When Beowulf and his men returned to their country they are received by Hygelac and Hygd. Hygd is described as beautiful and wise. She is also courteous and attentive and she pours mead in the drinking horns of the warriors as befitted a Germanic hostess.
Beowulf gives her three horses and a magnificent torque (the Brosing, i.e. Brisingamen, the necklace of the goddess Freya) that he had received from Wealtheow, the queen of Denmark.
Hygd's wisdom and love for her Geatish people is shown when her husband Hygelac has fallen in the raid in Frisia against the Franks. Instead of securing the throne for her own offspring, she offers the throne to Beowulf as she considers her son Heardred to be too inexperienced to defend Geatland against the Swedes . Beowulf, however, talks in favour of young Heardred and convinces her to proclaim him king of the Geats instead.
Unfortunately, two Swedish princes arrive, Eadgils and Eanmund, who ask for protection as their uncle Onela had murdered their father Ohthere and usurped the Swedish throne. Heardred graciously offer them his protection, which leads to a Swedish invasion in which Heardred is slain. Eanmund is killed by the Swedish warrior Weohstan.
Now Beowulf can no longer refuse Hygd's offer of kingship.
Wealhtheow and Hygd are both queens and, as hostesses, they both exert influence in the hall (usually thought of as a masculine enclave), influence that does not always coincide with the wishes of their husbands.
The first section will present Wealhtheow and Hygd as hostesses, discussing their place in the structure of the court society shown in the poem, a society that focuses on the hall and the words that are spoken within the hall.
Hygd also held at least some political power, and this is shown most clearly when she attempts to deliver the kingdom of the Geats to Beowulf following Hygelac's death on the battlefield, in effect passing over her own son, Heardred.
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