The names (and the variety of names) in Beowulf are important.  Characters are referred to in various ways--sometimes by their own  name, sometimes by the identity of their fathers, sometimes by the identity of their liege lords, sometimes by their ethnic affiliations, sometimes by their actions.  Thus, Beowulf will also be called Ecgtheow's son,  Hygelac's thane,  the Sea-Geat, the gold-friend of warriors, etc.

Though it may seem this is done merely to confuse you, think about the reasons why the scop might have decided to use this naming methodology, and think about the cultural values revealed by this naming practice.

The Danes  (the people ruled by Hrothgar) are also known by a number of other names, including the Scyldings (not to be confused with the Scylfyngs or Swedes).  Hrothgar's people are sometimes also called the South-Danes or the East-Danes, as well as the Honor-Scyldings and the Victor-Scyldings.

The Geats (Beowulf's people) are also known as the Weders and the Hrethmen.

Here's a map of the areas of Europe where these clans lived. You'll notice that it's not England--it's the area around the Baltic sea..  The story of Beowulf came to England when England was invaded by people from northern Europe.

The various family trees can be found in these links:

The Danes
The Geats
The Swedes

Dave Barry, on Beowulf:
"If my memory serves me correctly (and I believe it does, because I am
copying this from the encyclopedia) Beowulf is an Old English epic poem
concerning a hero who freed the court of the Danish king Hrothgar from the
ravages of the ogre Grendel and Grendel's mother and thus became king of the
Geats. This raises questions, including: Why would anybody want to be king
of the Geats? I mean, the word 'Geat' sounds like an insult, doesn't it? As
in: 'Some stupid Geat put salami in the disk drive!' (Let me state, before I
get a bunch of hate mail, that I myself am two-thirds Geatish.)"

Back to the English 211 Home Page

Danes

Geats

Swedes