ipl-logo

The Portrayal Of Women In Beowulf

518 Words3 Pages

What does the portrayal of women in Beowulf tell you about how women were perceived and treated in Anglo-Saxon society? Well, that’s a very good question. The women in Beowulf were treated very similar to the women in the Anglo-Saxon society. They both had similar duties and responsibilities.

The women in Beowulf were not insignificant figures; their roles weren’t limited in the poem. They could be peace weavers, hostesses and cupbearers. Their role as hostesses has to do with the duty of carrying the mead cup and pass it to the king and warriors. The women also had some influences on politics and took their own decisions, which concerned the fate of the kingdom. Women in the Anglo-Saxon society played similar roles; weaving and dyeing …show more content…

Even though it is true that their appearance is limited and brief, they do play fundamental roles in it. The poet always makes use of positive words to describe them. Wealhtheow is “mindful of etiquette” (613), “a noble-hearted queen” (624), and “perfect in speech” (624). The idea of a nobleman’s ideal wife was reflected in the poem; “at mead drinking she must at all times and places approach the protector of princes first, in front of the companions, quickly pass the first cup to her lord’s hand” The first time Wealhtheow makes her appearance in the poem (612-641), she offers the cup to Hrothgar first, making clear that he is the most powerful figure in the …show more content…

They inherited and held property and if they were married they gained control over their property. They were treated as equal as the men. They had a voice and they were able to say what they wanted when they wanted. The only problem that really arose was that the women were sometimes bossing around the men and it didn’t always go over so smoothly. Just like today’s women, they raised their children, managed their houses and educated their children but they were very handworkers and they weren’t giving up.

Overall, I think that all the women were treated very well compared to what they were treated like after this time period. They both play very similar roles and were both very important. I really admire all of these women for being as strong as they were. They wanted to be treated equal so they made sure that they were. I feel like nowadays, women are scared to speak up. Both the women in Beowulf and the women in the Anglo-Saxon society are very similar to the women now and I’m glad that I was able to be alive in the time period where women were treated almost as equally as the

Show More
Related
785 Words | 4 Pages

However, they were still suffering from equal rights with men. Women were only seen as “child bearers” and the head of the house, but rarely could make decisions about their pregnancy which often led to

Read More
220 Words | 1 Pages

In the article, Beowulf’s Androgynous Heroism, The author tells us that Beowulf is one of the “most memorable in his capacity as the masculine warrior and king.” (Robert Morrey, Beowulf’s Androgynous Heroism, University of Illinois Press) Even though he had no feminine companion beside him, he still fulfilled his roles, as he should have. Beowulf was authentically strong and unquestionably capable of standing up, even when nobody else could. He was able to stand up and arrest control when need be. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, he was struggling to be the best he could be until Enkidu died, his best friend.

Read More
648 Words | 3 Pages

While reading Beowulf, one might think that Wealhtheow’s role in Beowulf is insignificant, or that she is merely an extension of Hrothgar, the Danish king. But after studying her character, the queen of the Danes clearly holds a far more powerful role than at a first glance. Her speeches are brief, but full of meaning and authority, and her astute counsel is often relied upon by Hrothgar. While she plays only a small role in Beowulf, Wealhtheow demonstrates that women played an integral part in medieval culture. Wealhtheow’s wisdom and respect is apparent in her role as the cup-bearer.

Read More
949 Words | 4 Pages

In Beowulf women are seen a force of destruction: 8the action or process of killing or being killed, the cause of someone's ruin. 4They are mainly characterized as a monster avenging her son. In doing this she manages to destroy not only a kingdom but the king himself (lines 1321-1344). Leaving him brooding over a friend’s death not to mention the many innocent people she killed when she attacked his throne room. Even Beowulf-the

Read More
219 Words | 1 Pages

Women ruled the home, although the men built the homes the woman owns them. Women had power over their families they fought as warriors and I participated in the government. Women were farmers, they planted seeds

Read More
848 Words | 4 Pages

Women were subject to a wide-ranging discrimination that marked them as secondary citizens, which is what gilderlehrman.org says. “She had no right to own property in her own name or to pursue career of her choice.” In addition, the article states, “Women could not vote, serve on juries, or hold public office.” Women didn’t have any rights that they wanted and were mostly not allowed to do anything which is unfair. A married woman had no separate legal identity from that of her husband.

Read More
1371 Words | 6 Pages

Most readers often question the concept of queer theory and ask themselves, “Did the author/poet purposely add these homoerotic quotes or did it just happen?” In a close reading of some Anglo-Saxon readings, there is plenty of evidence to support the case of there being queer theory works implemented and how it relates to the overall plot of the story. The poem of Beowulf contains a lot of hidden imagery, symbolism, and other underlying messages throughout and the hidden theme or theory that is most prevalent throughout the poem is the queer theory, or that Beowulf is actually a homosexual. There are multiple situations and circumstances that would give the reader this impression within the text and the use of different literary devices give the poet, who is unknown, the ability to express them. In the poem, the poet utilizes phallic symbols, coding, and heteronormative roles in society to show the possibility that Beowulf was queer in a time where heteronormative roles were what was the social norm in society.

Read More
1809 Words | 8 Pages

The Beowulf poem and the Poetic Edda A comparison between Norse and Anglo-Saxon literature There are some texts that have changed and formed our view on literary history, and two of the more notable pieces are The Beowulf poem and the Poetic Edda. The two have redefined our view on the literary past of both England and Scandinavia and have laid the foundation for what we acknowledge as literature. J.R.R Tolkien wrote in his Essay Beowulf: The monsters and the critics ”Barely all the censure, and most of the praise, that has been bestowed on The Beowulf has been due either to the belief that it was something that it was not — for example, primitive, pagan, Teutonic, an allegory (political or mythical), or most often, an epic; or to disappointment at the discovery that is was itself not something that the scholar would have liked better — for example, a heathen heroic lay, a history of Sweden, a manual of German antiquities, or a Nordic Summa Theologica.” He continues to debate for the poems importance as literature, instead of as a historical document.

Read More
1333 Words | 6 Pages

First of all, despite the fact that men are highly emphasized in Beowulf, women are highly absent in the story. Even within the first couple of sentences, the style and wording create an atmosphere in which

Read More
650 Words | 3 Pages

Masculine Ideals in Anglo-Saxon Society The concept of a hero is prevalent through all generations because it presents a template for ethics and behavior. Beowulf is a pivotal epic told by poets throughout early european society and mirrors the manly nature of their ideal hero. The patriarchal values of the Anglo-Saxons are displayed through the epic Beowulf. The characters’ loyalty to their leaders as well as their conventional sense of masculinity indicate that the values of a society determine the values of an individual.

Read More
383 Words | 2 Pages

For example, in the original text it describes Wealtheow as “noble lady” but it turns out that she is “passing only as either giving men drinks or silently sitting beside Hrothgar”. Also, Sarmiento states Laws of Aethelbert in his essay that shows the equal social status of both men and women during Beowulf’s era and it is true that in Beowulf, typical female character such as Wealtheow can make any decision she wants without having to ask her husband, so that I think Beowulf play does not have the stereotype of

Read More
653 Words | 3 Pages

There was no benefit for women during this period. Their role in society even regressed at this period in time. Some of the ways that women’s roles in society regressed are that they had no power, they were seen at property, they had little to no access to education or culture. A woman’s main role was to be a housewife and to have children. The first point of women having now power is that men had control over their women.

Read More
1721 Words | 7 Pages

There were high standards for women in society as well as in the home, as their main job was to be

Read More
1532 Words | 7 Pages

Introduction Women in the Middle ages were treated as the second class members within their social class. They were taught to be obedient to their husbands and were expected to run the household and raise children. Their role in the society, however, was much more complex, while some medieval women achieved a high level of equality with men. In the Middle Ages women had a secondary role, coming second after men.

Read More
603 Words | 3 Pages

Medieval literature portrayed women as either proper or monstrous. Lanval, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Beowulf all carry the pattern of women’s roles throughout the period of time. In Beowulf, women are portrayed in two ways, confined and unconfined. The women that adhere to the roles of wives, mothers, and

Read More

More about The Portrayal Of Women In Beowulf

Related Topics

Open Document