The author of Beowulf skillfully uses digressions throughout the play to foreshadow events or provide more information about a situation. Some digressions can be used as a guide on how to live your life. The digression on page fifty-two into lines 884 to 914 of Beowulf in The Norton Anthology: English Literature Volume A, the entertainer singing in honor of Beowulf after he has slain the monster Grendel. To the characters in Beowulf, the song is simply entertainment, but to the reader it is a prediction of future events that will unfold as the story continues. The digression is used to hint at Beowulf's struggle with the dragon, becoming king, and to say what kind of king Beowulf will not be in the future. The digression begins with the story of a legendary king called Sigemund who is very similar to Beowulf. Sigemund and Beowulf have the same characteristics that give them glory and fame; both men are admirable warriors known for courage, high moral values ​​and leadership qualities. The digression also foreshadows Beowulf's destiny to become king of his people and his future battle with a dragon; the details of Sigemund's fight with the dragon and Beowulf coincide almost perfectly. Dragons are enormous beings who guard a huge hoard of treasures and precious metals; the Kings feel fought with honor to protect the people and defeat the beast. Sigemund enters the dragon's lair alone in hopes of slaying the dragon and winning the treasure for his people. Likewise, Beowulf will enter the dragon's lair alone because his warriors are cowards and hide behind a rock. Furthermore, this move will be the beginning of Beowulf's downfall. Beowulf had difficulty transitioning from devoted warrior to king; h...... middle of the sheet...... page fifty-two allows the reader to understand Beowulf's personality through the story of another person who has a similar fate to Beowulf's. At the end of the digression the reader should also better understand how Beowulf's personality is not and how he will not fall into the same faith as many men of power. This digression also highlights the respectable social values ​​that every person, king or not, should have in their character. The numerous digressions in the poem warn of the evil effects that power and greed can have on once honorable men. Works Cited1. Tolkien, JRR and Christopher Tolkien. The legend of Sigurd and Gudrún. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009. Print.2. Christ, Carol T., Catherine Robson, Stephen Greenblatt, and M. H. Abrams. "Beowulf." The Norton Anthology of English Literature. New York, NY: W. W. Norton &, 2006. Web.