The poem Beowulf, edited by Daniel Donoghue and translated by Seamus Heaney, is a masterful piece of poetry

The numbers Beowulf, edited by Daniel Donoghue and translated by Seamus Heaney, is a masterful piece of poetry. By tone at the social occasions that wo workforce played back in Anglo-Saxon times, one can get a better understanding into the function of Grendels m some other in the poem. By examining specific examples of other women in this time frame to Grendels mother it helps to comp ar the differences from the judge behavior. In one of her essays, Jane Chance investigates somewhat of the possible meanings behind the richness of Grendels mother and her societal acceptance. Many pile still debate the actual function of Grendels mother, but in previously written words of Jane Chance some answers may be found.Jane Chance, one of the many people who be in possession of examined the poem Beowulf, wrote an essay that provided an explanation of the important role played by the women in Beowulf. She statesThe role of women in Beowulf primarily depends upon peace making either biolo gically finished her marital ties with foreign kings as a peace-pledge or mother of sons, or socially and psycho-logically as a cup passing and peace-weaving queen within a hall (p. 156).Chance as well goes on to establish how each of the women in the poem are used to prove her point about their symbolic presence. The women of pagan history, mostly notably the queen, portray a symbolic gesture of peace in the stock of mothering the mead cup to the men of the hall. Chance believes that as the mead cup is passed around, the people who drink from the cup are tied together. This is a symbol of weaving men and families together. The Beowulf poet also mentions that the womens role is to create a peace-pledge between nations (2017). The standard practice to perform this was to give away daughters, or sisters in arranged marriages to order to bring strong ties with neighbouring or feuding families. Hildeburh, wife of the Frisian king Finn, sister of the Dane Hnaef (249), was given in ma rriage to fuse both the Danes and the Frisianes together.Freawaru is betrothed to Ingeld for this same reason to transmigrate alliances within families and countries. A line from Beowulf proves this point, The friend of the Shieldings favors her betrothal the guardian of the kingdom sees good in it and hopes this woman will heal old wounds and grievous feuds (2026-2029). The evaluate role of women in this era was to provide harmony and become the symbol of peace in the hearts of men. Women also had an important responsibility to speak for her people during events a prominent speech was the one that Wealtheow gives to the hall after the death of Grendel. She gives of b littleings to the warriors, and speaks of her own children and their importance to the future as the next of kinTake delight in this torque, dear Beowulf,wear it for luck and wear also this mailfrom our peoples armory may you prosper in themBe acclaimed for strength, for kindly guidanceto these dickens boys, and yo ur bounty will be sure.You have won renown you are known to all menfar and near, now and forever.Your sway is wide as the winds home,as the sea around cliffs. And so, my prince,I wish you a lifetimes luck and blessingsto enjoy this treasure. Treat my sonswith tender care, be strong and kind.Here each buddy is true to the other,loyal to Lord, loving in spirit. (1216-1229)Wealtheow s responsibility is that of a mediator to make everyone happy and yet ensure that she and her people survive.In equivalence the women and their purpose in society to the events concerning Grendles mother, one can see a feminine does not ordinarily take action but Grendels mother does in spite of her gender. Feeling grief-racked and ravenous, desperate for revenge (1278) Grendles mother goes on the attack in order to redeem her son who was killed. In doing this she consequently exhibits more masculine traits than other women of the time. She displays quite a different reaction than the one that Hildebur h gave when she lost not only her brother but her son as well. Hildeburh did exactly what was expected of her at the time. She mourned and Then Hidleburh ordered her own / sons body be burnt with Hnaefs, / the flesh of his bones to sputter and blaze / beside his uncles.The women wailed / and sang keens (1115-1119). Comparatively Grendels mother does not have a problem in reacting to the wrongs she felt that were done to her monstrous hell-bride brooded on her wrongs (1259). Unlike the women of the time she fights her own battles she has taken up the feud because of last shadow when you killed Grendel (1333). This is the main difference between the women of the time and Grendels mother since dealing with grudges was typically a job left up to that of the males in the family. Chance also believes that womens expected place in society at that time was one of non-aggression and they become the ones to make the peace as opposed to men who fight. Chance goes on to explain, the approxim ation is extended that a kinwoman or mother must passively accept and not actively avenge the loss of her son (p.157-158).Females do not usually take action other than in a peaceful or symbolic sense in this Anglo-Saxon time arrest. Though Grendels mother emergence like a man by acting out her revenge she is referred to in the poem as a ghastly dam (2120) reflecting that she is still seen as a lady in that time periodHer onslaught was less only by as much as an amazon warriors strength is less than an armed mans when the hefted sword, its hammered edge and gleaming blade slathered in blood, razes the sturdy boar-ridge off a helmet. Then in the hall, hard-honed swords were grabbed from the bench, many a broad apology lifted and braced there was little though of helmets or woven mail when they woke in terror. The hell-dam was in a panic, desperate to get out, in mortal(a) terror the moment she was found. She had pounced and taken one of the retainers in a tight hold, then headed for the fen. (1282-1295)These lines from the poem help to show that even though some of the actions taken by Grendels mother are masculine by nature, she does have some female traits. These traits include not being as strong as the men and fleeing or not staying to put up a fight once confronted. Women stereotypically were seen as being fearful of danger once it has been provoked.The function of Grendels mother in the poem seems to be quite different from the function that the monsters of Grendel and the Dragon play. She seems to be a symbol of the blood feuds and displays an unwillingness to act as the peace-pledge, which was the normal female role after an injustice. In her essay Jane Chance states As a monstrous mother and queen she perverts a role more important socially and symbolically than that of Grendel (p. 167). The devoted mother or the feminine side of Grendels mother comes out in her anger and her sense of loss at the killing of her son. solely Grendels mothers actions are not accepted by the people of this time, as a result there is a conflict between her actions and her purpose.Chance writes about how the poet wishes to stress this specific inversion of the Anglo-Saxon ideal of women as both monstrous and masculine (p. 155). As Grendels mother changes roles between mother and vengeance seeker through the story one might think that the poet is against women from acting in the same manor as Grendels mother. By making Grendels mother feminine but also powerful and ruthless she is then referred to as a swamp thing from hell, the tarn-hag in all her terrible strength (1518-1519) and hell-dam(1292). Grendels mother seems to be desiring revenge everywhere peace and her contemporaries viewed this as horrible, since women are the symbols of peace, as explained by Chance.The essay written by Jane Chance looks at the women and the roles that they played in that time period and then comparing their behavior to Grendels mothers ever changing role as mother to vengeance seeker. It also evaluates the function that Grendels mother occupies in the poem. Grendels mother in the poem seems to have the most challenging role in the poem itself. She does not seem to agree with the view of women in the time period that the poem was written. By exploring the differences of behavior in Beowulf one can see that Grendels mother is an important addition to the poem.