Saints and Demons: Female Archetypes in Anglo-Saxon Literature
Class
Article
College
College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Faculty Mentor
Christine Cooper-Rompato
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Abstract
Research into how women are portrayed in Old English poetry is essential to gain more insight into the place women held in early-medieval Anglo-Saxon England. This paper showcases how portrayals of women from two prominent Old English poems, “Beowulf” and Cynewulf’s “Elene,” show that Anglo-Saxon culture privileged obedience and submission in women while seeing independent, strong-willed women as a threat to society. These opposing views of women are shown in two figures from the poems: Helena from “Elene” and Grendel’s Mother from “Beowulf.” Helena’s portrayal as a saint and holy woman identifies her as an archetype of the ideal Anglo-Saxon woman, and since she is primarily defined in the poem by her total obedience and submission to male authority figures, these traits can be seen to be considered ideal characteristics of woman in that culture. In contrast to Helena, Grendel’s Mother can be viewed as an independent female authority figure not connected to the male hierarchy, and can therefore be seen to independent, unconnected women as a whole. The fact that she is portrayed as an inhuman monster that is a direct threat to the patriarchal hierarchy represented by Hrothgar and Beowulf shows the threat that independent women were also seen to represent to masculine societal structure of Anglo-Saxon England. Dr. Cooper-Rompato (English Department) would like to recommend this paper as part of a panel on medieval literature.
Location
Room 101
Start Date
4-12-2018 1:30 PM
End Date
4-12-2018 2:45 PM
Saints and Demons: Female Archetypes in Anglo-Saxon Literature
Room 101
Research into how women are portrayed in Old English poetry is essential to gain more insight into the place women held in early-medieval Anglo-Saxon England. This paper showcases how portrayals of women from two prominent Old English poems, “Beowulf” and Cynewulf’s “Elene,” show that Anglo-Saxon culture privileged obedience and submission in women while seeing independent, strong-willed women as a threat to society. These opposing views of women are shown in two figures from the poems: Helena from “Elene” and Grendel’s Mother from “Beowulf.” Helena’s portrayal as a saint and holy woman identifies her as an archetype of the ideal Anglo-Saxon woman, and since she is primarily defined in the poem by her total obedience and submission to male authority figures, these traits can be seen to be considered ideal characteristics of woman in that culture. In contrast to Helena, Grendel’s Mother can be viewed as an independent female authority figure not connected to the male hierarchy, and can therefore be seen to independent, unconnected women as a whole. The fact that she is portrayed as an inhuman monster that is a direct threat to the patriarchal hierarchy represented by Hrothgar and Beowulf shows the threat that independent women were also seen to represent to masculine societal structure of Anglo-Saxon England. Dr. Cooper-Rompato (English Department) would like to recommend this paper as part of a panel on medieval literature.