Is there a work of literature, similar to Beowulf, where the hero fights a monster to save his kingdom?

Beowulf inspired a number of similar stories, especially Tolkien's--which share several literary and cultural elements--and particularly The Hobbit.

The point of view in The Hobbitis shifted away from the traditional hero's perspective, and is instead told from the least powerful and least aggressive character. Bilbo Baggins is essentially conscripted by a wizard and a group of dwarves to accompany them to their ancestral home, a mountain, which has been taken over by a...

Beowulf inspired a number of similar stories, especially Tolkien's--which share several literary and cultural elements--and particularly The Hobbit.

The point of view in The Hobbit is shifted away from the traditional hero's perspective, and is instead told from the least powerful and least aggressive character. Bilbo Baggins is essentially conscripted by a wizard and a group of dwarves to accompany them to their ancestral home, a mountain, which has been taken over by a dragon. After encountering numerous challenges on their way, they arrive at the mountain and encounter the dragon, only to accidentally implicate the nearby town in having helped them. The dragon attacks the town and is killed by the local hero, who then attempts to lay a claim to the dragon's treasure. Corruption poisons the relationships between many characters until a greater threat (orcs, the traditional enemy of all) interrupts them and they manage to unite against this threat, though not without the deaths of several important protagonists. Bilbo returns home a "changed hobbit," no longer the person he was. While Bilbo undergoes the traditional "hero's journey," there isn't really a hero who is central to both the narration and the plot itself, in the way that Beowulf is.

Several generalized plot points, as well as specific details, are shared between The Hobbit and Beowulf, which Tolkien specifically resourced when writing it;

• Bilbo is commonly called the "burglar" of the party, for his small size and ability to move silently, even though he has no practical experience in burgling. This a direct reference to the thief in Beowulf, who is pressed into joining Beowulf's part to lead them to the dragon.


• The dragons in both stories are said to hoard treasure for no obvious reason other than that it's in their nature, to be able to fly, and breathe fire.


• In both stories, the theft of a cup is immediately noticed by the dragon. 


• Bard, the human who actually kills the dragon in The Hobbit, "inherits" several abilities, such as being able to understand the bird who tells him of the dragon's weak spot. This is akin to many of the important genealogical elements of Beowulf, wherein greatness is tied to one's birth.


• Thorin, the leader of the dwarves, dies at the end of the story, reflecting Beowulf's death at the end of his own. Thorin also recants his own greed, recognizing how it brought him nothing but trouble, in the same way that the Beowulf author frequently points to personal flaws and sins as the source of many conflicts.