaf's Loyalty In Beowulf

729 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Beowulf heroism

Wiglaf the Loyal Warrior Loyal, courageous, and strong are all characteristics of Wiglaf, warrior of the Geats. The Geats were the tribe of the great Beowulf, in the epic of Beowulf, which is set in the 8th century in modern day Denmark and Sweden. The author of the epic of Beowulf is still unknown, and it is an epic poem about the adventures of its main character, Beowulf. Wiglaf is a character that is not mentioned in the epic of Beowulf until near the end of the epic. So why did the author include Wiglaf at all? That is a very interesting question and one that will be explained in this essay, as well as all of the reasons on why Wiglaf was an important character in this epic. This essay will discuss Wiglaf’s role in the scenes in which …show more content…

Beowulf is struggling to survive the force and might of the mighty dragon. With his assistance, Wiglaf is able to step in and kill the mighty beast. If Wiglaf is not included in this epic, the beast might not be killed and then he will kill more people in the village. Another important event in the epic in which Wiglaf is involved, is during the death of Beowulf, he made the loyal Wiglaf the heir to the throne. If Wiglaf is not included in the epic, there might not be an heir to the throne, and Beowulf could be the last king of the Geats. The preceding quote from the epic of Beowulf demonstrates Beowulf declaring Wiglaf as the heir of his throne. “When life leaves body, the Lord of mankind Cannot lay to my charge the killing of kinsmen! Go quickly, dear Wiglaf, to gaze on the gold Beneath the hoar stone (lines 1958-1961).” This quote shows the state of Beowulf and how he makes Wiglaf the heir to the throne. Wiglaf is a very influential character in the epic of Beowulf and if Wiglaf is excluded, Beowulf might not be able to defeat the dragon and continue the …show more content…

In the battle with the dragon, Beowulf is struggling and Wiglaf is the only warrior who helps Beowulf to eventually defeat this beast. The proceeding excerpt is from Beowulf which shows Wiglaf encouraging Beowulf to fight with everything he has left and he will be by Beowulf’s side. “Beloved Beowulf, Summon your strength, remember the vow You made of old in the years of youth Not to allow your glory to lessen As long as you lived. With resolute heart, And dauntless daring, defend your life With all your force. I fight at your side! (1587-1595)” The proceeding quote signifies that Wiglaf will never give up on Beowulf and will always fight on his side. A major characteristic of Wiglaf in this epic is his loyalty to his king, Beowulf. He will never give up on Beowulf. Even when the ten other warriors leave, he stays to help assist Beowulf in taking down the dragon. He is extremely loyalty to Beowulf and will never leave his side even in the face of death. Wiglaf loyalty towards Beowulf helps him to the killing of the mighty dragon at the end of the

Show More
Related

  • Honor And Integrity In Beowulf

    844 Words  | 2 Pages

    The poet of Beowulf uses many literary devices to enhance respect and trust in the poem. The great heroic story of Beowulf gives many examples of the traits a great leader should have. At the end, those same traits were demonstrated by Wiglaf, who then became the king of the Geats. This proves that these traits were essential to the Anglo-Saxon culture; however, this also makes Beowulf contemporary. The poem has many themes that are still applicable today.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Hero's Journey In Beowulf

    1115 Words  | 3 Pages

    Which is to slay the dragon that continues to attack the villages and farms of Geatland.“ Beowulf spoke, made a formal boast for the last time:” I risked my life often when I was young. Now I am old, but as 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.” (lines 2510-2515), being his final words to his people before he sets out to slay the dragon. While battling the dragon Beowulf gets burned and injured badly. All his men are frightened by this and run off besides Wiglaf. “ The nobel son of Weohstan saw the king in danger at his side and displayed his inborn bravery and strength(lines 2694-2626).... Once again the king gathered his strength and drew a stabbing knife he carried on his belt, sharpened in battle , He stuck it deep into the dragon’s flank. Beowulf dealt it a deadly wound. They had killed the enemy, courage quelled his life; that pair of kinsmen, partners in nobility, had destroyed the foe. So every man should act, be at hand when needed;”( lines 2702-2710). Even though beowulf and wiglaf slay the dragon king Beowulf dies from his injuries. “ The dragon from underearth, his nightmarish destroyed as well.” (lines 2824-2826). After this tragic loss Wiglaf orders seven men to collect the dragon 's treasure. What remained after was placed in the barrow as a memorial

    Read More

  • Examples Of Glory In Beowulf

    581 Words  | 2 Pages

    Wiglaf was the only person that had stayed to help his king and by doing this while all the other soldiers ran away it magnified his glory infinitely more than before. It was magnified so much that Beowulf made him king because of his bravery and loyalty to him.

    Read More

  • The Epic Poem, Beowulf - Beowulf and Heroic Virtues

    1196 Words  | 3 Pages

    Wiglaf, in coming to Beowulf's aid in the fight against the dragon, typifies several important heroic virtues. The most obvious of these is the importance of the relationship between lord and thane. In trying to persuade the other thanes to assist Beowulf, Wiglaf says, "Now the day has come that our liege lord has need of the strength of good fighters. Let us go to him, help our war-chief while the grime terrible fire persists." (Chickering 61) In stating this, Wiglaf reminds the other thanes of the necessity of holding up their end of the bargain in the lord-thane relationship. Beowulf is a good lord, who protects his thanes and dispenses treasure to them, and it is their turn to support him in battle in his time of need.

    Read More

  • Beowulf: Fierce and Compassionate Warrior

    449 Words  | 1 Pages

    With all his great achievements, he becomes king of his homeland (Geatland). Even in his old age, he still has an obligation to fight against the evils of nature. Beowulf hears about a dragon who has become extremely upset because a thief stole a cup from a treasure which he had been guarding for several years. When Beowulf asks for volunteers to fight against the dragon, all but one of Beowulf's followers run into the forest in fear. The one who stays with Beowulf, is a young warrior named Wiglaf.

    Read More

  • Courage In Beowulf

    1935 Words  | 4 Pages

    In lines 2065-2069 this was suspected good faith of Heatho-Bards, and telling that they had truth and trust inside the alliance with the Danes. There was the figth with Beowulf and Grendel and then Beowulf and Grendels mother as well. “For the eldest, Herebeald , and unexpected deathbed was laid out , through a brothers doing when haethcyn bent his horn-tipped bow and loosed the arrow that destroyed Herebealds life” (lines2435-2439). This was the dwelling of a twisted brother who didn’t mind taking his own flesh and bloods life away. His age and wisdom was worthless. Beowulf had spoken a formal boast about how he risked his life as an wean and how he would rather not use weapons if there is another way around it. “This fight is not yours, nor is it up to any man except me to measure his strengths against a monster or to prove his worth” lines (2532-35). This was the speech he feed to everyone “the first time when Beowulf fought and fate denied him glory in the battle” (lines 2573-75). The only one that stood by his side was Wiglaf, and he felt enough loyalty to come to the aid of his king. Beowulf then hit the dragon in the head and the sword breaks and that mad the dragon upset. The dragon bit Beowulf neck and blood was everywhere and Wiglaf came into play. Then the dragon tried to burn Beowulf wolf to a crisp but it was a “almost”

    Read More

  • Loyalty In Beowulf's Honor

    886 Words  | 2 Pages

    Through his many heroic accomplishments, whether it is fighting Grendel, Grendel’s mother, or the dragon, in Beowulf’s defense of the needy and his enthusiasm to sacrifice his life to benefit others, Beowulf has earned the right to be given the name “hero.” Beowulf can be looked at as a man who demonstrates the knightly morality of his medieval counterparts. Beowulf is not only a hero, but also a model to all warriors of that they should aim to be.

    Read More

  • Greedy Dragon In Beowulf

    991 Words  | 2 Pages

    The dragon burns Beowulf’s palace, causing Beowulf to consider taking revenge: “Yet the prince of the rings was too proud / To line up with a large army / Against the sky-plague. He had scant regard / For the dragon as a threat, no dread at all / Of its courage or strength, for he had kept going / Often in the past” (2345-2350). Beowulf disregards the advice Hrothgar gave to him when he was young, and he overestimates his strength based on his feats of the past. Beowulf goes into battle without an army and is killed due to his ignorance. This speaks to the theme that pride will end in one’s demise. Another theme, the theme of loyalty, is established through Wiglaf’s devotion to Beowulf. Wiglaf stays and fights alongside Beowulf after his men flee. As Beowulf is dying, he unclasps “the collar of gold from his neck and gave it / To the young thane, telling him to use / It and the war shirt and the gilded helmet well” (2810-2812). This is symbolic of Beowulf passing the kingdom to someone worthy, because the golden collar was given to him by Hrothgar for his loyalty to that kingdom. Wiglaf contributes to Beowulf’s reputation and fame through acting as someone who is worthy to uphold the Geats and their

    Read More

  • Beowulf Heroism Analysis

    1010 Words  | 3 Pages

    While engaging the Dragon in combat, Beowulf runs into complications with it and realizes that his sword can do no damage. Beowulf finds himself in defeat for the first time. However, Wiglaf, one of Beowulf’s kinsmen, comes to his aid and together with the combination of courage and strength delivers a deathblow to the Dragon. Although Beowulf is mortally wounded and is about to die, he passes the throne to Wiglaf and gives thanks to God for the treasure they receive from the Dragon’s hoard. This ends Beowulf’s third and final heroic battle in this case with the

    Read More

  • Beowulf's Glory

    899 Words  | 2 Pages

    This recognition that Beowulf receives proves his place as the quintessential hero in Anglo-Saxon society. The unknown author recognizes Beowulf as a warrior who “behaved with honor and took no advantage” (149). This quality is important to Beowulf’s image as a hero. The author also days that Beowulf “bore himself with valor” and names Beowulf “Heroic Beowulf” when describing the hero (135, 149). The author’s recognition of Beowulf as having these qualities and as being heroic shows that Beowulf was regarded as a hero during the authors’ own time. This is also confirmed by the several times people in the epic recognize Beowulf’s heroic qualities. Wiglaf, who was with Beowulf during the final battle, is one of the people to recognize Beowulf’s glory-seeking heroics, saying that Beowulf is “a man unequalled in the quest for glory” (179). This statement speaks much of Beowulf’s willingness to search for and his success in finding glory. Beowulf is also recognized by a thane of Hrothgar’s court during his earlier days. This thane recognizes Beowulf’s heroics and begins “rehearsing Beowulf’s triumphs and feats” by comparing him to Sigmund, an old Anglo-Saxon hero (59). The recognition Beowulf receives from the characters in the epic shows that Beowulf was impressive and heroic to Anglo-Saxons who told his

    Read More

  • Beowulf A Great Leader Essay

    670 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...fight the dragon. Beowulf understood that the key to being a great leader was selflessness, which is also why he chose Wiglaf, son of Wexstan, to be his successor. In Beowulf’s time of greatest need Wiglaf was the only selfless warrior that came to Beowulf’s aid. Even in death, Beowulf understood all the qualities of a great leader and saw them in Wiglaf.

    Read More

  • Beowulf Essay

    1017 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...e was more important than his own. In his last dying moments, Beowulf thought about his people rather than the condition he was in. In his weak state, he said, “Take What I leave, Wiglaf, lead my people, Help them; my time is gone “(Raffel 16). He was willing to hand over to Wiglaf the responsibility of taking care of his people. He believed Wiglaf was a leader himself and appointed him to lead his people to triumph. Three individual aspects made up a leader in the Anglo-Saxon age: loyalty, bravery, and generosity.

    Read More

  • Beowulf Heroism Essay

    975 Words  | 2 Pages

    Towards the end of Beowulf’s epic hero cycle and life as king, he had to take on one last monster, the Dragon. He commuted back to Geatland with his men. As he begins to fight the Dragon, his sword failed him, and Beowulf was left with no weapons. Then ten of the eleven men he brought fled in fear and Beowulf was left with only Wiglaf. They took on the Dragon together and successfully killed him only after being badly wounded in the neck. Beowulf then collapsed and passed on. This finished his cycle as hero and as

    Read More

  • Beowulf's Transformation

    613 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Beowulf’s last battle, he versed a fire-breathing dragon“that has been guarding treasure for hundreds of years”. Beowulf wore armor in addition to bringing a shield and a sword. His sword shattered against the dragon. As Beowulf’s strength was decreasing and suffering, only one of his comrades remained and that was Wiglaf. Wiglaf together with Beowulf succeed in defeating the dragon, but the wounds of Beowulf were mortal. The treasure from the dragon’s lair was buried with Beowulf. Although the “long lasting” warrior died, he still unlocked a “trophie”; in which was the guarded treasure, his loyalty,

    Read More

  • Beowulf and Anglo-Saxon Symbolism

    843 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...lized death. Beowulf stood strong against the dragon while his men were “No help or backing was to be had then from his high-born comrades; that hand-picked troop broke ranks and ran for their lives to the safety of the wood.” (pg.175). The event of the men backing out is the symbol for the Anglo Saxon’s fall of their culture. There was a hint of hope left when Wiglaf came to assist his king. The ending of Beowulf’s life can closely be related to the end of the Anglo Saxon’s era.

    Read More

More about Wiglaf's Loyalty In Beowulf

Open Document