Wealhþeow (Wealhtheow)

Image of Wealhtheow by J.R. Skelton

## **Background**

Wealhþeow, often written as Wealhtheow, is a minor character in the epic poem Beowulf. The text describes her as “adorned in gold” and “decked out in rings”. There are many scholarly debates about what her names means. One translation of Wealhtheow’s name could be “foreign slave”. This could indicate that Wealhtheow was forced into marriage to Hrothgar, although there is no mention of it, nor is there any tension between the two present in the epic poem.

## **Strengths**

From what we see of Wealhtheow, she shows strong charisma and great judge of character. As Wealhtheow is during her duty as hostess by offering the mead cup to Hrothgar and his retainers, she offers the cup to Beowulf. While she is offering the cup, she asks Beowulf is he really intends to help the Danes rid of Grendel, to which Beowulf asserts his promise. Seemingly satisfied with his answer, Wealhtheow returns to Hrothgar’s side.

## **Weaknesses**

Wealhtheow does not show any meaningful weaknesses, as she does not fight, nor is she put in any situation that would reveal such a weakness. If we look at her role in the epic poem, Wealhtheow is meant to support Hrothgar and Beowulf. She does not deviate from or expand upon her role, and as a result, comes off as a flat and stagnant character.

## **Role in Beowulf**

As the queen of the Danes, Wealhtheow is the hostess for the parties held at the Heorot. Her role as a hostess is exemplified by her passing of the mead cup. In her first scene, she offers a cup of mead to her king, Hrothgar, to which he accepts and drinks from the it. Wealhtheow then does the same for all of Hrothgar’s retainers. While Hrothgar is away from the Heorot for Beowulf to defeat Grendel, he entrusts the mead hall to his wife, Wealhtheow.

After his fight and victory over Grendel, Wealhtheow hosts another party, presenting a speech announcing Grendel’s defeat. After said speech, she turns to Beowulf, once again offering a mead cup to him, but also offering him gifts, including two arm bangles, a mail-shirt and rings, and a gold torque (necklace). It is also stated later that Wealhtheow also gifted Beowulf three horses.

## **Lines in Beowulf**

### Old English

Eode Wealhþeow forð,

cwen Hroðgares, cynna gemyndig,

grette goldhroden guman on healle,

ond þa freolic wif ful gesealde

ærest Eastdena eþelwearde,

bæd hine bliðne æt þære beorþege,

leodum leofne. (612-618)

He þæt ful geþeah,

wælreow wiga, æt Wealhþeon,

ond þa gyddode guþe gefysed;

Beowulf maþelode, bearn Ecgþeowes: (628-631)

ða him Hroþgar gewat mid his hæleþa gedryht,

eodur Scyldinga, ut of healle;

wolde wigfruma Wealhþeo secan,

cwen to gebeddan. (662-665)

þa cwom Wealhþeo forð

gan under gyldnum beage, þær þa godan twegen

sæton suhtergefæderan; (1162-1164)

Wealhðeo maþelode, heo fore þæm werede spræc: (1215)

Hyrde ic þæt he ðone healsbeah Hygde gesealde,

wrætlicne wundurmaððum, ðone þe him Wealhðeo geaf,

ðeodnes dohtor, þrio wicg somod

swancor ond sadolbeorht; hyre syððan wæs

æfter beahðege breost geweorðod. (Heaney 2172-2176)

### Translated English

Wealhtheow came in,

Hrothgar's queen, observing the courtesies.

Adorned in her gold, she graciously saluted

the men in the hall, then handed the cup

first to Hrothgar, their homeland's guardian,

urging him to drink deep and enjoy it

because he was dear to them. (Heaney 612-618)

He accepted the cup,

a daunting man, dangerous in action

and eagar for it always. He addressed Healhtheow;

Beowulf, son of Ecgtheow, said; (Heaney 628-631)

Hrothgar departed then with his house-guard.

The lord of the Shieldings, their shelder in war,

left the mead-hall to lie with Wealhtheow,

his queen and bedmate. (Heaney 662-665)

and Wealhtheow came to sit

in her hold crown between two good men,

uncle and nephew, each one of whom

still trusted the other; (Heaney 1161-1164)

Then Walhtheow pronounced in the presence of the

company: (Heaney 1216-1217)

I heard he presended Hygd with a gorget,

the priceless torque that the prince's daughter,

Wealhtheow, had given him; and thee horses,

supple creatures, brilliantly saddled. (Heaney 2172-2175)

## References

1. ↑ *Heaney, Seamus (1999). Beowulf: A New Verse Translation. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.*
2. ↑ Hill, Thomas D. "Wealhtheow' as a Foreign Slave: Some Continental Analogues." Philological Quarterly 69.1 (Winter 1990): 106-12.
3. ↑ *Porter, Dorothy (2001). The Social Centrality of Women in Beowulf: A New Context" (5 (Summer-Autumn 200)). The Heroic Age: A Journal of Early Medieval Northwestern Europe. Archived from the original on 2006-09-19. Retrieved 2006-08-09.*