Final answer:
In Beowulf, both the dragon and Beowulf are portrayed as formidable figures, bound by a warrior ethos and associated with treasure, signifying their power and the impending end of an era.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks how the speaker in lines 45-58 of Beowulf shows that the dragon is similar to Beowulf. Both characters are portrayed as formidable and fearsome, embodying strength and a sense of end-of-an-era gravitas. Beowulf is shown as a noble warrior facing his final battle, while the dragon represents a powerful and destructive force.
The similarities indicated by the text include their roles as respected and fearsome figures, their attachment to treasure (Beowulf as a king and the dragon to its hoard), and the warrior ethos they represent, which underscores the epic's themes of heroism and the inevitability of death.