Editing Hygd

[[File:Beowulf - Hygd.jpg|thumb|Mention of Hygd in ''[[Beowulf]]'']]
'''Hygd''', introduced in line 1925 of the poem ''[[Beowulf]]'', is married to of [[Monarch|King]] [[Hygelac]] of [[Götaland|Geatland]]. She is the daughter of Hæreth.<ref>According to [[Beowulf]] as translated by [[J. R. R. Tolkien]] line 1621. ({{ISBN|0544442784}})</ref>

After [[Beowulf (hero)|Beowulf]] defeats [[Grendel]] and [[Grendel's mother]], he and his men returned to their native country, where they are received by Hygelac and Hygd. Hygd is beautiful, wise, courteous, and attentive. She pours mead in the drinking horns of the warriors thus fulfilling (in the same vein as [[Wealhþeow]], the queen of [[Denmark]]) the important role of ''hostess'' and cup-bearer in the poem.<ref>{{cite news|first=Dorothy |last=Porter |url=https://www.mun.ca/mst/heroicage/issues/5/porter1.html |title=The Social Centrality of Women in Beowulf: A New Context |publisher=The Heroic Age: A Journal of Early Medieval Northwestern Europe, heroicage.org, Issue 5 |date=Summer–Autumn 2001 |access-date=2006-08-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060819030321/http://www.mun.ca/mst/heroicage/issues/5/porter1.html |archive-date=August 19, 2006 }}</ref> The poet juxtaposes this virtue with the vice of Queen [[Modþryð]] (who appears in line 1932).

Beowulf gives her three horses and a magnificent [[torc]] (the ''Brosing'', i.e. [[Brisingamen]], the necklace of the goddess [[Freyja]]) that he received from Wealhþeow.

Hygd shows her wisdom and love for the [[Geatish]] people when her husband falls in the raid in [[Frisia]] against the [[Franks]]. Instead of securing the throne for her own offspring, she offers it to [[Beowulf]] as she considers her son [[Heardred]] to be too inexperienced to defend [[Götaland|Geatland]] against the  [[Suiones|Swedes]]. Beowulf, however, talks in favour of young Heardred and convinces her to proclaim him [[King of the Geats]] instead.

Two Swedish princes, [[Eadgils]] and [[Eanmund]], arrive and ask for protection as their uncle [[Onela]] had usurped the Swedish throne. Heardred graciously offers them his protection, which leads to a Swedish invasion in which Heardred is slain. The Swedish warrior [[Weohstan]] kills Eanmund, and Beowulf can no longer refuse Hygd's offer of kingship.
{{Hrethling}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite news | first= Marijane | last=Osborn| url=http://www.heroicage.org/issues/5/Osborn1.html| title='The Wealth They Left Us':Two Women Author Themselves through Others' Lives in Beowulf| publisher=The Heroic Age: A Journal of Early Medieval Northwestern Europe, heroicage.org, Issue 5| date=Summer–Autumn 2001}}
* {{cite news|first=Dorothy |last=Porter |url=https://www.mun.ca/mst/heroicage/issues/5/porter1.html |title=The Social Centrality of Women in Beowulf: A New Context |publisher=The Heroic Age: A Journal of Early Medieval Northwestern Europe, heroicage.org, Issue 5 |date=Summer–Autumn 2001 |access-date=2006-08-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060819030321/http://www.mun.ca/mst/heroicage/issues/5/porter1.html |archive-date=August 19, 2006 }}

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Characters in Beowulf]]
[[Category:English heroic legends]]
[[Category:Geats]]


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