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Women's Roles In Medieval Literature

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During medieval times, women were expected to be mothers, wives, and peace weavers, none other than that. They were required to be pure, good, and attractive in order to be portrayed as the “greatest gift to mankind.” Otherwise they would be looked upon as evil, witch-like, and monstrous. Women were expected to be adorned in jewels, well-liked, and respected by all. They shall cause no conflicts and should bow to their male authorities. 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 …show more content…

The rich and beautiful fairy represents the worthy and undesirable women. She is beautiful, yet powerful. She owns her own tent in the woods that the royal could not afford, which makes her rich, however women were not supposed to own anything in medieval times, which makes her powerful. She lured Lanval to her, unlike normal fairy tales, where the male lures the female. Lanval also follows her commands rather than the woman following the males’ orders. And lastly, the fairy came in on her noble steed to save Lanval, when in traditional stories, the male saves the damsel in distress. So, as you can see, the fairy has qualities of both types of women in medieval literature.
In summary, the role of women seen in medieval literature is seen in a pattern throughout Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Lanval. Being powerful, ugly, or disobedient made you unworthy of being a women, if you wanted to be respected and well-liked, you must become quiet and attractive. Beauty, grace, riches, and obedience all exemplify the qualities of the proper women in medieval

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In Medieval Europe, women was an essential part of society, especially during the Middle Ages. Women had several roles they carried out that contributed to Europe's growth, such as a peasant woman and the Lady of the Manor. Women also and many expectations in society for their behavior and their way of life. Society's view on women and their treatment towards them weren't the best at times. Despite being seen as defenseless, without women, Europe would not be like it is today.

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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.

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First of all, the female role of peace weaver in the epic poem literature it meant to describes the woman who has married to someone which is bring a peaceful to their household. In the Anglo- Saxon culture, the women role was very loyal to their husbands and promises to obey together in life and society. They does not have any legal rights to their life within the social system nowadays, but the women who were the most dedicated to their preconceived roles in family as a wife always has the most respected in life. In Beowulf's poem, there are two characters who are has the peace weavers as a good wife are Queen Wealtheow and Hildeburh. The character Queen Wealtheow is a wife of King Hrothgar, she was an example of successful in the peace weavers by his husband and his son while they providing her daughter with another peace weaver to a different enemy tribe in their life.

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