During Beowulf's final battle with the dragon, which character assists Beowulf and exemplifies loyalty?

• A. Beowulf's father
• B. Hrothgar
• C. Wiglaf
• D. Unferth

Answer: (C)

Loyalty under pressure is the quality being highlighted. In Beowulf’s final fight with the dragon, most of the warriors abandon their lord, showing a failure of the duty that a retainer owes to a king. Wiglaf, a young thane, stays by Beowulf’s side, rebukes the others for deserting him, and fights alongside Beowulf to help defeat the dragon. This act embodies true loyalty: he puts Beowulf’s safety and the honor of their community above his own fear or safety, even when the outcome is dangerous and Beowulf is mortally wounded.

That’s why Wiglaf is the best answer. The other figures aren’t present in this moment or don’t perform the loyal, upholding action seen in Wiglaf—Beowulf’s father isn’t involved, Hrothgar is the distant king of the Danes, and Unferth hasn’t demonstrated this kind of steadfast backing in the final battle. Wiglaf’s loyalty stands out as the clear moral example in the scene.