Who are the other characters in Beowulf?

  • Beowulf the Dane - Not the hero of the poem. A Danish king, son of Scyld Scefing; this Beowulf is sometimes called "Beow".
  • Ecglaf (sometimes Ecglafing) - Unferth's father; a Dane.
  • Freawaru - Hrothgar's daughter. She was married to Ingeld in order to (hopefully) end the blood feud between the Danes and the Heathobards.
  • Healfdene - Danish king; son of Beowulf the Dane; father of Hrothgar, Heoroga, and Halga.
  • Heremod - Cruel and avaricious Danish King; ruled long before the infant Scyld Scefing was found by the Danes.
  • Hrethric - Hrothgar's son; elder brother to Hrothmund. Killed when Hrothulf usurps the Danish throne after Hrothgar's death.
  • Hrothmund - Hrothgar' son; brother to Hrethric
  • Hrothulf - Hrothgar's nephew; son of Halga.
  • Scyld Scefing - Founder of Hrothgar's mighty Danish royal house.
  • Unferth - Son of Ecglaf; slew his brother; taunts Beowulf early in the poem, but later he lends his sword, Hrunting, to Beowulf just before Beowulf's battle with Grendel's mother.
  • Wealhtheow - Hrothgar's queen; mother of Hrethric and Hrothmund.
  • Ecgtheow - Beowulf's father; married to King Hrethel's only daughter; slays a man and escapes to Denmark. Hrothgar pays his wergild.
  • Hygd - Hygelac's queen. Mother of Heardred. Beowulf gives her the necklace which Wealhteow gave him.
  • Hygelac - Geatish king and uncle to Beowulf. Hygelac is an historical character verified by external evidence.
  • Ongentheow - Swedish king; father of Ohthere and Onela. Rescues his wife from Haethcyn; slays Haethcyn. Attacks Geats at Ravenswood when Hygelac falls.
  • Dragon - Guarding a vast treasure, he awakens when a slave steals a cup from the treasure hoard. He ravages Beowulf's kingdom, and Beowulf, in turn, kills him but loses his own life.
  • Guthlaf - Danish warrior and follower of Hnaef; later, a follower of Hengest. Helps renew the feud with Finn's men.
  • Danes - ruled by Hnaef; later, led by Hengest
  • Geats - Lived in southern Sweden; Beowulf belongs to this tribe.
  • Naegling - Beowulf's sword; used against the dragon.

  • Return to Grendel's Mother's Attack.