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Tolkien's Théoden, Beowulf's Hroðgar, and What It is to be a Good Anglo-Saxon King

Fall 2005
Medieval Literature
2793 words

Tolkien's Théoden, Beowulf's Hroðgar, and What It is to be a Good Anglo-Saxon King

  The famous and much-lauded works of J.R.R. Tolkien take place in a world that is uniquely different from ours yet at the same time familiar. Seeing as Beowulf was one of the works that Tolkien studied the most, many of the scenes, settings and characters that he uses in his own work are almost straight from this ancient epic. One of the biggest similarities is that of King Théoden, who rules from his “Golden Hall” Meduseld, to Hrothgar, who keeps court in his great hall Heorot. Théoden and Hrothgar have both their similarities and differences, but overall it is not difficult to see that Théoden is based on Hrothgar.

  It is no secret that Tolkien was inspired and heavily influenced by the areas of his studies. John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, born in 1892, was already an avid linguist at a young age. He also went on to be a scholar of medieval literature at Oxford University. Both Tolkien’s love of languages and his interest in medieval literature would be the things to spark his future creations. Tolkien felt that other cultures had extensive mythic and epic backgrounds that England was missing out on, and so set about to rectify that by creating a mythology that England could call its own. Since Tolkien’s life was so deeply wound around his scholarly studies, it is unsurprising that we should find the influences of medieval works, especially the epic of Beowulf, in his own: “Tolkien acknowledges as his ‘most valued’ source Beowulf, ‘though it was not consciously present to the mind in the process of writing, in which the episode of the theft arose naturally (almost inevitably) from the circumstances.’” (Chance 3) “The Beowulfian themes of struggle against monstrous forces, the inevitability of failure, and the imminence of death are the backbone of The Lord of the Rings.” (Flieger 32) Thus the settings that Tolkien created are alien and different yet strangely familiar. David Salo argues that Tolkien did this in order to reflect “a thoroughly modern understanding of the past as a fundamentally alien place.” (Salo 24) An excellent example of Tolkien using this is in the people of Rohan and their lord Théoden.

  The Rohirrim, the people of Rohan, are introduced in the second book in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Two Towers. The culture of the Rohirrim is basically that of the Anglo-Saxons, the Germanic invaders of Britain, although “the one aspect of the Rohirrim’s culture that does not match the historical culture of the Anglo-Saxons is the centrality of horses in Rohan. It is worth noting that Tolkien first invented the concept of the ‘Horse Kings’ and only later endowed the Rohirrim with Anglo-Saxon language and culture.” (Drout 233) Edmund Wainwright notes that “the Rohirrim are more akin to the ideas the Angles had of themselves in their legends, and the virtues of the Riders are the same virtues which the Angles admired and respected: courage, loyalty, generosity, self-reliance. An Old English adage says eorl scale on eos boge ‘a hero belongs on a horse’s back,’ stressing the association they felt between the adventures of the hero and his reliable mount.” (Wainwright 98) The Rohirrim speak Old English, the only language in The Lord of the Rings that Tolkien did not create himself, for “the use of Old English [evokes] early medieval England or, in general, the culture of ancient Germanic tribes... It is perhaps not so much the place (England) as the time of Old English (the seventh to eleventh century) that Tolkien wants to evoke, and the feeling that Rohan where Old English is spoken is an archaic island, a place where ancient traditions survive nearly unchanged in a world that has largely passed them by.” (Salo 34) Anyone who has read an Anglo-Saxon work such as Beowulf finds themselves with a very familiar people upon reading The Two Towers, especially when part of the Company of the Ring come before Théoden, Lord of the Riddermark.

  Upon reading The Two Towers, most readers immediately see King Théoden as “the very image of one of the heroes of old.” (Wainwright 81) This is meant to be; Tolkien has practically taken the situation of the hero coming before the king in his hall directly from Beowulf. This would make Théoden the equivalent of Beowulf’s king Hrothgar (or Hroðgar). Théoden and Hrothgar are very similar, mostly due to the setting, but they are different in several ways as well. They can be compared both in their storylines and how they fill their roles as typical Anglo-Saxon kings.

  As stated previously, Hrothgar and Théoden are similar mainly due to circumstance. In Beowulf, the hero for which the poem is named comes before king Hrothgar in his great mead hall Heorot. Hrothgar has been having trouble in his lands and Beowulf is there to give aid, hoping to succeed where no one else has. In The Lord of the Rings, Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli come before Théoden in his mead hall Meduseld. Théoden has been having trouble in his lands due to the influences of the evil wizard Saruman, but unfortunately is unable to do anything, for he is under the spell of Saruman and his traitorous advisor Grima Wormtongue. At this point, both Hrothgar and Théoden are poor examples of Anglo-Saxon kings. Hrothgar is getting old, and he hasn’t been able to do anything about the monster in his country. Théoden is an older man as well, and the spell that he is under has caused him to become feeble, and thus he hasn’t been able to rectify the situation Saruman is causing in his country. The Anglo-Saxons saw their kings as connected to the country. When the king was a great ruler, so to was the state of the country; when the king was frail, so to was the country. A king’s “impotency, coupled with despair, led him to a position where the land would fall, not without a fight, but fall nevertheless without the vital King to lead his people.” (Harvey 108) In the case of Hrothgar, “Grendel and his mother can be seen as the objectifications (in part) of the flaws of the king Hrothgar and of the faults of his court.” (Keenan) In Théoden’s case, his impotency lead to the havoc wreaked by orcs on the people of his land and the split in his court resulting in the exile of his most loyal men, including his nephew Eomer. Beowulf takes care of Hrothgar’s problem and leaves (after a good amount of feasting and gift-giving, of course). Gandalf helps Théoden shake off the spell he is under and come to his senses. The group of heroes then help Théoden win back his country. Hrothgar and Théoden’s involvement with the hero(es) of the story is very similar, yet Théoden takes a more active role. Once Beowulf leaves to return home to Geatland, the reader hears no more of Hrothgar and his fate. However, in The Lord of the Rings, Théoden still plays a pivotal part in the story. He and his people ride in to the aid of Gondor during the Battle of Pelennor Fields, where Théoden meets his honorable end.

  Hrothgar and Théoden are both Anglo-Saxon kings, but which better fits the mold? Jos Bazelmans tells us that one can see how the Anglo-Saxons saw their kings by the terms they used to refer to them. “... the king is the ‘first;’ or he is ‘the one who steps forward out of the group of people;’ or he is the ‘elder,’ i.e. ‘the one who surpasses all others in wisdom and courage.’” (Bazelmans 126) There are terms that refer to the king as a ruler, a warrior, a protector of the people, and a giver of gifts. Both Théoden and Hrothgar incite love from their kinsmen and thanes, excise wisdom, care for their relatives, and hold court in a mead hall in which they engage in gift exchange, as kings are meant to do. But only Théoden dies an honorable death in battle, and end that is fitting for any Anglo-Saxon man.

  A king is not only seen as a ruler, but also as a protector of the people. It is important that any Germanic king should protect his people and in doing so incite their love in return, as Jos Bazelmans tells us:

  “The king’s protection entails more than ensuring the safety of his followers and the people against foreigners and other peoples. It is also his duty to preserve peace at home: the king is the guardian of truth and justice among the people... With consummate patience and wisdom, he must use his physical might sparingly and guard against becoming proud and miserly. He should be a friend who cannot afford to dispose of the lives of his kinsmen and followers in a random or capricious fashion.” (Bazelmans 128)

  Both Théoden and Hrothgar incite love from their thanes and even their foreign visitors, and return this love. Hrothgar adopts Beowulf as an honorary son: “Hrothgar’s welcome aims at making Beowulf essentiality one of his followers, a man obligated to Hrothgar’s service in the manner of Wulfgar, himself a foreigner in the royal Danish service.” (Clark) Merry the hobbit asks Théoden to do the same, as Jane Chance explains:

  “Merry’s vow to Théoden, in contrast, expresses a voluntary love for, rather than involuntary duty to, his king, characteristic of the ideal Germanic subordinate... And Théoden... represents the ideal Germanic lord who truly loves instead of uses his Men. Viewing Merry as an equal, he invites him to eat, drink, talk, and ride with him... Merry responds to this loving gesture with one equally loving and spontaneous: ‘Filled suddenly with love for this old man, he knelt on one knee, and took his hand and kissed it. ‘May I lay the sword of Meriadoc of the Shire on your lap, Théoden King?’ he cried. ‘Receive my service, if you will!’’” (Chance 173)

  Another important aspect of Anglo-Saxon kingship, and indeed, in almost every culture, is that the king should be wise. Hrothgar is an old man, and although in his youth he was a brave warrior, now he “is a worthy hero, not so much on account of his deeds, as Beowulf is, but by virtue of his speeches. His disquisitions reveal him to be a good and wise man who, thanks to his long experience as king, has much to add to insights offered by the youthful Beowulf.” (Bazelmans 82) Théoden is also a wise man, who takes his time deliberating in the ideal Germanic fashion:

  “Denethor sends a messenger to Rohan, asking for help... [Théoden] proposes to give his final decision in the morning. The Roman writer Tacitus remarks in his work Germania of the Germanic folk of his time that they thought it was best to debate important issues at a feast where there was a strong drink and men were less able to hide their feelings, but that decision-making was left till the next morning when they were sober and cool-headed.” (Wainwright 37)

  The relationship between a man – and especially a king – and his nephew was an important one in the Anglo-Saxon world. A nephew was just as available for succession as any of the king’s own sons. In Beowulf, it is evident that Hrothgar has a good relationship with his nephew Hrothulf as they celebrate together after Beowulf’s victory over Grendel: “those powerful kinsmen, / Hrothgar and Hrothulf, were in high spirits... Inside Heorot / there was nothing but friendship. The Shielding nation / was not yet familiar with feud and betrayal.” (Heaney 67) And in The Lord of the Rings, Théoden is so close to his sister’s children, Eomer and Eowyn, that one may think they were his own:

  “Eomer’s position at the court of Théoden is unique, in that he is not just another member of the royal household, he is the king’s sister’s son. The relationship between mother’s brother and sister’s son was very special... in all Germanic societies... the mother’s brother was a kind of ‘legal guardian’ as well as an adviser and substitute father figure for her sons.” (Wainwright 44)

  One of Théoden’s titles is “King of the Golden Hall.” He is called so for the fact that he holds court in a grand mead-hall called Meduseld. Meduseld “is one of the most evocative words in the Old English tradition: it means ‘mead-hall’ and conjures up visions of communal feasting, good food and drink, friendship, security and warmth. It was the highest expression of all that was good and desirable in early English life.” (Wainwright 60) Mead-halls are so important in Anglo-Saxon culture that George Clark argues that the Beowulf author intentionally rival the monster stories for the reader’s attention:

  Throughout part both in the Grendel story and in the allusively recreated stories woven into that narration, significant action takes place chiefly in and around the halls, strongholds, or fortresses of great rulers... The hall indeed has a special, even a symbolic significance, beginning with the poem’s first reference to the building of Heorot. In Part I, social and political exchanges within Hrothgar’s... royal hall nearly rival the battles with the monsters for the audience’s attention.” (Clark)

  Hrothgar’s hall Heorot is lauded across the land, for “the speed with which it is built, its great size and its unique, gold-adorned appearance elevate it almost to the level of the supernatural.” (Bazelmans 135) Bazelmans goes on to state that the mead-hall serves as both “the home of the royal family” and “a gathering place.” (Bazelmans 136) So to is Théoden’s great hall of Meduseld, which immediately captures the reader’s attention with its description as given by Legolas: “... set upon a green terrace, there stands aloft a great hall of Men. And it seems to my eyes that it is thatched with gold. The light of it shines far over the land. Golden, too, are the posts of its doors.” (Tolkien 117)

  One of the most important attributes of almost any Anglo-Saxon man, and especially a king or hero, was an honorable death in battle. Although Hrothgar was a great warrior in his youth, by the time Beowulf visits him he is an old man. He will most likely die of old age. “That the glory of Hrothgar, at least, soon will end is made clear at once. Heorot will burn, probably during a feud with his son-in-law in a failed attempt to use marriage to keep peace. And before that he must deal immediately with Grendel. He says at one point that prior to this invasion he was always able to protect his people, maintaining the tradition started by Scyld.” (Schrader)

  Théoden, on the other hand, is different. Despite his age, Théoden bravely rides into battle with his kinsmen, knowing that he will most likely meet his end there. “Théoden... retains some of the vigor of this young heroic man. Though white-haired, the Lord or Rohan leads his men against Sauron’s forces and laughs to scorn the wiles of Saruman at Isengard.” (Keenan) Author David Harvey argues that Théoden’s death is a sort of Christianesque atonement for sins:

  “Théoden falls under the spell of Grima Galmod’s song and Saruman. He despairs. His kingdom suffers. As a result of his departure from the path, he loses Theodred his son whom he loves. But Théoden arises and casts out Grima. He acknowledges his wrong and rides to redemption and a glorious death. This death is his purgatory or punishment. But the means of his death is glorious and so within his punishment also lies redemption.” (Harvey 58)

  To conclude, while Théoden and Hrothgar both are adequate representatives of good Anglo-Saxon kings, it seems that Théoden better fits the mold of what an Anglo-Saxon king should be, at least once he shakes off Saruman’s spell. Although an old man, he rides into battle at the head of his men, despite the fact that he will most likely die in doing so, providing “a noble and inspiring example for [his men] to follow...” (Chance 176) Hrothgar, on the other hand, must ask another country to send help in order to relieve his land of the monstrous Grendel. However, Grendel is a horrible creature who only the hero of the story, Beowulf, can defeat, so Hrothgar cannot be found at fault for this. Hrothgar is still a good king for his people, as is Théoden. It is no wonder they are so similar, for Tolkien most likely basefd Théoden on Beowulf’s Hrothgar. It is Tolkien’s use of familiar settings and situations from the past that make his works so haunting to everyone who reads them, securing them a special place in the hearts of readers worldwide.

Works Cited

Anonymous. Beowulf. Trans. Seamus Heaney. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2000.

Bazelmans, Jos. By Weapons Made Worthy: Lords, Retainers, and Their Relationship in Beowulf. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, 1999.

Chance, Jane. Tolkien’s Art: A Mythology for England. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2001.

Clark, George. “The Heroic Age, Ideal, and Challenge.” Twayne’s English Authors Series. New York: G. K. Hall & Co., 1999. Literature Resource Center. < http://www.galenet.com/servlet/LitRC >

Clark, George. “The Old Kings.” Twayne’s English Authors Series. New York: G. K. Hall & Co., 1999. Literature Resource Center. < http://www.galenet.com/servlet/LitRC >

Drout, Michael D.C. “A Mythology for Anglo-Saxon England.” Tolkien and the Invention of Myth: A Reader. Ed. Jane Chance. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2004.

Flieger, Verlyn. Interrupted Music: The Making of Tolkien’s Mythology. Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press, 2005.

Harvey, David. The Song of Middle Earth: J.R.R. Tolkien’s Themes, Symbols and Myths. London: Allen & Unwin, 1985.

Keenan, Hugh T. “The Appeal of The Lord of the Rings: A Struggle for Life.” Tolkien and the Critics: Essays on J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. Ed. Neil D. Isaacs and Rose A. Zimbardo. Notre Dame, Ind.: University of Notre Dame Press, 1968. Literature Resource Center. < http://www.galenet.com/servlet/LitRC >

Salo, David. “Heroism and Alienation through Language in The Lord of the Rings.” The Medieval Hero on Screen: Representations from Beowulf to Buffy. Eds. Martha W. Driver and Sid Ray. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 2004.

Schrader, Richard J. “Succession and Glory in Beowulf” Journal of English and Germanic Philology. Vol. 90, No. 4, October, 1991. Literature Resource Center. < http://www.galenet.com/servlet/LitRC >

Tolkien, J.R.R. The Two Towers. New York: Ballatine Books, 1954.

Wainwright, Edmund. Tolkien’s Mythology for England: A Middle-Earth Companion. Hockwold-cum-Wilton, Norfolk: Anglo-Saxon, 2004.