.

Similarly, it is asked, why does Beowulf's sword break?

It is "an old sword made by giants, string of its edges, glory of warriors." Beowulf uses this sword to kill Grendel's mother by hitting her from above, thus breaking her collar-bones and slicing her into two halves. Meanwhile, the blade of Beowulf's new sword melts because the blood is too hot and poisonous for it.

Furthermore, what does Beowulf's sword and shield symbolize? Beowulf is still responsible for his people and has to deal with the dragon the arms himself with an iron shield ( very heavy, metal and this symbolizes his strength still). He wants an iron shield because of the dragon's fire breath. The dragon attacks Beowulf. Sword failed him after he hit the dragon.

Moreover, what happens to Beowulf's sword when he fights the dragon?

The Dragon was fire-breathing and melted the sword causing Beowulf to battle without a weapon. The blood of the Dragon was poisonous and when he did bite Beowulf, he died. Wiglaf went back to fight the Dragon and later was sent back to the cave to get some of the treasure he won over for Beowulf.

Why was it hard to kill Beowulf?

Although his sword, Hrunting, loaned to him by Unferth, fails to penetrate the mother's hide, Beowulf discovers a giant magic sword in the cave and is able to kill the mother with it. The sword melts to its hilt after Beowulf uses it to decapitate the corpse of Grendel, which lies nearby.