In a time where women were seen as nothing more to men than another part of their property, it's a surprise that females were given such important roles in the epic, no matter how underlying they may be. Sure, there's some negative portrayals of women scattered throughout the plot, such as Grendel's mother, but on the other hand, there's quite a few role models to balance the scales back out. For example, the main ones are Wealhtheow and Hygd, the wives of the two kings, who help host the celebrations in the mead hall after battles. While some may see this as just another way that they had to "serve" their husbands, in reality this was an opportunity in the Anglo Saxon culture for women to be included in the social community without having to learn to fight. By handing out drinks, it was their job to show the ranking system in the hall, as can be seen during the scene where they start with the king and end with Beowulf, the newcomer. Then, once he defeats the monster, the hostesses recognize this, and bump him up in the ordering. While we do see the common trope of women being used in marriage to keep the peace, it still doesn't change the fact that the role of women in Beowulf is a lot better than their roles in a couple of other pieces written back then. Husbands remain superior, but the wives are seen taking an almost advisory role alongside them, which was unheard of in those days. They are given a voice in the epic, and most of the men honor them, especially Beowulf.
I commented on blogs by Ian and Brooke.
I feel like the women in Beowulf were given a lot of credit. Despite the culture of men being the stars in battle, the women were still very prevalent in the story. Although, I agree that the women can be overlooked at times.
ReplyDeleteStepping up as a fierce female villain, I feel as though Grendel’s mother is also a unique representative of a strong woman.
ReplyDeleteTypically, female antagonists are portrayed as old hags or, going in the complete opposite direction, beautiful seducers. Both of these classifications focus solely on a woman’s looks, essentially reducing her to nothing more than her appearance.
Grendel’s mother, however, was an absolute beast! She did not employ any feminine charms to dupe her opponents, but instead took them out with pure savage strength!
Grendel's mother is a unique and fascinating example of a strong woman. She was not a strong woman in the sense that she used or displayed femininity to rise to power or defeat something. She was a strong woman because she was actually strong, and she fought her opponents with skill and strength.
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