Dragon or Son?

     The last monster we see in the Beowulf story is the powerful Dragon which is to much for the aged Beowulf and in the end they take each others life. In the novel the Dragon is protecting a legendary treasure near Geatland, but is awakened when a thief steals from it's treasure a gem covered goblet. The Dragon is then enraged and goes on a rampage from town to town, looking for the thief, and burning all houses and buildings including Beowulf's home which housed the throne. After hearing of the destruction of his home Beowulf promises to avenge his people and armors up for the battle with the dragon. In the novel the Dragon finally brings Beowulf to his death after biting him with his poisonous teeth, but the Dragon is also stabbed by Beowulf and dies shortly after.
     When it comes to the film we see a much broader story line behind the story of the Dragon. Unlike the novel, Beowulf never returns to Geatland, and so the legendary treasure that the Dragon protects in the novel is not in the film. The Dragon in the film attacks Beowulf's kingdom shortly after Beowulf receives a Dragon Horn that he swore he had left with Grendel's Mother years ago. Beowulf then returns to the cave where Grendels mother resides and she immediately sick's the Dragon on him and the Battle begins. So at this point we see that in the film version Grendel's Mother has control over the Dragon, but we do not understand why yet. After a long heroic battle with the Dragon which destroyed half the Kingdom Beowulf finally after cutting off his own arm rips the Dragons heart out and then they fall to the beach where they both lie. In the last few moments of the film as the Dragon's body is getting washed away Beowulf finally sees the true form of the Dragon which is a golden man that we know can only be his son.






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 Tom Quach.(2012). Beowulf. Retrieved from http://tomquach.com/images/Beowulf/gld.html

Staffered Riggs.(1933).The Story of Beowulf. Retrieved from http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/tsb/tsb05.htm