Queen Wealhtheow put up an excellent disguise when hiding the pain she experienced from being forced to be Hrothgar’s wife. Wealhtheow was wistful; she missed her land and her brother, yet she persevered. She exhibited courage and soundness of spirit as she handled her precarious position with tact and reverence. Queen Wealhtheow showed excellent dignity and was admired by the entire community. Her presence "brought light and warmth, men began talking, joking and laughing, both Danes and Geats together." She created a positive feeling throughout the kingdom. In addition, Wealhtheow gave Beowulf advice about proper etiquette, how to speak to the Geats with a more reverent tone. Before Beowulf left the Danes, she gave Beowulf a precious collar, the Brosing necklace, in appreciation for his duty. Beowulf respected the offering and had a sense of obligation to succeed in battle for Wealtheow and her people.
King Hrothgar was enthralled by her poise and beauty, as he would often stare at her in admiration. She was described, "As if walking in a dream, a woman in a robe of threaded silver came gliding from the hall. Her smooth long hair was as red as fire and soft as the ruddy sheen on dragon's gold. Her face was gentle, mysteriously calm." Despite her resentment, she treated Hrothgar with much respect; she always treated him favorably and referred to him as "my lord". Even Grendel, a monster, was attracted to Wealhtheow. Grendel was touched the first time he saw Wealhtheow, he was struck by her innocence and beauty. He wanted to sob at the sight of her: introducing a sensitive side to this monster. He was "tortured by the red of her hair and the set of her chin and the white of her shoulders". Upon his attack of Wealhtheow, he ripped her out of bed by her feet as if he was going to split her in half. He wanted to kill her, but he was torn by his feelings for her, all the pain he wanted to inflict was mere frustration.
In the novel Grendel, the reader is given further insight to the beauty and charm of Wealhtheow, and the sensitivity and needs of Grendel. The author offers insight on the position of women in the Anglo-Saxon society by means of the development of the character Queen Wealhtheow.