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An Analysis of the Role of the Queen in Beowulf and Grendel

erved the Scyldings, and did so as if they were her own people. She was not a Scylding, nor did she desire to be one, but she never made her unhappiness known, as described in Grendel. There is not great detail on Queen Hygd in Grendel, but from what the reader can gather from Beowulf, she is as much of a female role model as Queen Wealhtheow. She was young but very intelligent. In fact King Hygelac felt intimidated by Hygds intelligence. Queen Hygd was unlike Wealhtheow in the way in which she did not bare many gifts. Hygd was more concerned about the future of the people of her kingdom succeeding Hygelacs death than Wealhtheow. Hygd offered Beowulf the kingdom because she believed it was in the best interest of the people, she loved the warriors and wished peace amongst all the people. Wealtheow on the other hand felt that the kingdom should be preserved for her sons. Wealhtheow spoke after the "fight at Finnsburg" about the importance of her sons taking over the kingdom in the poem Beowulf, and this reminds Hrothgar of his age. This same speech affected Hrothgar in both texts. It forced him to contemplate his worthiness of Wealhtheow. He realized that she was young and beautiful, and need not be with an old man. Which made his sorrow even worse is the fact that she knew all this as well. Queen Wealhtheow put up an excellent disguise when hiding the pain she experienced from being forced to be Hrothgars wife. Unlike in Beowulf, in Grendel the reader was given insight into Wealhtheow's sorrow. The only time she would display her unhappiness was when she would lie in bed at night with Hrothgar with her eyes full of tears. Sometimes she would leave the kingdom to dwell in her sorrows but she would be immediately surrounded by guards, and escorted inside. Wealhtheow was homesick, she missed her land, and her brother. When her brother visited Heorot she paid no attention to H...

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