Epic of Beowulf Essay - Wiglaf :: Epic of Beowulf Essay

Beowulf Wiglaf Wiglaf, along with Beowulfs other warriors, watches Beowulf initiation his fighting against the dragon. When the fight seems to be turning against Beowulf, however, altogether of the warriors except Wiglaf -flee. Wiglafs purpose in the poem, however , is more than evidently some one(a) to help Beowulf. Wiglaf is the model of a ripe warrior, and as a good warrior, Wiglaf demonstrates the importance of heroism to society and the necessity of loyalty to ones kinsman and overlord. He is leave aloneing to saccrifice his vitality to reciprocate the gifts which he true from his lord, but even more important, he symbolizes the need for cooperation between warrior and lord in order to preserve society against overwhelming odds Wiglaf in addition demonstrates the responsibility of the good warrior, a contrast to the cowardly warriors, who represent every(prenominal) that sciet shoud non emulate. After Beowulfs Battle with the dragon, Wiglaf reprimands the warr ioirs who fled. Such cowardice, he says, reveals a national weakness and is an invitation for their enemies to attack. Wiglaf reminds them that the loss of Beowulf means no more gifts, a loss of land rights and everything that makes life joyous. Wiglaf emphasizes that death is preferable to a life without a lord without a lord, man is adrift in a hostile world. During Beowulfs battle with the dragon, the poet tells us that Beowulf is not "undoomed", and after the battle during Wiglafs attempt to revive the old Warrioir, the poet reminds us that God not whole has the power to preserve heroes in battle, but also to memorise life from them. He is saying at times, God dispenses victories, and at other times heroes lose their lives. Here, Beowulf loses his life. God allows Beowulf to avenge himself against the dragon and fight the good fight, but we moldiness always remember a key fancy of the heroic code a hero mustfight- even thoughhe knows that he fights against fate. Alth ough Wiglaf is only a young warrior when he inherits the kingdom, heknows that the cowardice of the Geats will lead to their downfall. other(a) tribes who hear about the warriors failure to protect their king will surely swarm down upon them, hoping to take revenge for past hostilities. In short, Wiglaf is a doomed man. Hw has inherited a longstanding feud, and he must lead a people who seem inable or unwillingly to fight.