Ingeld

## Background

Ingeld (In-geld) is a warrior mentioned in Anglo-Saxon and Nordic legends. Ingeld is a member of the Heathobards and son of the King Froda. In the poem *Beowulf* translated by Seamus Heaney, Ingeld is only brought up in a brief mention by Beowulf concerning the events taken or taking place in Denmark between King Hrothgar of the Danes and the Heathobards. Having defeated the Heathobards and killing Ingeld's father Froda, Hrothgar matches up his daughter Freawaru with Ingeld while hoping this marriage would "heal old wounds/and grievous feuds" (Heaney 2027-2028).

Separate from the poem Beowulf, Ingeld the name and character is used throughout both Anglo-Saxon and Nordic literature. The character Ingeld is present in other works such as: *Gesta Danorum*, *Ynglinga saga,* and *Wisdith*. In Old English literature, Ingeld's character is generally seen as someone going through some moral digression by being faced with decisions influenced by circumstance and brutish societal expectations to restore his tribe's honor.

## Character Strengths

Ingeld's greatest strengths are similar to the character Beowulf: Warrior spirit, loyalty to men, and physical strength. In the poem, Ingeld is mainly held in a precautious regard by Beowulf. This could be because Beowulf sees himself in the warrior Ingeld; both driven and bound by honor and loyalty to their people.

## Character Weakness

Ingeld's significant weakness lies in being torn between two groups: The Danes and the Heathobards. This weakness leads to whispers amongst Ingeld's eldest warrior(s), plotting revenge against the Danes. Beowulf alludes to his King Hygelac the possibility of Ingeld killing his father-in-law in an attempt to usurp the Danish leadership and bring honor to Heathobards. This desire to avenge could be posed as a weakness or a strength, since Beowulf does not say in the later parts of the poem if Ingeld actually acted upon his revenge. This was merely brought up to warn King Hygelac and to describe the moral struggle of men in the context of Ingeld's predicament.

But generally the spear
is prompt to retaliate when a prince is killed,

no matter how admirable the bride may be.

Has lost a battle with his rivals and worse he lost his father. (Heaney 2029-2030)
"Ingeld Digression" is how Edward Currie describes the events in *Beowulf* relating to Ingeld. Currie describes the series of events leading to Ingeld's attack against Hrothgar and the Danes from another poem:

"Hroðgar’s *ræd* to promote peace between the tribes is countered by the old warrior’s counsel: the elder promotes further conflict, the opposite of the Danish king’s goal. The ultimate effect of the warrior’s speech is to inspire Ingeld to attack the Danes in their hall Heorot, a conflict that is hinted at in *Beowulf*. Ingeld falls in this well-known battle, which is concisely narrated in the Old English poem *Widsið* (*Wisdith)*" (Currie 4).
In both *Beowulf* and *Wisdith*, Ingeld's drastic but heroic deeds are influenced by his tribesman convincing him to be a warrior and test his loyalty to the Heathobards. This influence eventually is the undoing of Ingeld, when in the poem *Wisdith* Ingeld leads an attack on the Danes seeking retribution for the death of his people and ends up dead. His main weakness is that of the influence of a warrior-spirit, seeking revenge on those who have done your country wrong.

## Significance in *Beowulf* Poem

The arrival of the character Ingeld in *Beowulf* is one that is full of context, since it is Beowulf recounting this story of events about Ingeld. Beowulf returns from defeating the monster at Heorot and immediately recounts the events of his journey, starting with Ingeld's possible usurpation of the Danes. Kemp Malone in his dissertation *Time and Place of the Ingeld Episode in "Beowulf"* dives into Beowulf's change from preterit to present tense when discussing Ingeld.

"The narrative, in lines 2024b-29a, 2032-46, and 2057-66 is recorded in a present as some interpret as the past (the "historical" present), others as a future. Both interpretations are grammatically possible... I am inclined to agree with Olrik that Beowulf here was not indulging in prophecy but was telling Hygelac about things that had already happened."(Malone 77)

The fact of grammatical tense Malone brings up is pivotal to the timeline of events in the story of Ingeld because Beowulf could be referring to Ingeld in the "historical" present or alluding to future events involving Ingeld. This has many implications relating to if Ingeld is already married or bound to be married, as well as Ingeld and the Heathobard's plight to kill the Danes has occurred or not. The tense of the verses mentioned by Malone are all subject to controversy in the translation of the grammar from Old English. Beowulf's message to Hygelac could in fact be interpreted different if Ingeld's plans had or have not been executed.

"Ingeld's displeasure presumably began with the first meeting, continued up to the moment of Beowulf's departure from the Danish court, and at that time gave every indication of indefinite continuance into the future, for the parties concerned, Hrothgar and Ingeld, seemed bent on going ahead in spite of everything."(Malone 79)

Malone states he is certain Beowulf is talking in a future tense when referring to Ingeld's displeasure with the Danes. Beowulf upon leaving feels the grievance of Ingeld looking in the Danish hall at the armor taken from his killed men. Beowulf's recount of Ingeld accompanied with the change in pretenses reveals Beowulf's duty towards the accuracy in his recount. Beowulf is retelling the marriage predicament between Freawaru and Ingeld from his own first hand account at Heorot and from his instincts/feelings of what he expects could happen and/or what has already happened.

## Lines in *Beowulf* mentioning Ingeld

Ingeld is mentioned in the poem when Beowulf the character is reporting to king Hygelac the plans Hrothgar and the Danes have to marry Freawaru and Ingeld.

pā ic Freaware flet sittende
nemnan hyrde, þær hīo nægled-sinc

hæleðum sealde. Sio gehāten is

geong, gold-hroden, gladum suna Frödan;

hafað þæs geworden wine Scyldinga,

rīces hyrde, ond þæt rēd talað

bet hẽ mid by wife wel-fthỏa dol,

sæcca gesette. Oft seldan hwêr (2022-2028)

I heard the company call her Freawaru

as she made her rounds, presenting men

with the gem-studded bowl, young bride-to-be

to the gracious Ingeld, in her gold-trimmed attire.

The friend of the Shieldings favours her betrothal:

the guardian of the kingdom sees good in it

and hopes this woman will heal old wounds

and grievous feuds. (Heaney 2022-2028)
Beowulf in this passage details the feelings Ingeld could be feeling towards the Danes and a possible uprising that could come out. Beowulf paints a picture to Hygelac of Ingeld having to deal with being ruled by the people who defeated him and his father.

"Mæg þæs bonne ofþyncan deodne Headobeardna
ond þegna gehwām pāra lēoda,

þonne hē mid fâmnan on flett gæð

dryht-bearn Dena, duguða biwenede.

On him gladiað gomelra lāfe,

heard ond hring-mæl Headabeardna gestreon,

penden hie dam wäpnum wealdan moston,

oðdat hie forlæddan to dām lind-plegan

swäse gesīðas ond hyra sylfra feorh. (2032-2040)

Think how the Heathobards will be bound to feel,

their lord, Ingeld, and his loyal thanes,

when he walks in with that woman to the feast:

Danes are at the table, being entertained,

honoured guests in glittering regalia,

burnished ring-mail that was their hosts' birthright,

looted when the Heathobards could no longer wield

their weapons in the shield-clash, when they went down

with their beloved comrades and forfeited their lives. (Heaney 2032-2040)
The inevitable hate building up in Ingeld will shroud any feelings he may have for his new wife.

Þonne bioð ābrocene on bā healfe
að-sweorð eorla; syðdan Ingelde

weallað wal-nīdas ond him wif-lufan

æfter cear-wælmum cölran weorðað. (2063-2066)

Then on both sides the oath-bound lords

will break the peace, a passionate hate

will build up in Ingeld and love for his bride

will falter in him as the feud rankles. (Heaney 2063-2066)
## References

“Ingeld.” *Berloga Workshop - Ingeld*, 12 Dec. 2019, berloga-workshop.com/blog/275-ingeld.html.

*Beowulf*, by Seamus Heaney, IDG, 2000, lines. 2020–2070.

Currie, Edward. “BEOWULF AND THE PERMUTATIONS OF A GERMANIC LEGEND: THE INCARNATIONS OF

INGELD ACROSS GERMANIC LITERATURE AND CULTURE.” *Cornell University*, Graduate School of Cornell University, 2018, pp. 1–191.
Colin Chase. *The Review of English Studies*, vol. 27, no. 108, 1976, pp. 448–450. *JSTOR*,

www.jstor.org/stable/513799. Accessed 8 Feb. 2021.
Malone, Kemp. “Time and Place in the Ingeld Episode of ‘Beowulf.’” *The Journal of English and Germanic*

*Philology*, vol. 39, no. 1, 1940, pp. 76–92. *JSTOR*, www.jstor.org/stable/27704572. Accessed 8 Feb. 2021.