The tale of Beowulf stands as the first work of English literature in history. It gives insight into the culture and society of centuries past, a life dominated by fate and lore, beings and deeds larger than life. Such was the way of life in the world Beowulf illustrates. The tale even briefly touches upon the role of women with the character Welthow. A thousand years after Beowulf was composed, the story was revised and retold by John Gardner, whose first person narration of Grendel gave the old tale new dimensions, while preserving many underlying themes. One of the only female characters found in both Beowulf and Grendel is Queen Wealtheow. Rhetorical devices are used in each piece to show the similarities and differences between the traditional Welthow from Beowulf, and Gardner's Wealtheow. Her existence serves a similar function in both tales in that she is objectified and placed on a pedestal, but differs in Gardner's portrayal, where he endows Wealtheow with depth and emotion. The rhetorical devices of repetition and diction serve to show the similarities between the two Wealtheows, while tone is used to contrast Wealtheow's social differences.
             Wealtheow's most notable feature in both tales is the function she serves in each story. In the grand scheme of the plot, and even in the court of the Danes, Wealtheow is essentially a pawn and an object. Welthow belongs in the tale of Beowulf, as much as any female character can fit into a male-dominated environ. She fulfills the role of what 'proper' behavior of women in Anglo-Saxon society should be, embodying loyalty, attentiveness, and beauty; an utterly splendid ornament she is. The repetition device shows the objectivity of Welthow in Beowulf. She is described as "Hrothgar's gold-ringed queen (Raffel 42)" and "bracelet-wearing queen (42)" and also "wearing her bright crown (59)." The repetition of such trivial ...