Beowulf is the most well-known epic poem of the Anglo-Saxon literature, sometimes regarded as the oldest text written in Old English. That's why scholars have been deeply interested in every inch of the manuscript, as it contains priceless information about its context, its social aspects and the language used when it was composed. This paper is going to focus on one of the social aspects in Beowulf: the role of women in the Anglo-Saxon society and in the poem itself. The centre of attention in Beowulf
What are the common ideals that a man must possess to be considered a masculine figure by the spectators around him? Even though each individual may differently categorize standards that an ideal male has to follow, there are several common attributes. Beowulf, from the epic Beowulf, demonstrates the same qualities that a man must have as detailed in Rudyard Kipling’s poem “If”; these qualities make Beowulf a real man. Beowulf holds leadership, shows courage, and expresses patience, three common
and because women were restricted from the most universal form of honor, they were relegated to lesser roles in society. Women lived away from the battlefield, obtaining roles such as, but not limited to, peace-weavers, mistresses, and mothers. Beowulf is commonly used by scholars in the assessment of the archetypal role of women. Within the poem, characters such as Hildeburh, who plays the role of a peace-weaver who married the enemy in hopes of diffusing the discord between two families, and Wealtheow