Hrothgar

Hrothgar as depicted in the 2007 film of Beowulf.
Aliases	Hrothgar (Modern English) Hrōðgār (Old English) Hróarr (Old Norse)
Affiliation	Halfdan (father) Halga (younger brother) Hrólfr Kraki (uncle) Heorogar (older brother) Hreðric and Hroðmund (sons) Wealhþēow (wife) Freawaru (daughter) Aeschere (best friend and advisor) Beowulf (loved like a son) Grendel (enemy) Grendel's Mother (Hag) (enemy) Fróði (enemy) Ingeld (enemy)
Occupation	King of Denmark
Biographical information
Status	Alive
Physical description
Species	Human
Gender	Male
Appearances
Appears in	Beowulf Widsith

Hrothgar, known in Old English as Hrōðgār, was a semi-legendary Danish king from around the early 6th century CE.

Background

Hrothgar was born to the Danish king Halfdan Scylding around the early 6th century CE, and succeeded his older brother Heorogar to the throne. He appeared in two Anglo-Saxon epics, Beowulf and Widsith. Hrothgar plays a more significant role in the former, while only being mentioned in the latter, though the end of his feud with his enemy Ingeld is notably only mentioned in Widsith. The general consensus is that the two epics describe the same person. He was presumably a famed king and warrior before the events of Beowulf, and brought great victory in war to his kinsmen.

Name Etymology

Hrothgar's Old Norse name, Hróarr, is thought to be derived from the proto-Norse words Hrōþiwarjaz (famous defender) or Hrōþiharjaz (famous warrior). Hróarr does not have any direct equivalents in Old English, with the closest one being Hrōðgār. Hrōðgār itself comes from the proto-Norse word Hrōþigaizaz (famous spear).

Strengths

• Was a strong warrior in his younger days
• Honest and broke no oaths
• Generous, dealt out rings and treasures at his table
• Charismatic, was beloved by his people and by foreigners as well

Weaknesses

• Became weak in his old age, unable to fight Grendel or his mother himself

Role in Beowulf

Hrothgar is first mentioned as the builder of the great hall Heorot and the ruler of Denmark when Beowulf arrives to defeat Grendel. He is greatly emphasized as an honest as generous king, with both Beowulf and the poet himself praising him as a "good king". He had met Beowulf's father Ecgþeow when he first began ruling the Danes after the death of his brother Heorogar. Before the events of Beowulf, Grendel had began terrorizing Heorot every night for twelve years, killing and consuming its inhabitants. Hrothgar warmly welcomes Beowulf when he arrives at Heorot to slay Grendel, and proceeds to thank God and swears to love Beowulf like a son after the hero defeats Grendel.

Afterwards, Grendel's mother attacks Heorot and kills Hrothgar's best friend and closest advisor Aeschere, causing Hrothgar to mourn. Beowulf proceeds to hunt down Grendel's mother and avenge Aeschere, and afterwards Hrothgar showers him with gifts and warns him to beware of arrogance. Hrothgar embraces Beowulf and weeps that they will not meet again due to his old age, and never appears in the poem again aftewards.

Lines Mentioning Hrothgar

Old English	Translated (Heaney)
"Þäm feówer bearn      forð-gerîmed in worold wôcun,      weoroda ræswan, Heorogâr and Hrôðgâr      and Hâlga til; hýrde ic, þat Elan cwên      Ongenþeówes wäs Heaðoscilfinges      heals-gebedde." (59-63)	"He was four times a father, this fighter prince: one by one they entered the world, Heorogar, Hrothgar, the good Halga and a daughter, I have heard, who was Onela's queen, a balm in the bed to the battle-scarred Swede." (59-63)
"Þâ wäs Hrôðgâre      here-spêd gyfen, wîges weorð-mynd,      þät him his wine-mâgas georne hýrdon,      ôð þät seó geogoð geweôx, mago-driht micel.      Him on môd bearn, þät heal-reced      hâtan wolde, medo-ärn micel      men gewyrcean, þone yldo bearn      æfre gefrunon, and þær on innan      eall gedælan geongum and ealdum,      swylc him god sealde, bûton folc-scare      and feorum gumena." (64-73)	"The fortunes of war favoured Hrothgar. Friends and kinsmen flocked to his ranks, young followers, a force that grew to be a mighty army. So his mind turned to hall-building: he handed down orders for men to work on a great mead-hall meant to be a wonder of the world forever; it would be his throne room and there he would dispense his God-given goods to young and old— but not the common land or people's lives." (64-73)
"'hû he frôd and gôd      feónd oferswýðeð, gyf him ed-wendan      æfre scolde bealuwa bisigu,      bôt eft cuman'". (279-281)	"I can show the wise Hrothgar a way to defeat his enemy and find respite— if any respite is to reach him, ever." (279-281)
"eode ellen-rôf,      þät he for eaxlum gestôd Deniga freán,      cûðe he duguðe þeáw." (358-359)	"With that he turned to where Hrothgar sat, an old man among retainers;" (358-359)
"...glædman Hroðgar. Hy on wiggetawum    wyrðe þinceað eorla geæhtlan." (366-367)	"...Most gracious Hrothgar, do not refuse them, but grand them a reply." (366-367)
"Hrôðgâr maðelode,      helm Scyldinga: 'Ic hine cûðe      cniht-wesende. Wäs his eald-fäder      Ecgþeó hâten,'" (371-373)	"Hrothgar, protector of the Shieldlings, replied: 'I used to know him when he was a young boy. His father before him was called Ecgtheow.'" (371-373)
"hrägla sêlest;      þät is Hrêðlan lâf, 'Wêlandes geweorc.      Gæð â Wyrd swâ hió scel! Hrôðgâr maðelode,      helm Scyldinga:'" (456-458)	"Hrothgar, the helmet of Shieldlings, replied: 'Beowulf, my friend, you have travelled here to favour us with help and to fight for us.'" (456-458)
"cwên Hrôðgâres,      cynna gemyndig, grêtte gold-hroden      guman on healle, and þâ freólîc wîf      ful gesealde ærest Eást-Dena      êðel-wearde, bäd hine blîðne      ät þære beór-þege, leódum leófne;      he on lust geþeah" (614-619)	"Adorned in her gold, she graciously saluted the men in the hall, then handed the cup first to Hrothgar, their homeland's guardian, urging him to drink deep and enjoy it because he was dear to them. And he drank it down like the warlord he was, with festive cheer." (614-619)
"Grêtte þâ giddum      guma ôðerne, Hrôðgâr Beówulf,      and him hæl âbeád, wîn-ärnes geweald      and þät word âcwäð: "Næfre ic ænegum men      ær âlýfde, "siððan ic hond and rond      hebban mihte, "þryð-ärn Dena      bûton þe nu þâ. "Hafa nu and geheald      hûsa sêlest; "gemyne mærðo,      mägen-ellen cýð, "waca wið wrâðum!      Ne bið þe wilna gâd," (653-661)	"Hrothgar wished Beowulf health and good luck, named him hall-warden and announced as follows: 'Never, since my hand could hold a shield have I entrusted or given control of the Danes' hall to anyone but you. Ward and guard it, for it is the greatest of houses. Be on your mettle now, keep in mind your fame, beware of the enemy. There's nothing you wish for that won't be yours if you win through alive.'" (653-661)
""gif þu þät ellen-weorc      aldre gedîgest." Þâ him Hrôðgâr gewât      mid his häleða gedryht, eodur Scyldinga      ût of healle; wolde wîg-fruma      Wealhþeó sêcan, cwên tô gebeddan      Häfde kyninga wuldor Grendle tô-geánes,      swâ guman gefrungon, sele-weard âseted,      sundor-nytte beheóld" (662-668)	"Hrothgar departed then with his house-guard. The lord of the Shieldlings, their shelter in war, left the mead-hall to lie with Wealhtheow, his queen and bedmate. The King of Glory (as people learned) had posted a lookout who was a match for Grendel, a guard against monsters, special protection to the Danish prince." (662-668)
"under swegles begong      sêlra nære rond-häbbendra,      rîces wyrðra." (861-862)	"Yet there was no laying of blame on their lord, the noble Hrothgar; he was a good king." (861-862)
"medo-stîg gemät      mägða hôse. Hrôðgâr maðelode      (he tô healle geóng, stôd on stapole,      geseah steápne hrôf" (924-926)	"When Hrothgar arrived at the hall, he spoke, standing on the steps, under the steep eaves, gazing at the roofwork and Grendel's talon:" (924-926)
"Ne gefrägen ic þâ mægðe      mâran weorode ymb hyra sinc-gyfan      sêl gebæran. Bugon þâ tô bence      blæd-âgende, fylle gefægon.      Fägere geþægon medo-ful manig      mâgas þâra" (1012-1016)	"The benches filled with famous men who fell to with relish; round upon round of mead was passed; those powerful kinsmen, Hrothgar and Hrothulf, were in high spirits in the raftered hall." (1012-1016)
"fäste befangen,      þâ heó tô fenne gang; se wäs Hrôðgâre      häleða leófost on gesîðes hâd      be sæm tweonum, rîce rand-wîga,      þone þe heó on räste âbreát," (1296-1299)	"To Hrothgar, this man was the most beloved of the friends he trusted between the two seas. She had done away with a great warrior, ambushed him at rest." (1296-1299)
"þâra þe on Sceden-igge      sceattas dælde. Hrôðgâr maðelode,      hylt sceáwode, ealde lâfe,      on þäm wäs ôr writen fyrn-gewinnes:      syððan flôd ofslôh," (1687-1690)	"Hrothgar spoke; he examined the hilt, that relic of old times. It was engraved all over and showed how war first came into the world and the flood destroyed the tribe of giants." (1687-1690)
"þâra þe on Sceden-igge      sceattas dælde. Hrôðgâr maðelode,      hylt sceáwode, ealde lâfe,      on þäm wäs ôr writen fyrn-gewinnes:      syððan flôd ofslôh," (1885-1888)	"So they went on their journey, and Hrothgar's generosity was praised repeatedly. He was a peerless king until old age sapped his strength and did him mortal harm, as it has done so many." (1885-1888)
""se þe lengest leofað      lâðan cynnes, "fenne bifongen.      Ic þær furðum cwom, "tô þam hring-sele      Hrôðgâr grêtan: "sôna me se mæra      mago Healfdenes, "syððan he môd-sefan      mînne cûðe," (2009-2013)	"When I first landed I hastened to the ring-hall and saluted Hrothgar. Once he discovered why I had come the son of Halfdane sent me immediately to sit with his own sons on the bench." (2009-2013)
""feóndes fäðmum      under firgen-streám. "Þät wäs Hrôðgâre      hreówa tornost "þâra þe leód-fruman      lange begeâte; "þâ se þeóden mec      þîne lîfe "healsode hreóh-môd,      þät ic on holma geþring "eorl-scipe efnde,      ealdre genêðde," (2129-2134)	"It was a hard blow for Hrothgar to bear, harder than any he had undergone before. And so the heartsore king beseeched me in your royal name to take my chances underwater, to win glory and prove my worth. He promised me rewards." (2129-2134)