Beowulf: Movie (2007) versus Epic Poem
Beowulf is the oldest surviving English poem that tells of a struggle against man and beast. The story is set in early sixth century coastal Northumbria. Some elements in the poem lead readers to believe the poet was a monk. There have been many translations of the poem but the basic tale is the same throughout. Most recently, the epic has been made into a movie. Although the story of Beowulf is similar in the movie and the poem, there are many obvious differences.
One of the major differences is in the character of Beowulf. The poem portrayed Beowulf as a perfect Anglo-Saxon hero. However, in the movie he possessed a flaw that would change the course of the story. His love of women completely changed the tale. In the poem, Beowulf battled Grendels mother and killed her. In the movie, he couldnt resist her and lied about killing her. He ended up fathering her child and created a dragon that would destroy the community. By not killing Grendels mother, Beowulf just lengthened her reign. She was still there to entice the next king and disturb the people. Her power was still over the land until someone could overcome the urges and temptations she brought upon them.
Another difference is the appearance of Herots Hall. The poem describes it as, gold-shining (line 7) and beautiful walls; Shaped and fastened with iron, inside And out, artfully worked (lines 63-65). The movie showed Herots Hall as being a dark, damp building. People still celebrated and drank, but there wasnt any evidence of gold, beautiful walls, or shaped iron. The poem had a more vivid, bright description of the celebration hall, while the movie shot down any depiction somebody might have.
A similarity that was expressed was the Anglo-Saxon characteristics of a hero. Beowulf showed aspects of strength, wisdom, and courage. He was willing to face any odds to succeed and gain glory. Courage and honor were displayed when Beowulf fought Grendel with no armor or sword. A true hero, or warrior, must have the strength to back up his courage, and Beowulf had the strength to kill Grendel and hang his arm on the rafters of Herots Hall. He was willing to sacrifice everything for the fame. That makes Beowulf a true Anglo-Saxon hero whether the story was told in the original poem or shown in a modern movie.
Also, the movie accurately represents where Grendel and his mother live. It is very wet and dark. Without a light, it would be impossible to see. No one knows how deep the water is or what is in the depths of the cave. Beowulf is warned about venturing into an unknown place to fight Grendels mother. His expression in the movie truly reflects the attitude of the lair and the warnings heeded by Hrothgar and the Danes.
Furthermore, the classic good vs. evil is a major factor. The epic poem and the movie both do a great job presenting the struggle between Beowulf and Grendel in the traditional way of showing the good guy in white and the bad guy in black. Beowulfs character is obviously Caucasian in the movie and his Swedish background lends itself to believe that he is also Caucasian in the poem. Grendel, however is shown as a dark being who makes his atmosphere dark as well. He extinguishes light as he passes also revealing his evil, dark nature. Beowulf, the hero of the story radiates light and hope to the people. Grendels character overflows with hatred and makes his abode more believable.
Overall, the classic epic poem and the more modern movie version of Beowulf have distinct differences and similarities. However, the movie is like an alternate ending to the poem. Both have similar structures and ideas, but they are expressed in different ways. Through the differences, the movie and epic poem get a general idea of Beowulf and his heroic quest across to the audience.
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