Ecgþeow

Background
Ecgtheow is scarcely mentioned outside of Beowulf, so unfortunately much of his history is lost to the world. Within Beowulf, we are taught that he took Heatholof's life but not the reason why. Heatholof's people, the Wulfings, were rightfully upset as a result and demanded a wergeld to make up for the murder. Unable to pay the wergeld, Ecgtheow was forced into exile by his people to settle the feud before it came to war. Ecgtheow sailed south to find assistance with this conflict, and came across Hrōðgār of the Great Danes. Hrōðgār agreed to pay his wergeld and Ecgtheow swore his allegiance to him as a result.

Outside of this, the only other clear information we learn is that Ecgtheow married the daughter of Hrethel the Geat and had Beowulf as his son. Beowulf is claimed to be fostered by another family, so it is unclear how well Beowulf knew his father or how early in Beowulf's life Ecgtheow passed away.

Some scholars often dispute his origins, particularly if he's a Geat or a Swede. There is signs in the old English text that he is actually Swedish, because stating he was a Geat would have matched the alliteration of certain lines more. To certain scholars, it did not make sense for the alliteration to be left out unless he wasn't a Geat. This is potentially further supported if the marriage between Hrethel's daughter and Ecgtheow was an attempt to resolve the hatred between the Geats and the Swedes.

However, an interesting connection was made to an Old English elegy The Husband's Message which would support Ecgtheow being a Geat. It is not confirmed if this elegy has anything to do with Ecgtheow in reality, however the story tells of a man and a woman who were separated when the man was forced into exile due to a feud between his country and another. He sends a messenger to tell his woman to sail southwards to join him. If it is Ecgtheow, it would imply the land he was already with Hrethel's daughter and living amongst the Geats.

Strengths
Beowulf describes his father in the light of a strong warrior. Within this context, it's reasonable these were some of Ecgtheow's strengths:


 * Physical Strength
 * Strategy
 * Perseverance
 * Determination
 * Intellectual Strength

All of these attributes would lead to him being a successful and strong warrior, as well as helping him survive during the winters as Beowulf mentioned.

Weaknesses
Unfortunately, we are given little information to work off of for his weaknesses. Given the information Ecgtheow slayed another man, although we have no context as to why, we can perhaps make a few conclusions:


 * Impulsiveness
 * Vengeful
 * Potentially absent as a father

Wergelds are a known standard within the world of Beowulf, therefor Ecgtheow either was so impulsive he did not consider the consequences, or he was so vengeful that he did not care about the consequences. Granted these are both rather bold assumptions, however it's fair that some of both likely exist within Ecgtheow.

Role in Beowulf
Ecgtheow is the father of our wonderful hero, Beowulf. Without Ecgtheow, our hero would have never come into the earth and Grendel would have wrecked everyone's lives.

Additionally, a large part of Hrōðgār's trust in Beowulf came from his history with Ecgtheow. He believed that the allegiance Ecgtheow swore to him was coming full circle to help save him in his people in their time of need. So, if that allegiance had not existed there's a chance Hrōðgār would not have trusted Beowulf to save his people at all and would have turned him away. Or worse, slain him for setting foot on his land and potentially bringing extra unneeded threats.

Old English

 * “Wē synt gum-cynnes Gēata lēode ond Higelāces heorð-genēatas; wæs mīn fæder folcum gecȳþed, æþele ord-fruma Ecgþēow hāten..." (260-270)
 * “Ic hine cūðe cniht-wesende; wæs his eald-fæder Ecgþēo hāten, ðǣm tō hām forgeaf Hrēþel Gēata āngan dohtor; is his eafora nū heard hēr cumen, sōhte holdne wine." (372-375)

Translation

 * “We belong by birth to the Geat people and owe allegiance to Lord Hygelac. In his day, my father was a famous man, a noble warrior-lord named Ecgtheow. He outlasted many a long winter and went on his way. All over the world men wise in counsel continue to remember him." (260-265)
 * “I used to know him when he was a young boy. His father before him was called Ecgtheow. Hrethel the Geat gave Ecgtheow his daughter in marriage. This man is their son, here to follow up an old friendship." (372-376)
 * "There was a feud one time, begun by your father. With his own hands he had killed Heatholaf, who was a Wulfing; so war was looming and his people, in fear of it, forced him to leave. He came away then over rolling waves to the South-Danes here, the sons of honour. I was then in the first flush of kingship, establishing my sway over all the rich strongholds of this heroic land. Heorogar, my older brother and the better man, also a son of Halfdane’s, had died. Finally I healed the feud by paying: I shipped a treasure-trove to the Wulfings and Ecgtheow acknowledged me with oaths of allegiance." (459-472)