Essential Question # 3

Wealtheow, in Beowulf, is portrayed as a very humble, kind-hearted woman who was, "adorned with gold." In the poem the purpose that Wealtheow fulfills is that of a hostess. When introduced into the novel she is described to be dressed in wealth and greeting the many men in the hall, offering drinks to all as praise for their presence. She can be seen as a goddess who knows no evil and is a representation of nurturing love and care. In the poem Wealtheow is a servant to some extent, offering drinks to all the men in Heorot, and taking care of her king as a mother would care for her child. She sets the stage for what Anglo-Saxon women might have been like, humble, kind, loyal, beautiful, and obligated to serve to some extent. Wealtheow's introduction into the poem is brief but resembles what women of that time period might have been like.