The Role of Wiglaf in Beowulf Essay -- Beowulf Wiglaf Essays

The Role of Wiglaf in Beowulf plainly minor character Wiglaf plays a central role in the resultant of Beowulf. A unseasoned knight who has never before seen battle, Wiglaf steps out front to help his lord, hero, and cousin Beowulf in a period of peril. With his failure in battle and resulting death, the narrator shows that Beowulf is, after all, a prideful and mortal macrocosm thus begins the transfer of heroic status from the old king to the young knight. The narrator argues that Wiglaf is worthy of his abruptly acquired status even though his intentions may seem questionable. The end of the poem devotes a significant amount of lines to communication spoken by Wiglaf, signifying his newly crucial role in his body politic and in the story. Inevitably, the noble youth progresses to a position of epic heroism, keep Beowulfs legacy and ful fill his figurative role as the treasurewon,/ bought and paid for by Beowulfs death (2843-2844). Beowulfs strength fails him for the first time when he confronts the dragon. As he loses the futile battle that he pridefully insists on fighting alone, the narrative breaks from Beowulfs peril and focuses on Wiglaf. With wise and limpid words, (2632) Wiglaf delivers a monologue in the poem rivaled in length and antecedent by Beowulf alone. Clearly, Wiglaf has something profound to add to the story as the narrator spends respectable time quoting his sentiments while Beowulf is trying to slay an angry dragon in the background. Like the knight in The Wanderer, Wiglaf recounts the happy days in the mead manor hall with longing, and wishes to serve his lord with all his strength. Without Beowulf, the knights would be displaced, lonely, and without purpose. To inspire his comra... ...m big and live (2837). Wiglaf has truly lived up to the poets and to Beowulfs expectations. Upon Beowulfs death, he says, I give thanks / that I behold this treasure here in front of me, / that I have bee n allowed to leave my people / so soundly endowed (2795-2798). As most of the gold ends up burning on the kings funeral pyre, it is likely that the treasure Beowulf speaks of is Wiglaf, himself. The young knight has prove his abilities and will certainly serve his people well. The poet explains that the treasure had been won, / bought and paid for by Beowulfs death (2843-2844). Wiglaf rises to the most significant role in the poem, as he achieves a level of heroism matched only by Beowulf in his younger years. He proves to be the treasure that compensates the kings death, filling the resulting void in his kingdom and in the narrative.