Hrōðgār(Hrothgar)

## Hrothgar

### Relatives

younger brother (Halga),older brother(Heorogar),Wealhþeow (wife), Hrethric (son), Hrothmund (son), Freawaru (daughter)

## **Background**

In Beowulf, Hrothgar is the builder of the great hall Heorot, and the ruler of Denmark when the Geatish hero Beowulf arrives to defeat the monster Grendel.

## **Strength**

Hrothgar is both honest and generous. Hrothgar is both a coast-guard and to Hrothgar's herald. Hrothgar is a "famed king", "famed warrior", and "protector of the Scyldings" (the ruling clan), and he is "old and good." Hrothgar is so generous that "no man could fault him, who wished to speak the truth."

## **Weakness**

Hrothgar is plunged into gloom and near-despair after Grendel's mother attacks the hall and kills Hrothgar's best friend and closest advisor.Because Hrothgar is too generous and kind, so when Hrothgar's friend dies, he will be very vulnerable, so Hrothgar's family and friends are his biggest weakness.

## **Etymology**

The name Hrothgar is of Anglo-saxon origin and means "famous spear". It is believed that the popular name "Roger" used in the United States and Sweden stemmed from this name. In Old English this name is pronounced *hrodgar* which is a combination of *HROO* and *GEIR*. The word Hroo means "fame" and was actually customarily added to the names of great warriors who earned a reputation in battle. This attests to what a great warrior Hrothgar was. The word *Geir* is where the word "spear" translates from meaning that most likely Hrothgar's fame was due to his skill in batlle with this weapon. This also would explain why his people are commonly referred to as the "spear danes".

## **Role in Beowulf**

Hrothgar thanks God for Beowulf's arrival and victory over Grendel, and swears to love Beowulf like a son. Hrothgar leaps to his feet and thanks God for Beowulf's wise words, and leads the Danes and Geats out to attack the small lake (mere) where Grendel's mother lives. Beowulf takes his leave of Hrothgar to return home, and Hrothgar embraces him and weeps that they will not meet again.

## **Lines in Beowulf**

### Old English 61-70

Heorogār, ond Hrōðgār ond Hālga til;

hȳrde ic þæt . . . . . wæs Onelan cwēn,

Heaðo-Scilfingas heals-gebedda.

Þā wæs Hrōðgāre here-spēd gyfen,

wīges weorð-mynd, þæt him his wine-māgas

georne hȳrdon, oððþæt sēo geogoð gewēox

mago-driht micel. Him on mōd be-arn

þæt heal-reced hātan wolde,

medo-ærn micel men gewyrcean,

þonne yldo bearn ǣfre gefrūnon,

### Modern Translation 61-70

Heorogar, Hrothgar, the good Halga

and a daughter, I have heard, who was Onela’s queen,

a balm in bed to the battle-scarred Swede.

The fortunes of war favoured Hrothgar.

Friends and kinsmen flocked to his ranks,

young followers, a force that grew

to be a mighty army. So his mind turned

to hall-building: he handed down orders

for men to work on a great mead-hall

meant to be a wonder of the world forever;

## **Reference**

Beowulf (Bilingual Edition) (pp. 143-144). W. W. Norton & Company. Kindle Edition.

J. R. Skelton - from the children's book Stories of Beowulf (H. E. Marshall). Published in New York in 1908 by E. P. Dutton & Company.

"Sidelights on Teutonic History During the Migration Period", Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1911; pp. 82 ff.

Nordic Names, 2007, https://pase.ac.uk/jsp/pdb?dosp=ADD\_STRING\_CONSTRAINT&st=STATUS&ft=PERSON&value=-1&level=2&cs=C