A Wyf (A Woman)

A Wyf 
by: Crystalle Fry

Studying Beowulf provides a valuable insight into the culture and values of the ancient Anglo-Saxon people. It introduces how the poem treats and develops universal ideas—these ideas (heroes and heroism, virtue, honor, glory, sacrifice, good/bad kings) transcend in all aspects of life, regardless of time and place. But more specifically sets the stage for addressing gender norms and the duties shared between them—especially women.

Upon further research of the Anglo-Saxon culture, I came upon an interesting role that women play in this time period. “Memory-Keepers” carried the burden of mourning and burying dead husbands, fathers, and brothers after wars. They kept with them the spoils of the war and the destruction that led to the death of their loved ones. An example of this is seen in the text on lines 3148-3155, “With heavy spirits they mourned their despair; the death of their lord and a sorrowful song sang the Geatish woman, with a hair bound up, for Beowulf the King, with sad cares earnestly said that she dreaded the hard days ahead, the times of slaughter, the host’s terror, harm and captivity.” Here we see that her role is to mourn the loss of her King, but is also responsible for the memories of his death. In addition, she predicts the outcome of her people as it reminds her that one their protector has gone, the kingdom will become a target for invaders who seek to destroy it. Further, we see that the tale and history of Beowulf is held in the memory of the Geatish woman.  

Although mainly a patriarchal society, women assumed the roles of “Peace Weavers” and motivators that arguably kept clans alive and influenced peace-keeping strategies today in times of war. Wealhtheow assumes her role as peace weaver (a woman who is married off to make peace between warring tribes), and a cupbearer (a woman who passed cups of mead or beer around to men). An example of this is seen in Beowulf when Wealththeow enters the mead hall for the first time and passes around a cup full of mead, “Wealhtheow went forth, Hrothgar’s Queen, mindful of customs; adorned with the guardian of the East Danes’ kingdom, bid him be merry at his beer drinking beloved by his people, with pleasure he received the feast and cup, victorious King. The lady of the Helming’s then went about to young and old, gave each his portion of the precious cup (Beowulf 611-621).

The heroic poetry of this time period is too often defined as a genre dealing exclusively with the means of one or two supremely heroic male protagonists. The glorification of the male, occasionally at the expense of the female, is a defining element in this genre of poetry. However, women did exist in the warband culture, and they did hold power. Even more interestingly, the power that they held during the time of Beowulf was going through a transition due to the aforesaid introduction of Christianity. These transitions needs to be highlighted, to show that these women (particularly the characters of Wealhtheow, Grendel’s Mother, Hygd, and Modthryth) are not simply static figures from one moment in time, but highly dynamic characters that reflect both Pagan and Christian influences.

 

Is Society a Monster or Grendel or Both?

Alina Shrestha

In the book, Grendel relates to Wealhtheow as he himself can’t find a place in the society. He is seen as a monster just because of his look. In the beginning of the book, it shows us how Grendel tried to communicate with the people of Danes but since the communication was not reciprocated well, he was seen as a monster. Grendel is also oppressed by the society as he doesn’t fit the normal criteria, so he doesn’t have a seat in the community. While the books show Grendel the monster that he is, it can be seen that the Danes and the society turned him into the monster. The hatred he received for his looks when he was a little boy turned him into a monster he was. 

Grendel showed emotion of anger, rage, pity. He had human characteristics like long slender body, arms, legs, all the feature that a human has. Apart from his scary look, and inability to communicate, all his actions and behavior are like humans. He is similar to Beowulf and other people in Danes in a sense that they all kill their enemies. They destroy and kill whatever comes their way and disrupts them. So, it can be seen that the society that the Danes live in is a monster as well because they kill innocents for their benefit and oppress women and use them as peace-weavers. In chapter 2 Grendel says “I understood that the world was nothing: a mechanical chaos of casual, brute enmity on which we stupidly impose our hopes and fears” he realizes that the world is like a bull, destructive. This marks the human’s influence on Grendel and his turning point from innocent to a murderer. The societies influence and hatred turned Grendel into a monster. 

The societies treatment and value toward the women is not equal to men. It can be viewed that the society was the monster towards women taking their basis rights and freedom. Women in early Anglo-Saxon culture were viewed as possessions, they had no say towards their lifestyle or culture. The women were used as peace-weavers between family, they were traded for peace without their consent. The women’s sole purpose was to provide for their family for others. The role of the women was to get married off to other tribes, kingdom to promote peace and happiness to the community. Women’s job was to serve the ruler and its people. In Beowulf and Grendel Hildeburh, Freawaru and Wealhtheow display limited role, they seem to be irrelevant and their only role served as peace-weavers. Wealhtheow is a peace-weaver between the Scyldingsand Helming. She’s Hrothgar’s wife and queen of the Danes. She represents love, altruism and is an ideal woman who brings peace and harmony to the community. The only female character that had some type of power was Grendel’s mom, but she was isolated from the rest of the world and could neither speak or communicate. 

The society can also be seen as a monster because they divide the community between race and gender, majorities and minorities creating sexism and racism. While Grendel attacks and kills people openly, the society attacks behinds people’s back mocking and ridiculing them about their placement in society. Therefore, it can be argued that the society turned Grendel into a monster along with dragon’s influence. Women however, were victims of society since they are used as peace-weavers and didn’t have much rights and freedom. It can be seen that for Wealhtheow and other women in Grendel and Beowulf, the Scyldings and Helming society are the monsters, as the women are being oppressed and used into peace-weaving marriages and the females are seen as irrelevant to the society. While for the people of Danes, Grendel is a monster because he disrupts and kills them.