Offa of Angel

Character Background:

Offa of Angel is the son of Wermund, the father of Angeltheow. He is believed to be the great-grandson of Woden, the English god of war and poetry as well as creator of Middle-Earth. Offa is known as a legendary king of the Angles and is believed to have been alive c. 400 AD. Offa’s great achievements include saving the Angles by defeating a Saxon prince in single combat (mentioned in the poem Widsith), and later conquers the Myrgings by killing two Myrging princes and claiming rule of their people. It is believed Offa’s namesake later influenced the name of the Mercian ruler Offa that built Offa’s Dyke. There is debate over whether or not the Offa mentioned in Beowulf is Offa of Angel or another historical figure. Other names for Offa of Angel may include Uffe, Uffo, Olaf, The Gentle, Hin Spage, The Mild, and Offa the Gentle.

Strengths:

Skilled fighter, strong, kind, brave, reasonable, generous, held in high esteem.

Weaknesses:

Politically involved, possibly too trusting, fights on the front lines, attempts to gain power.

Role in Beowulf:

Offa is introduced during a story of Queen Modryth. He is described as the king that tamed Modryth’s rage and allowed her to become famous for “her good deeds and conduct of life,” (Beowulf, line 1955). Offa is considered to be the best king and appears to be introduced in order to draw a parallel to King Hygelac, ruler of the Geats, when Beowulf returns home from Heorot. Throughout the poem Beowulf consistently holds his king in high regard and it is likely the introduction of Offa is also an introduction for King Hygelac as a way to indirectly describe Beowulf’s own thoughts of his king.

Lines Where Mentioned In Beowulf:

Ealo-drincende ōðer sǣdan, þæt hīo lēod-bealewa lǣs gefremede, inwit-nīða, syððan ǣrest wearð gyfen gold-hroden geongum cempan, æðelum dīore, syððan hīo Offan flet ofer fealone flōd be fæder lāre sīðe gesōhte. (1946-1951)

Forðām Offa wæs geofum ond gūðum, gār-cēne man wīde geweorðod; wīsdōme hēold ēðel sīnne. (1957-1960)

But Hemming’s kinsman put a halt to her ways and drinkers round the table had another tale:she was less of a bane to people’s lives, less cruel-minded, after she was married to the brave Offa, a bride arrayed in her gold finery, given away by a caring father, ferried to her young prince over dim seas. (Heaney 1946-1952)

Offa was honoured far and wide for his generous ways, his fighting spirit and his far-seeing defence of his homeland; from him there sprang Eomer, Garmund’s grandson, kinsman of Hemming, his warriors’ mainstay and master of the field. (Heaney 1956-1965)

References:

Heaney, Seamus. Beowulf. W.W. Norton, 2001.

N/A, N/A. “Offa of Angel.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 14 Nov. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offa_of_Angel.

N/A, The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Offa of Angel.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 3 July 2007, www.britannica.com/biography/Offa-of-Angel.

N/A, N/A. “Offa of Angel.” Academic Dictionaries and Encyclopedias, 0AD, enacademic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/13657.

N/A, N/A. “Offa the Gentle, King of the Angles.” geni_family_tree, 14 Oct. 2018, www.geni.com/people/Offa-the-gentle-king-of-the-Angles/6000000002290445635.