Mini Analysis-Women's Roles in Beowulf

What role do women play in Beowulf? Consider Queen Wealhtheow, Queen Hygd, and the various unnamed daughters of kings. How do women function in medieval Scandinavian society to reinforce alliances and solve blood-feuds?

At first glance, women in Beowulf seem rather insignificant, but once read more thoroughly, one can further analyze their responsibilities. The roles women have are “peace makers”, “beer wenches”, and “gift givers”. As “peace makers,” women reinforce alliances and solve blood-feuds by marrying neighboring tribes so the men will not kill each other. As “beer wenches,” the women served the alcohol to the men in the mead hall such as when Queen Wealhtheow, “handed the cup first to Hrothgar, their homeland’s guardian […] so the helming woman went on her rounds, queenly and dignified, decked out in rings, offering the goblet to all ranks” (pg 54, 615-622); the implication of serving the alcohol is that they help create the bonds with the men. Lastly as “gift givers”, a highly respected position, the women such as Heareth’s daughter,” behaved generously and stinted nothing when she distributed bounty to the Geats”(pg 82, 1929-1931). Importantly, Heareth’s daughter who is unnamed, did what she was supposed to do, and like most women in Beowulf, she did not protest at all.  

            Women’s roles are very limited and expected in Beowulf due to the pagan/ Christianity and eighteenth century influences mixed together. There is not much diversity with women, for example there are a lot of daughters that are unnamed. The women are either portrayed as troublesome or kind; for instance Queen Wealhtheow gives Beowulf gifts and encouragingly tells him, “I wish you a lifetime’s luck and blessings to enjoy this treasure. Treat my sons with tender care, be strong and kind” (pg 68, 1225-1227). The connotation of her speech was to give positive words to Beowulf and give him gifts, which ties into the specific, but once again, limited purpose women have. Queen Hygd was also portrayed to be kind, “her mind was thoughtful and her manners sure”(pg 82, 1928). In comparison to Queen Hygd and Queen Wealhtheow, Queen Modthryth “perpetrated terrible wrongs” as she would get men killed whenever they looked at her; in other words, she was wrong for having pride, and her conceit was put to an end by getting married. Hence, the roles women play in Beowulf are not diverse, but solely function as the “peace makers”, “beer wenches”, and “gift givers” , thus making Beowulf a must read in order to outlook the primitive views of women in the Scandinavian society.   

Works Cited

"Beowulf." The Norton Anthology English Literature. 9th ed. Vol. A. New York: W. W. Norton &Company, 2012. 54-82. Print. The Middle Ages.