Initially, the epic poem Beowulf seems to underrate its female characters, stereotypically underplaying their worth in the story. Under further inspection, it becomes clear that this is untrue. While the society tended to focus on the masculine, women held just as much influence as the men. Whether they show this in their leadership and guidance, like Queen Wealhtheow, or in their duty to their kingdom by helping weave peace between to battling nations, like Hildeburh. The female characters in Beowulf accurately depict the roles and ideals held to women in this particular society. In Anglo-Saxon England, the role of women stands to be slightly different than its descendants, such as the Anglo-Normans. Women were typically in charge of running
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She breaks the stereotype of the weak female in this society. She is portrayed “as an evil, masculine, monstrous woman” (Porter). Not only does she perform duties like that of men, such as going into battle. She is also a fiercer competitor than her son was. A strong warrior in her own right, she is able to subdue Beowulf, and “is certainly physically capable of carrying out her desired vengeance” (Porter). Although her character is almost literally demonized, yet still inherently human, because in Anglo-Saxon society, avenging a loved one’s death is looked upon with much respect. Grendel’s mother breaks the mold for both the society itself and the poem Beowulf by being a warrior female, yet a mother defending her son’s, in her eyes, unjust death.
In the end, the role of women in Anglo-Saxon England are fittingly reflected in Beowulf, by both the characters and what they do within the story itself. Their society treated women with a higher respect than many cultures to follow. The ability to own land and having choice in their marriage are two things some women today cannot even do. In the story, each character exemplifies certain duties women took, such as ‘ring-giver’ or ‘peaceweaver’, in Queen Wealhtheow and Hildeburh’s case, or like Grendel’s mother, fighting to avenge her son’s
She breaks the stereotype of the weak female in this society. She is portrayed “as an evil, masculine, monstrous woman” (Porter). Not only does she perform duties like that of men, such as going into battle. She is also a fiercer competitor than her son was. A strong warrior in her own right, she is able to subdue Beowulf, and “is certainly physically capable of carrying out her desired vengeance” (Porter). Although her character is almost literally demonized, yet still inherently human, because in Anglo-Saxon society, avenging a loved one’s death is looked upon with much respect. Grendel’s mother breaks the mold for both the society itself and the poem Beowulf by being a warrior female, yet a mother defending her son’s, in her eyes, unjust death.
In the end, the role of women in Anglo-Saxon England are fittingly reflected in Beowulf, by both the characters and what they do within the story itself. Their society treated women with a higher respect than many cultures to follow. The ability to own land and having choice in their marriage are two things some women today cannot even do. In the story, each character exemplifies certain duties women took, such as ‘ring-giver’ or ‘peaceweaver’, in Queen Wealhtheow and Hildeburh’s case, or like Grendel’s mother, fighting to avenge her son’s