Hygd

Family: Geats · Role: queen · First appears: Section XXVII

In Section XXVII, Hygd is described as young, wise, and wary, and as the daughter of Haereth. She is married to Hygelac.

In Section XXIX, Beowulf gives Hygd the wonder-wrought necklace Wealhtheow had given him, along with three horses. Looking back in Section XXXI, after Hygelac’s death, Hygd offers Beowulf the hoard, realm, rings, and royal seat, but he supports her son Heardred as ruler with helpful words.

Relationship record

Life events

• Beowulf gave Hygd the necklace Wealhtheow had given him, and three horses.(Section XXIX)
  • With: Beowulf Wealhtheow
  • “I heard, too, the necklace to Hygd he presented, wonder-wrought treasure, which Wealhtheow gave him sovran's daughter: three steeds he added, slender and saddle-gay.”
• Looking back, the poem tells that Hygd offered Beowulf the hoard, realm, rings, and royal seat, but he supported Heardred as ruler.(Section XXXI)
  • With: Beowulf Hygelac Heardred
  • “where Hygd made him offer of hoard and realm, rings and royal-seat, reckoning naught the strength of her son to save their kingdom from hostile hordes, after Hygelac's death. No sooner for this could the stricken ones in any wise move that atheling's mind over young Heardred's head as lord and ruler of all the realm to be: yet the hero upheld him with helpful words,”

Section XXVII

• parent: Haereth “high the hall, and Hygd right young, wise and wary, though winters few in those fortress walls she had found a home, Haereth's daughter.”
• married with Hygelac “Haughty that house, a hero the king, high the hall, and Hygd right young, wise and wary, though winters few in those fortress walls she had found a home, Haereth's daughter”

Section XXIX

• benefactor: Beowulf “I heard, too, the necklace to Hygd he presented, wonder-wrought treasure”

Section XXXI

• child: Heardred “reckoning naught the strength of her son to save their kingdom from hostile hordes, after Hygelac's death.”

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