Wiglaf

Family: Geats · Role: thane · First appears: Section XXXIV

Wiglaf is Weohstan’s son and Aelfhere’s kinsman. Looking back in Section XXXIV, the poem tells that Weohstan gave him battle-gear when he passed from life. In that section, Wiglaf joined his lord, Beowulf, in the fight against the dragon, taking shelter beneath his kinsman’s shield when his own was burned.

At last, in Section XXXV, Wiglaf and Beowulf killed the dragon together: “So had they killed it, kinsmen both, athelings twain”. Wiglaf then tended the wounded Beowulf and removed his helmet. In Section XXXVI he saw that the dragon was gone, brought to its doom by Beowulf’s iron blade.

In Section XXXVII, Wiglaf stayed at Beowulf’s side and tried to revive him with water, but could not save his life. In Section XL, Wiglaf tells that he carried treasure from the hoard to Beowulf while his lord was still alive.

Relationship record

Life events

• Looking back, the poem tells that Weohstan gave Wiglaf his battle-gear.(Section XXXIV)
  • With: Weohstan
  • “then he gave him, mid Geats, the gear of battle, portion huge, when he passed from life,”
• Wiglaf joined Beowulf in the fight against the dragon.(Section XXXIV)
  • With: Beowulf
  • “Yet quickly under his kinsman's shield went eager the earl, since his own was now all burned by the blaze.”
• Beowulf and Wiglaf kill the dragon together.(Section XXXV)
  • With: Beowulf the dragon
  • “So had they killed it, kinsmen both, athelings twain: thus an earl should be in danger's day!”
• Wiglaf tends the wounded Beowulf and removes his helmet.(Section XXXV)
  • With: Beowulf
  • “Yet here must the hand of the henchman peerless lave with water his winsome lord, the king and conqueror covered with blood, with struggle spent, and unspan his helmet.”
• In the hoard Wiglaf sees no trace of the dragon: the iron blade of his lord Beowulf had brought it to its doom.(Section XXXVI)
  • With: the dragon Beowulf
  • “-- its edge was iron -- had injured deep one that guarded the golden hoard many a year and its murder-fire spread hot round the barrow in horror-billows at midnight hour, till it met its doom.”
• Wiglaf remains at Beowulf’s side and tries to revive him, but cannot save his life.(Section XXXVII)
  • With: Beowulf
  • “Wearied he sat at his sovran's shoulder, shieldsman good, to wake him with water. Nowise it availed. Though well he wished it, in world no more could he barrier life for that leader-of-battles”
• Wiglaf tells that he carried treasure from the hoard to Beowulf while Beowulf was still alive.(Section XL)
  • With: Beowulf
  • “I was within there, and all I viewed, the chambered treasure, when chance allowed me (and my path was made in no pleasant wise) under the earth-wall. Eager, I seized such heap from the hoard as hands could bear and hurriedly carried it hither back to my liege and lord. Alive was he still,”

Section XXXIV

• parent: Weohstan “WIGLAF his name was, Weohstan's son,”
• with Aelfhere (The text identifies Aelfhere as Wiglaf's kinsman but does not specify a more precise kinship.) “Aelfhere's kinsman.”
• benefactor: Weohstan “then he gave him, mid Geats, the gear of battle, portion huge, when he passed from life,”
• lord: Beowulf “For the first time now with his leader-lord the liegeman young was bidden to share the shock of battle.”
• benefactor: Beowulf “He minded the prizes his prince had given him, wealthy seat of the Waegmunding line,”
• enemies with the dragon “Yet quickly under his kinsman's shield went eager the earl, since his own was now all burned by the blaze.”

Section XXXV

• enemies with the dragon “So had they killed it, kinsmen both, athelings twain: thus an earl should be in danger's day!”
• lord: Beowulf “Yet here must the hand of the henchman peerless lave with water his winsome lord, the king and conqueror covered with blood,”
• with Beowulf (The passage identifies them as kinsmen but does not specify the exact kinship.) “hardy-hearted, he helped his kinsman.”

Section XXXVII

• lord: Beowulf “Wearied he sat at his sovran's shoulder, shieldsman good, to wake him with water.”
• parent: Weohstan “Wiglaf spake, the son of Weohstan, -- mournful he looked on those men unloved:”
• with Beowulf (Wiglaf identifies Beowulf as his kinsman; the specific kinship is not stated.) “To rescue his life, 'twas little that I could serve him in struggle; yet shift I made (hopeless it seemed) to help my kinsman.”
• enemies with the dragon “Its strength ever waned, when with weapon I struck that fatal foe, and the fire less strongly flowed from its head.”

Section XXXVIII

• parent: Weohstan “There Wiglaf sitteth, Weohstan's bairn, by Beowulf's side,”

Section XL

• parent: Weohstan “Wiglaf spake, the son of Weohstan: --”

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Extracted from the original text of Beowulf (Gummere's translation). Made with Rho MD.