Wealhtheow (also rendered Wealhþēow or Wealthow; Old English: Ƿealhþēoƿ[ˈwæɑɫxθeːow]) is a queen of the Danes in the Old English poem, Beowulf, first introduced in line 612.
Queen Wealtheow as the hostess of the banquetQueen Wealhtheaow Pledges Beowulf (George T. Tobin, 1909)
Wealhtheow is of the Wulfing clan,[1] Queen of the Danes. She is married to Hrothgar (Hrōðgār), the Danish king and is the mother of sons, Hreðric and Hroðmund, and a daughter Freawaru. The meaning of her name is disputed. One possible translation is "foreign slave" (Hill, 1990).
In her marriage to Hrothgar she is described as friðusibb folca[2] (l. 2017), 'the kindred pledge of peace between peoples', signifying interdynastic allegiance between Wulfing and Scylding achieved with her marriage to Hrothgar. She is both 'Lady of the Helmings' (l. 620) (by descent, of the Wulfing clan of Helm) and 'Lady of the Scyldings' (l. 1168), by marriage and maternity.
Two northern sources associate the wife of Hrothgar with England. The Skjöldunga saga, in Arngrímur Jónsson's abstract, chapter 3, tells that Hrothgar (Roas) married the daughter of an English king. The Hrolfs saga kraka, chapter 5, tells that Hrothgar (Hróarr) married Ögn who was the daughter of a king of Northumbria (Norðhymbraland) called Norðri.
The argument was advanced in 1897 that the Wulfing name may have been synonymous with the East AnglianWuffing dynasty, and the family name Helmingas with the place-names 'Helmingham' in Norfolk and Suffolk, both of which lie in areas of 5th–6th century migrant occupation.[3] Although the theory was not favoured by some,[4] it has more recently resurfaced in a discussion of the identity of Hroðmund.[5]
Role in the poemedit
A mention of Wealhtheow in the poem
Wealhtheow (like Hygd) fulfills the important role of hostess in the poem.[6] The importance of this cup carrying practice is emphasized in lines 1161–1231. Here Wealhtheow, anxious that Hrothgar secures the succession for her own offspring, gives a speech and recompenses Beowulf for slaying Grendel with three horses and a necklace.
The necklace is called Brosinga mene, and the name is held to be either a corruption or a misspelling of OEBreosinga mene, ONBrisingamen,[7]Freyja's necklace. Richard North compares the gift of the necklace to Brosing, Freyja's Brisingamen[8] and he comments that,
The wider Old Norse-Icelandic tradition attributes the Brisinga men or giroli Brisings (Brisinger's girdle c.900) to Freya who is at once the sister of Ingvi-freyr of the Vanir, the leading Norse goddess of love, and a witch with the power to revive the dead. Freya's acquisition of this necklace and its theft by Loki are the central incidents in Sorlaþattr.[8]
Wealhtheow has also been examined as a representative of Hrothgar's kingdom and prestige and a fundamental component to the functioning of his court. According to Stacy Klein, Wealhtheow wore “elaborate garb” to demonstrate the “wealth and power” of the kingdom.[9] As queen, Wealhtheow represents the “female's duty to maintain peace between two warring tribes” and to “signify the status of the court.”[10] While her position may appear ritualistic, she also maintains “the cohesiveness of the unity of the warriors.”[10] The role of queens in the early Germania was to foster “social harmony through active diplomacy and conciliation.”[11] Wealhtheow inhabits this role by constantly speaking to each of the men in her hall and reminding them of their obligations – obligations to their country, their family, or their king.
In a grimly ironic passage that would not be lost on the Anglo-Saxon audience of Beowulf[12] Wealhtheow commends her sons to Hroðulf's generosity and protection, not suspecting that he will murder her sons to claim the throne for himself.
All the qualities marking Wealhtheow as an ideal queen place her in contrast to Grendel's mother, who appears for the first time following a lengthy passage concerned with Wealhtheow and her sons.[13] The contrast between Wealhtheow and Grendel's mother echoes the parallels between Beowulf, Hrothgar, and Grendel.
Notesedit
^Wealhtheow is identified as a Helming in the poem, i.e. belonging to the clan of Helm, the chief of the Wulfings (Widsith, 21)
^Heaney, Seamus. Beowulf: A New Verse Translation. 136
^Gregor Sarrazin 1897, Neue Beowulf-studien, Englische Studien 23, 221–267, at p. 228-230. See also Fr. Klaeber (Ed.), Beowulf and the Fight at Finnsburgh (Boston 1950), xxxiii, note 2.
^e.g. G. Jones, Kings, Beasts and Heroes (Oxford 1972), 132–134.
^S. Newton, The Origins of Beowulf and the pre-Viking Kingdom of East Anglia (D.S. Brewer, Woodbridge 1993), esp. p. 122-128.
^Porter, Dorothy (Summer–Autumn 2001). . The Heroic Age: A Journal of Early Medieval Northwestern Europe, heroicage.org, Issue 5. Archived from the original on 2006-08-19. Retrieved 2006-08-09.
^Old English edition edited by James Albert Harrison and Robert Sharp.
^ abRichard North, "The King's Soul: Danish Mythology in Beowulf" in the Origins of Beowulf: From Vergil to Wiglaf, (New York: Oxford University, 2006), 194
^Klein, Stacy S. “Reading Queenship in Cynewulf’s Elene.” Journal of Medieval and Early Modern Studies. 33.1 (2003): 47-89. Project Muse.
^Trilling, Renée R. (2007). "Beyond Abjection: The Problem with Grendel's Mother Again". Australian and New Zealand Association of Medieval and Early Modern Studies (Inc.). 24 (1): 1–20 – via Project MUSE.
Referencesedit
Boehler, M. (1930). Die altenglischen Frauennamen, Germanische Studien 98. Berlin: Emil Ebering.
Damico, Helen. Beowulf's Wealhþēow and the Valkyrie Tradition. Madison, Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin Press, 1984.
Damico, Helen. "The Valkyrie Reflex in Old English Literature." New Readings on Women in Old English Literature. Eds. Helen Damico and Alexandra Hennessey Olsen. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1990. 176-89.
Gordon, E. V. (1935). "Wealhpeow and related names". Medium Ævum (4): 168.
Hill, Thomas D. "'Wealhtheow' as a Foreign Slave: Some Continental Analogues." Philological Quarterly 69.1 (Winter 1990): 106-12.
Klaeber, Frederick (1950). Beowulf and the Fight at Finnsburgh (3rd ed.). Boston: tbs.
Newton, Sam. The Origins of Beowulf and the pre-Viking Kingdom of East Anglia. D. S. Brewer, Woodbridge 1993.
North, Richard. Origins of Beowulf: From Vergil to Wiglaf. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006.
Osborn, Marijane (Summer–Autumn 2001). "The Wealth They Left Us:Two Women Author Themselves through Others' Lives in Beowulf". The Heroic Age: A Journal of Early Medieval Northwestern Europe, heroicage.org, Issue 5.
Porter, Dorothy (2001). (5 (Summer–Autumn 2001)). The Heroic Age: A Journal of Early Medieval Northwestern Europe. Archived from the original on 2006-08-19. Retrieved 2006-08-09. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
Trilling, Renée R. (2007). "Beyond Abjection: The Problem with Grendel's Mother Again". Australian and New Zealand Association of Medieval and Early Modern Studies (Inc). Volume 24, Number 1: 1-20 - via Project MUSE.
Jurasinski, Stefan. The feminine name Wealhtheow and the problem of Beowulfian anthroponymy, Neophilologus (2007) [1].
November 10, 2023
wealhtheow, also, rendered, wealhþēow, wealthow, english, Ƿealhþēoƿ, ˈwæɑɫxθeːow, queen, danes, english, poem, beowulf, first, introduced, line, queen, wealtheow, hostess, banquet, queen, wealhtheaow, pledges, beowulf, george, tobin, 1909, contents, character,. Wealhtheow also rendered Wealhtheow or Wealthow Old English Ƿealhtheoƿ ˈwaeɑɫx8eːow is a queen of the Danes in the Old English poem Beowulf first introduced in line 612 Queen Wealtheow as the hostess of the banquet Queen Wealhtheaow Pledges Beowulf George T Tobin 1909 Contents 1 Character overview 2 Role in the poem 3 Notes 4 ReferencesCharacter overview editWealhtheow is of the Wulfing clan 1 Queen of the Danes She is married to Hrothgar Hrōdgar the Danish king and is the mother of sons Hredric and Hrodmund and a daughter Freawaru The meaning of her name is disputed One possible translation is foreign slave Hill 1990 In her marriage to Hrothgar she is described as fridusibb folca 2 l 2017 the kindred pledge of peace between peoples signifying interdynastic allegiance between Wulfing and Scylding achieved with her marriage to Hrothgar She is both Lady of the Helmings l 620 by descent of the Wulfing clan of Helm and Lady of the Scyldings l 1168 by marriage and maternity Two northern sources associate the wife of Hrothgar with England The Skjoldunga saga in Arngrimur Jonsson s abstract chapter 3 tells that Hrothgar Roas married the daughter of an English king The Hrolfs saga kraka chapter 5 tells that Hrothgar Hroarr married Ogn who was the daughter of a king of Northumbria Nordhymbraland called Nordri The argument was advanced in 1897 that the Wulfing name may have been synonymous with the East Anglian Wuffing dynasty and the family name Helmingas with the place names Helmingham in Norfolk and Suffolk both of which lie in areas of 5th 6th century migrant occupation 3 Although the theory was not favoured by some 4 it has more recently resurfaced in a discussion of the identity of Hrodmund 5 Role in the poem edit nbsp A mention of Wealhtheow in the poemWealhtheow like Hygd fulfills the important role of hostess in the poem 6 The importance of this cup carrying practice is emphasized in lines 1161 1231 Here Wealhtheow anxious that Hrothgar secures the succession for her own offspring gives a speech and recompenses Beowulf for slaying Grendel with three horses and a necklace The necklace is called Brosinga mene and the name is held to be either a corruption or a misspelling of OE Breosinga mene ON Brisingamen 7 Freyja s necklace Richard North compares the gift of the necklace to Brosing Freyja s Brisingamen 8 and he comments that The wider Old Norse Icelandic tradition attributes the Brisinga men or giroli Brisings Brisinger s girdle c 900 to Freya who is at once the sister of Ingvi freyr of the Vanir the leading Norse goddess of love and a witch with the power to revive the dead Freya s acquisition of this necklace and its theft by Loki are the central incidents in Sorlathattr 8 Wealhtheow has also been examined as a representative of Hrothgar s kingdom and prestige and a fundamental component to the functioning of his court According to Stacy Klein Wealhtheow wore elaborate garb to demonstrate the wealth and power of the kingdom 9 As queen Wealhtheow represents the female s duty to maintain peace between two warring tribes and to signify the status of the court 10 While her position may appear ritualistic she also maintains the cohesiveness of the unity of the warriors 10 The role of queens in the early Germania was to foster social harmony through active diplomacy and conciliation 11 Wealhtheow inhabits this role by constantly speaking to each of the men in her hall and reminding them of their obligations obligations to their country their family or their king In a grimly ironic passage that would not be lost on the Anglo Saxon audience of Beowulf 12 Wealhtheow commends her sons to Hrodulf s generosity and protection not suspecting that he will murder her sons to claim the throne for himself All the qualities marking Wealhtheow as an ideal queen place her in contrast to Grendel s mother who appears for the first time following a lengthy passage concerned with Wealhtheow and her sons 13 The contrast between Wealhtheow and Grendel s mother echoes the parallels between Beowulf Hrothgar and Grendel Notes edit Wealhtheow is identified as a Helming in the poem i e belonging to the clan of Helm the chief of the Wulfings Widsith 21 Heaney Seamus Beowulf A New Verse Translation 136 Gregor Sarrazin 1897 Neue Beowulf studien Englische Studien 23 221 267 at p 228 230 See also Fr Klaeber Ed Beowulf and the Fight at Finnsburgh Boston 1950 xxxiii note 2 e g G Jones Kings Beasts and Heroes Oxford 1972 132 134 S Newton The Origins of Beowulf and the pre Viking Kingdom of East Anglia D S Brewer Woodbridge 1993 esp p 122 128 Porter Dorothy Summer Autumn 2001 The Social Centrality of Women in Beowulf A New Context The Heroic Age A Journal of Early Medieval Northwestern Europe heroicage org Issue 5 Archived from the original on 2006 08 19 Retrieved 2006 08 09 Old English edition edited by James Albert Harrison and Robert Sharp a b Richard North The King s Soul Danish Mythology in Beowulf in the Origins of Beowulf From Vergil to Wiglaf New York Oxford University 2006 194 Klein Stacy S Reading Queenship in Cynewulf s Elene Journal of Medieval and Early Modern Studies 33 1 2003 47 89 Project Muse a b Gardner Jennifer The Peace Weaver Wealhtheow in Beowulf Diss Western Carolina University March 2006 Butler Francis A Woman of Words Pagan Ol ga in the Mirror of Germanic Europe Slavic Review 63 4 Winter 2004 771 793 JSTOR Wright David Beowulf Panther Books 1970 ISBN 0 586 03279 7 page 14 Trilling Renee R 2007 Beyond Abjection The Problem with Grendel s Mother Again Australian and New Zealand Association of Medieval and Early Modern Studies Inc 24 1 1 20 via Project MUSE References editBoehler M 1930 Die altenglischen Frauennamen Germanische Studien 98 Berlin Emil Ebering Damico Helen Beowulf s Wealhtheow and the Valkyrie Tradition Madison Wisconsin University of Wisconsin Press 1984 Damico Helen The Valkyrie Reflex in Old English Literature New Readings on Women in Old English Literature Eds Helen Damico and Alexandra Hennessey Olsen Bloomington Indiana University Press 1990 176 89 Gordon E V 1935 Wealhpeow and related names Medium AEvum 4 168 Hill Thomas D Wealhtheow as a Foreign Slave Some Continental Analogues Philological Quarterly 69 1 Winter 1990 106 12 Klaeber Frederick 1950 Beowulf and the Fight at Finnsburgh 3rd ed Boston tbs Newton Sam The Origins of Beowulf and the pre Viking Kingdom of East Anglia D S Brewer Woodbridge 1993 North Richard Origins of Beowulf From Vergil to Wiglaf Oxford Oxford University Press 2006 Osborn Marijane Summer Autumn 2001 The Wealth They Left Us Two Women Author Themselves through Others Lives in Beowulf The Heroic Age A Journal of Early Medieval Northwestern Europe heroicage org Issue 5 Porter Dorothy 2001 The Social Centrality of Women in Beowulf A New Context 5 Summer Autumn 2001 The Heroic Age A Journal of Early Medieval Northwestern Europe Archived from the original on 2006 08 19 Retrieved 2006 08 09 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Sarrazin Gregor Neue Beowulf studien Englische Studien 23 1897 221 267 Trilling Renee R 2007 Beyond Abjection The Problem with Grendel s Mother Again Australian and New Zealand Association of Medieval and Early Modern Studies Inc Volume 24 Number 1 1 20 via Project MUSE Jurasinski Stefan The feminine name Wealhtheow and the problem of Beowulfian anthroponymy Neophilologus 2007 1 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wealhtheow amp oldid 1172964311, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
