Throughout history, one concept that has been consistently evolving is that of gender roles. Each society has a different outlook: In the early Muslim world, before the Abbasid Empire, women were allowed to own land and treated the similarly to men, whereas in the feudal ages of Europe, women were considered property of their husband and not truly seen as those who could make decisions. The ideals in Beowulf are a mix of the two and although women have power, they are still generally associated with a traditionally maternal role. Lines 606 through 641 of the poem introduce the idea of femininity and its role in the text as a pathway for material goods and social poise, ultimately displaying women as motherly mediators in struggles for power. …show more content…
At the beginning of this section, noble queen steps into the mead hall, “adorned in her gold.” Over the course of the entire story, gold is distributed to amongst characters as a sign of power and respect: Hrothgar gifts Beowulf gold after he defeats Grendel, Beowulf distributes treasure he got from the Danes as well as the hidden treasure that belonged to Grendel’s mother among his people upon returning home. In these instances, the poet places emphasis on how treasure is received as a medium of power with its origins linked to success in battle. In contrast to these instances, Wealtheow’s