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The role oj Wiglaj
ago that Ecgtieow, Beowulf's father, was a Swede.w
A summary article on the question was written by
W. F. Bryan in 1936, 'The Wsegmundings: Swedes or
Geats ?'. 2 7 As far as I can discover, his reasons for
concluding in favour of a Geatish origin have never been
fully refuted in print, so it seems necessary to do so here.
Bryan first restates the 'pro-Swedish' arguments, and finds
them a satisfactory explanation of three circumstances:
The first is that Wiglaf's father Weohstan was a follower of
Onela, the king of the Swedes, in the war between Onela and
Heardred, the king of the Geats, and in this war Weohstan
killed Eanmund, Onela's rebellious nephew, who was being
supported by Heardred, and Heardred was slain by the Swedes.
The second is that Wiglaf himself is called leod Scylfinga, that
is, a man [or 'prince'] of the Swedes. The third is that Beowulf
and Wiglaf (and of course Wiglaf's father Weohstan) were
members of the same family, the Wa-gmundings.
Bryan's major argument against a Swedish attachment is
as follows:
There is not the slightest hint in the epic that the Wa-gmundings
as a family had any roots or possessions in Sweden; but there is
a clear statement concerning the estate of this family in the land
of the Geats. Wiglaf is kindled to his valiant support of
Beowulf in the desperate contest with the fire-drake by his
recollection of the obligations to Beowulf under which he lay:
Gemunde l'5a l'5a are pe he him zer forgeaf,
wicstede weligne Wzegmundinga,
folcrihta gehwylc, swa his freder ahte. (2606-8)
He remembered the favours he had had in times past, the
splendid Wsegrnundmg estate, every one of the folk-rights (see
below) his father had had.
The phrase wicstede weligne Wregmundinga seems clearly to
refer to the ancestral holding or fief of the family, and the
additional folcrihta gehwylc, swa his [aider ahte strongly confirms
this interpretation: Wiglaf had succeeded his father in the
family seat. As this succession had been granted by Beowulf,
the king of the Geats, it is obvious that the ancestral home of the
O' 'Beowulf - the Nationality of Ecgoeow', Modern Language Review 24
(rg2g), 322.
" Modern Philology 34 (rg36), Ir3-B.