Beowulf

The different translations I read were those of John Gibb, E.L. Risden, and Kevin Crossley-Holland. I found The Dragon to be the most interesting segment of the story because Beowulf proved to be successful through Grendel and Grendel's mother, but then he runs into trouble when he encounters the dragon. Naegling, his loyal sword ends up snapping during his fight with the dragon. In his near death situation, a thane named Wiglaf comes to his assistance, and helps Beowulf defeat the dragon, risking his life. Sacrifice is one of the themes found in this part of the story. It is exemplified through Wiglaf standing up to the dragon, in order to save Beowulf and help kill the dragon, willing to give up his life for his friend's. Death is also an apparent theme because Beowulf struggles against the dragon, and is almost killed because his sword fails him. Death is also seen in the dragon, when he falls short at the end. Trust is another theme found in The Dragon. Beowulf relies on Naegling to get him through the battle with the dragon because it had not yet failed him before. It's almost as if his sword betrayed him. The different translations help me in understanding the text because one translation might use a good description of what occurred in a segment, while another might leave out some detail in a different section. They all kind of back each other up, and add to the comprehension of what happened in Beowulf. This story is a classic example of a Hero's journey because it begins with a send off, and he goes through trials (Grendel and Grendel's mother), he almost fails at the end, but Wiglaf (his help) assists him in defeating the dragon.