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How is Beowulf honored after his death?
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Beowulf
Beowulf preparing to cut off the head of the monster Grendel, illustration from Hero-Myths & Legends of the British Race, 1910.
Following his death in battle against the dragon, Beowulf is honored by his people through traditional funeral rites that reflect his status as a hero and king. His body is cremated on a funeral pyre, and his remains are interred in a barrow constructed by the sea, serving as a lasting monument to his life and deeds. As the Geats mourn his passing, their grief is compounded by the realization that his death leaves their land vulnerable to potential invasion by neighboring tribes.1