Beowulf, Part 34 summary

What happens

1. The opening recalls revenge involving Eadgils and a king’s death, before describing Beowulf’s survival through many battles.
2. Beowulf seeks the dragon with eleven companions, and the captive responsible for the conflict reluctantly guides them.
3. The treasure lies in a guarded underground cave near the ocean.
4. Beowulf sits on a headland and addresses his companions as the narrator signals that death approaches him.
5. He recalls entering Hrethel’s care at seven and receiving the same affection as Hrethel’s children.
6. He recounts Hæthcyn’s accidental killing of Herebald and compares the grief to a father mourning a hanged son.

In this part

What to notice

The imagined father’s daily suffering makes bereavement feel continuous. The comparison gives concrete form to the grief caused by a son’s death.

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