The Roles of Women in BeowulfAre the women in this poem as active as the men? Or are they passive victims of men? The role of women in Beowulf is not the stereotypical one of passive housewife, but rather one of freedom of choice, range of activities, and space for personal growth and development, as reflected in Anglo-Saxon England of the time. Beowulf refers to Ingeld and his wife and the coming Heathobard feud: in that hot passion his love for the weaver of peace, his wife, will grow cold (2065-66) This is a rare passage, because Anglo-Saxon poetry rarely mentions romantic feelings towards women. In fact, marital status wasn't even considered significant. For example, with the hero himself the poet never mentions whether he is married or not, as well as with most of the characters in the poem. Since this is a poem about the heroic deeds of men, with the exception of Hildeburh, the feeling between man and woman is downplayed and the feeling between warriors is emphasized. Remember that the poem opens with Scyld Scefing, who came motherless to rule the Danes: than those who first set him adrift when he was but a child, friendless and cold, lonely on the waves. (44-46) Scyld's motherlessness perhaps tells the reader that the heroic, superhuman and violent actions that are about to happen are perhaps not so compatible with women and feminine qualities such as passivity, kindness, compassion . It is a predominantly male, crude and harsh narrative that would only be disparaging...... half of the paper...... was honored by the nations (-1957) The roles of women in Beowulf are varied and non-stereotypical ; some are peaceful and at least one is a murderer, he is belligerent. Women of royal blood have considerable freedom of choice, range of activities, and room for personal growth and development. BIBLIOGRAPHY Case, Jane. "Grendel's mother and the women of Beowulf." In Readings on Beowulf, edited by Stephen P. Thompson. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1998.Chickering, Howell D.. Beowulf A bilingual edition. New York: Anchor Books, 1977.Overing, Gillian R. “The Women of Beowulf; A context for interpretation.” In the Beowulf Reader, edited by Peter S. Baker. New York: Garland Publishing, 2000. Tacitus: The Annals of Imperial Rome, translated by Michael Grant. New York: Penguin, 1996.