There are many different accepted ways of viewing the end of Beowulf.  Throughout the book Beowulf seems invincible, defeating horrible monsters and demons on a normal basis.  Fighting the mighty dragon is the hero’s last and most difficult challenge, which he can not overcome.  Beowulf is a hero to his people and his city, and is the only one who is brave enough to fight the dragon.  Even before going into battle Beowulf knows he may not be able to overcome the monster.  In reality Beowulf died because we all die, and the old king had completed his life cycle.  Upon his death the way things have been for thousands of years will pass with him, there is no new hero or leader to step up and fill Beowulf’s shoes.

            The story is opened with the telling of stories about the past great kings and the passing down of their thrones.  Hrothgar is getting very old and can no longer properly defend his people as he once had.  Beowulf is called upon to step in and help defend the old king’s city and people.  The time has come for Hrothgar to pass his reign on to a new hero.  Beowulf is a young hero and is prepared to be a leader, but of his own kingdom.  All great kings have to pass their reign on at some point, when they are too old to manage their kingdom on their own.  As Hrothgar ages, he goes through his cycle of life and has to let a new young hero take over his kingdom.

            Early in the story Beowulf is very prideful and boastful about himself.  He boasts to Unferth about all of the sea monsters he has killed, and makes comments about how Unferth he would’ve defeated Grendel himself if he was as strong as Beowulf. (lines 520-540)  Beowulf originally confronts all of the challenges he faces with brute strength and courage.  At this point the young hero has not matured and learned the lessons a great king knows.  Beowulf’s first two challenges were very difficult, but he easily overcame them both.  After defeating Grendel’s mother Beowulf shows a new type of behavior, he acts much more mature now.  This new behavior makes Hrothgar believe that Beowulf is now ready to be a king.

            Beowulf returns home to Geatland and if offered the throne after King Hygelac’s death.  Beowulf steps down at first to let the rightful heir, Hygelac’s son Heardred have a chance to rule, but Heardred is killed and Beowulf takes the throne.  Beowulf is a great and mighty ruler for his people for many years.  Then the dragon is disturbed and becomes Beowulf’s biggest challenge yet.  Allegorically speaking the dragon can represent death and/or the end of time.  Beowulf is prepared for this battle, but knows that he may not be victorious.  Nobody in the lands surrounding is willing to step up to fight the dragon except Beowulf.  There is no new hero to come and help this kingdom, as Beowulf once helped Hrothgar‘s kingdom.

            Beowulf is now old as has aged, or went through a majority of his life cycle.  The old king approached the dragon’s lair with thirteen men, but when the battle commenced all of these men except one abandoned their king.  Wiglaf was the one man who stayed by Beowulf’s side as the he started fighting with the almighty dragon.  Beowulf is injured during the battle, and Wiglaf bravely rushes to his aid.  Beowulf eventually kills the dragon, then dies in barrow next to the dead beast.  Beowulf’s death is a matter of fate, everyone is guaranteed to die at some point.  The difference is Beowulf will be remembered by his people for all of his noble actions.  Beowulf, though physically he is gone, he lives on even today through his stories.  The existence of these stories presents the idea that Beowulf had defeated death in a way.  The hero does not want to be forgotten so he has Wiglaf build a barrow in his memory.

            With his last words Beowulf makes Wiglaf his heir, telling him “you and I are the last”.  With Beowulf’s death there is nobody to step up and protect Geatland and it’s people as he did.  The “old way” dies with Beowulf in the dragons lair.  Now Wiglaf must take the throne, but will not be able to protect it as Beowulf or the previous kings had.  The spoils of this final battle are not to be passed on as they once would’ve been, they are to be buried with the dead king.  The “ring-giving” of the past is over, another aspect of the “old way” that died along with the king.  Wiglaf speaks to the men that abandoned their king and speaks of the future, and how horrible it will be now that they lost their great leader.

            We will all die when our life cycle has been completed, just as Beowulf died in the barrow after completing his own.  The past ways of new heroes picking up where the old kings left off are gone, times have changed and there is nobody to replace the great king.  As the story progressed Beowulf matured from a young prideful hero into a noble leader.  Beowulf avoids death for a time, defeating powerful monsters and overcoming nearly impossible odds, but eventually his life cycle ends in the dragon’s barrow.  Wiglaf will step up to rule the Geats, but is not comparable to Beowulf.  The new king himself is worried about the future of his people because without their powerful king the Geats will be vulnerable to attack.  Beowulf was a great ruler for a long time, but eventually he was destined to die and pass on the reigns as the great kings before him had done.