Death and violence are driving forces in the enjoyment of horror movies and stories. Such gruesome events are entertaining to behold and often lead to bigger adventures or satisfying ends. Similarly, death often advances a story and allows a character to heroically face death. Beowulf holds to the previous stated standards. These terrible conflicts are driving forces that advance the plot and contribute to the reader’s enjoyment. The story outlines Beowulf’s battles with monsters and fights with death that established his mythic reputation. A combination of direct and indirect events caused by death lead to Beowulf’s rise to power and ultimately insure his doom. Death turns Beowulf into a hero. In the beginning of the poem, death causes Beowulf …show more content…
The dragon was awoken after a man stole from him and “began to belch out flames / and burn bright homesteads.” Once Beowulf receives the bad news that a dragon is wreaking havoc on his kingdom, he is saddened. Time has chipped away at the old king and now the once hero is forced to face death once more: “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.” Beowulf is forcing himself to fight one last battle in his old age and face death, this time without his tremendous strength and youth supporting him. In his old age, Beowulf struggles to fight the dragon and even goes to inform his thanes this fight may be his last: “insert Quote”Beowulf’s newfound wisdom is evident in his personality shift. He knows his own strengths and that they have weakened over time. to predict that in facing death for a third time, he will be unable to win on his own. Wiglaf, a Thane, remained to aid his king while the other men were scared when faced with death. In remaining, when faced with death, Wiglaf, like Beowulf, became a hero and the next King of the