Beowulf Movie Analysis

The movie stuck to the main story of Beowulf, but it still had many differences. The movie brought the poem to reality with its own twist on the story of Beowulf. From the appearance of Hrothgar and Grendel’s mom, to the journey of the dragon. There are many differences and similarities locked into one Legend.

The movie kept to the origin of how Beowulf came to help king Hrothgar. He came to defeat Grendel and pay his wergild. Grendel was also a monster who killed and incapacitated people in the hall. They both had Grendel lose an arm in the fight, but they had him lose it in different ways. They both had journey's to fight Grendel’s mom and the dragon, but both of the tales had different outcomes. Nevertheless Beowulf still became king in the two stories, it was just a matter of where he ruled, that made the

difference.
The epic poem made Hrothgar seem like a caring, noble king. He did the best he could for his people. The movie on the other hand made him seem like a fat, drunken slob. The movie had him have an affair with Grendel’s mom, who then gave birth to Grendel. Grendel could not attack Hrothgar because he was his father, not because he was protected by God’s blessed throne, like in the poem. Hrothgar in the poem was loyal to his spouse, while in the movie he and most of the people weren’t.
The poem portrayed Grendel’s mom as a monster, while the movie made her a beautiful shape shifter.

The journey to her layer in the movie was not as difficult and enduring as the poem made it out to be. There was no fight with Grendel’s mom, because she was able to get Beowulf to hook up with her. In the movie she wasn’t so much of a sea monster because she flew to the hall and killed many people, which never happened in the poem. In the movie Grendel’s mom is unscathed and not killed and lives on past Beowulf. Furthermore she gave Beowulf one thing he never had in the poem, a son.

The poem had no son of Beowulf in it, but the movie provided him one. Years after Beowulf hooked up with Grendel’s mom, his son appeared as a dragon shape shifter. Beowulf’s final battle came when he fought his son, tearing out his heart and eventually killing both of them. The poem had an unknown dragon being slayed, and Beowulf living on as an insuperable king.

The movie added a twist to give excitement to the viewers, to make Beowulf a man of flaws. The poem had him seem as a hero, a man who did no wrong. No matter what story is told, Beowulf will always remain a

legend.