As poetry, one of the most moving passages in the epic is the Keeper’s invocation as he leaves the gold and other items in the barrow (2247–2266). He speaks of the mutability of time and the loss of the good men, heroes, and princes, who no longer have any use for the treasure. They took the metals from the earth, and the Keeper now returns the treasures to it. He tells us that the stewards sleep who once burnished battle-masks. The chain-shirts can no longer protect their owners because the warriors will fight no more battles. There will be no more songs from the scop. The tribe’s fortunes have turned. Everyone is dead. All glory is fleeting.
The dragon’s motivation is vengeance even though the poet makes it clear that the fire-breathing reptile, like the deceased warriors, has no use for the cup or any of the rest of the treasure. He originally discovered the secret entrance to the barrow by chance, just as the fugitive does. Raiding at night, the dragon reminds the reader of Grendel, the monster who haunted Hrothgar in his old age and changed the Scylding king’s fortunes. In a parallel that cannot be missed, the dragon does the same, in a slightly different way, to Beowulf.
Interestingly, Beowulf’s initial reaction is a feeling of guilt. He believes that he has somehow offended God. However, Beowulf is nothing if not devoted to God, country, and duty. He is the protector of his people and almost immediately begins preparations to fight the dragon. Always aware of his battle gear, he orders a new shield to replace his old linden-wood protector; this one is to be covered with the strongest iron. Because Beowulf’s own hall was one of the homes destroyed by the dragon, the king, too, will seek revenge.
