In her excessive pride and abusive treatment of subjects, Modthrytho reminds us of evil King Heremod. She even went so far as to have men executed for the offense of looking into her eyes. As beautiful and strong as she was, she was no “peace-weaver” (2017) as is Wealhtheow, for example. The poet then tells of Modthrytho’s conversion through her marriage to Offa, and we get the idea that most of the Beowulf audience already knows this story, as it knows the rest of the poet’s allusions and probably the story of Beowulf itself. Given that, the interlude may have been less of an intrusion and more of a reminder of a familiar character to the scop’s audience. Still, a modern reader might be forgiven if the example still seems intrusive. At any rate, the poet does finally move on to Beowulf’s arrival at Hygelac’s court.
Propriety is the guideline at the great hall of the Geats. Hygd, like Wealhtheow, is the perfect hostess — courteous, friendly, but courtly — as she walks among the retainers and offers mead. Hygelac formally inquires about Beowulf’s trip, a venture that had concerned him because of the extreme danger involved. Beowulf is almost nonchalant in his response. He refers to the fight with Grendel as “dancing in the hall” (2003) and then interrupts his own story to consider Hrothgar’s hopes for peace with the Heathobards (literally the “War-Beards”). Hrothgar has promised to give his daughter, Freawaru, to Ingeld of the Heathobards in one of those marriages designed to quell a feud. Beowulf, however, is skeptical of the outcome and imagines a scenario that causes the resumption of the old feud. In an elaborate form of dramatic irony extending beyond the current epic, Beowulf’s early audience almost certainly had known this story as well and that peace will not last despite the marriage. The audience thus confirms Beowulf’s prescience.
