QUEENS EMMA of England AND WEALTHEOW of "Beowulf"

This research paper examines the roles played by Queen Emma in 11th century England and Queen Wealtheow, a fictional character in Beowulf, the Anglo-Saxon Christian heroic poem based on a pagan Norse legend of events in about the fifth century A.D.. Both queens were powerful women who exemplified traits extolled in Norse mythology, strength of character, family loyalty and a certain degree of guile.

Queen Emma was the wife of King Ethelred II, the Saxon King of England of the House of Wessex (978-1016), and later married Canute, the Danish ruler who was King of England (1016-1035). She became involved in the internecine struggle between Danes and Saxons for the succession to the throne after Canute's death. Two of her sons were also Kings of England, Hardicanute (1040-1043) and Edward the Confessor (1043-1066). Queen Wealtheow shared the rule of Denmark in Beowulf with the old King Hrothgar to whose aid came the young Geat or pagan warrior prince, Beowulf. Beowulf slayed the dragon, Grendel, and its mother, who threatened the kingdom, and nobly sacrifices his own life in the process.

Their Goals, Methods, Qualities, Dilemmas and Accomplishments

Both Queens faced daunting tasks in seeking to maintain in power their family dynasties. After the Vikings' raids on England which began in 830, and their later conquests there threatened the divided kingdoms of ninth century England, Saxon King Alfred (871-900) and his sons and grandso

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after first allowing Emma to stay at Winchester, Harald, whom the English notables settled on as the new King, robbed her of most of her possessions and in 1037 sent her back to Europe (Bruges) in exile. Campbell suggests that Emma was a passive victim of Harald's intrigues which included bringing back Alfred to England, where Harald with the assistance of the Danish earl Godwin, captured and blinded Alfred who died from his wounds. Campbell said that Emma patiently awaited her fate in prayer while "certain Englishmen . . . preferred to dishonor their country . . . [and] "the usurper (Harald) was secretly laying traps for the queen" (39-41). Emma, alone in England because Hardicanute was in Denmark, "championed her son's (Hardicanute's) cause, but in the end had to compromise" (Loyn 96). In Bruges Emma worked tirelessly to restore Hardicanute to the English throne. Campbell says that Hardicanute was determined to "avenge his brother's injuries, nay more, to obey his mother's message" (49). After Hardicanute once more defeated the English for the Danes and became King, Campbell says that "the mother and both sons, [Hardicanute and Edward), having no disagreement between, enjoy the ready amenities of the kingdom" (53). Hardic

Category: Literature - Q