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The son of Weohstan the Scylfing, and a relative of Beowulf , as well as his most loyal warrior. In the battle against the dragon , he proves to be the only Geatish warrior with courage even moderately equivalent to Beowulf's.
The king of the Danes. Hrothgar enjoys military success and prosperity until Grendel terrorizes his realm. A wise and aged ruler, Hrothgar represents a different kind of leadership from that exhibited by the youthful warrior Beowulf. He is a father figure to Beowulf and a model for the kind of king that Beowulf becomes.
An ancient, powerful serpent, the dragon guards a horde of treasure in a hidden mound. The second king listed in the genealogy of Danish rulers with which the poem begins. Beow is the son of Shield Sheafson and father of Halfdane. The narrator presents Beow as a gift from God to a people in need of a leader. The father of Hrothgar, Heorogar, Halga, and an unnamed daughter who married a king of the Swedes, Halfdane succeeded Beow as ruler of the Danes.
A Danish warrior who is jealous of Beowulf, Unferth is unable or unwilling to fight Grendel, thus proving himself inferior to Beowulf. Beowulf death was caused by a poisonous wound from the dragon. But he really died because his past and his pride blinded him to the reality that he was an aging king who could no longer perform the same feats of strength and bravery, making him a tragic hero.
He was blinded by his past and buried by his pride. It falls into a pit. It becomes so heavy he cannot lift it. The sword breaks when he strikes the dragon.
Beowulf speaks, asking Hrothgar to take care of the Geats and return his property to Hygelac if he, Beowulf, should be killed. He also bequeaths his own sword to Unferth. How does Beowulf die? This is the honor code that exists between the king, or feudal lord, and his warriors, sometimes called "thanes" or "retainers. Thanes swear devotion to their leader and vow to fight boldly, to the death if necessary, for him. For his part, the leader rewards his thanes with treasure, protection, and land.
His generosity is one of the virtues for which he is admired. Wiglaf is a young warrior in the service of his king, Beowulf. We are told that he is a kinsman of Beowulf, the last of the Waegmunding clan. When he realizes that Beowulf is in serious jeopardy in his battle with the dragon, Wiglaf calls to the other 10 retainers who accompanied the king to the barrow and reminds them of the promises they have made to their leader.
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