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Does He Win or Nah? // Jackson Riddle

Of the various questions given to us I will be focusing on the topic of whether or not Beowulf won at the end of his life. After ascending to the throne to rule the Geats, Beowulf is faced with his third and final challenge: the dragon of the barrow. His pride is his eventual downfall as he recalls his days of glory fighting Grendel and Grendel's mother, a time when he was seemingly invincible and could take on both evil entities alone. But now, 50 years later, age has caught up to the valiant hero, and Beowulf is no longer the powerhouse he used to be. Regardless of how age has affected him, Beowulf insists on taking the dragon down alone, ultimately succeeding but dying in the process. 

Before determining whether or not Beowulf won this battle, I think it's important to take a step back and evaluate not just this singular encounter but the entirety of his life. He served as a defender and hero of the Danes by ridding the land of Grendel single-handedly, defeating what the entire army of the Danes could not (or simply refused to) fight. He continues his journey by killing Grendel's mother after she advances on the kingdom in vengeance of her murdered son, and finally he becomes king of the Geats and defeats the dragon that plagued his people. Yes, he did die in his clash with the dragon, which some might say makes the battle a draw considering both parties were defeated, but I believe Beowulf ultimately won not just this fight but won in his life. He helped rid a kingdom of its demon problem, which in turn reinforced the relationship between the Danes and the Geats. He served as a valiant leader of the Geats for 50 years and defeated the dragon that plagued the land, essentially serving as an example for those to come of what a true and noble leader should be. So yes, I believe Beowulf won.

Edit: I commented on Logan and Clabo's posts.

Comments

  1. ClaboMarch 2, 2021 at 1:21 AM

    I also believe that Beowulf won at the end of his life. I mean, not only did he defeat the dragon and save his people from that evil, he also learned a very important lesson that he is mortal. I feel as if this ending was a good moment to close out such a heroic story.

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