Beowulf and Grendel - 3405 Words

Beowulf is a classical epic poem which describes Beowulf’s heroic deeds and his acts towards bringing justice and peace to the Scandinavian society by eradicating Grendel. The original manuscript (700-1000A.D.) and the modern film (2005) reveals significant differences between the characters’ traits and descriptions, an important quotation, descriptions of places, motives, a character’s presence and events that have taken place. Thus, this modern adaptation, Beowulf and Grendel, of an ancient text, Beowulf, is significantly flawed as any modern adaptation of an ancient text will be. In the film, specific characters are portrayed differently as they are in the poem. A significant example of this is from the character, Grendel. The†¦show more content†¦For example, in the film, Hrothgar awakes in the morning and sees his soldiers slaughtered after a night of Grendel’s killings. He runs up to one of them and kneels beside them and begins to weep and screams that he should be buried here with them because he cannot do anything to stop Grendel. Here, Hrothgar is confused and does not know what to do to stop this â€Å"troll†. Even with the arrival of Beowulf and his heroic stories and confidence to defeat Grendel, Hrothgar is still pictured as a depressed and weak character. An example in the film that Hrothgar is still confused and depressed even after the arrival of Beowulf is when Hrothgar and Beowulf argue on the upper floor of the mead-hall after two unsuccessful nights of trying to defeat Grendel. Hrothgar is agitated and impatient to the fact that Beowulf has still not eliminated Grendel . This argument is an example that Hrothgar is still very worried and depressed even with the arrival of a great hero, Beowulf. These examples show that King Hrothgar in the film, is a character that has fell into a permanent depression and lacks courage, confidence, and leadership qualities. These qualities greatly contrast with th e qualities of Hrothgar in the poem which symbolizes him as a great leader even through times of hardship. Beowulf is written in the form of Old English and the film is recorded in a modern perspective and many of the poem’s words and quotations are not utilized to its full extent and context. AShow MoreRelatedGrendel And Beowulf1838 Words   |  8 Pagespeople in Beowulf are the reason for the heinous acts committed by monsters. Both human and monster alike greet each other with violence, making one no better than the other, leading to the belief that the portrayal of the monsters is unfair in order to glorify and justify the violence of humankind. Introduction: The introduction will establish my stance on who I believe the real monsters are in Beowulf and reference the characters I wish to defend (Grendel, his mother and the dragon). GRENDEL – ParagraphsRead MoreComparing Beowulf And Grendel And Beowulf1702 Words   |  7 Pagestranslated, Beowulf has represented one of the finest examples of heroic poetry. As a tale reflecting the noble deeds of a hero, it uniquely expresses the cultural values of the Anglo-Saxons from whom it originated since heroes often do reflect the best of what their culture deems worthwhile. However, modern adaptations of this work express a different set of cultural values; values unique to modern society. When comparing the translated poem, Beowulf, to the 2005 motion picture, Beowulf and GrendelRead MoreBeowulf and Grendel Essay1654 Words   |  7 PagesBeowulf and Grendel Beowulf and Grendel are actually the same stories in the fact that they are based on the same epic Beowulf. Beowulf, that is told of here is translated by Kevin Crossley-Holland, and there are many different translations which makes Beowulf the epic so interchangeable. Although Beowulf and Grendel seem very similar they do have many differences as well. Reading the two stories back to back gives you the impression of how many differences there are. For exampleRead MoreGrendel And Beowulf Comparison1192 Words   |  5 Pagesbest people I know and someone I strive to be more like. Is my Daddy like the hero Beowulf or the monster Grendel? The answer can be found by comparing my Daddy, Beowulf, and Grendel on their character, actions, and the impact they have on others. A persons character says a lot about them, in a way it is what defines them. Your character is what you are known for. Beowulf, a fictional hero in the epic poem, â€Å"Beowulf† is perceived to be a very noble, honorable, good man. No, man would not do justiceRead MoreGrendel and Beowulf Heroism1584 Words   |  7 Pagesinterpretation of such an act, based on the tale Beowulf, would not be so understanding of what was intended, but rather of the outcome. If one perished and failed in an attempt of such a heroic act words like weakness might arise. It is here that the clash of what a hero is occurs between the Anglo-Saxton tale Beowulf and John Gardners Grendel. Beowulf in Beowulf is a hero for he defeats evil and restores order to and for the common people. Unferth in Grendel however is unsuccessful in his campaign againstRead MoreGrendel and Beowulf Essay616 Words   |  3 Pages On John Gardners, Grendel the main character Grendel is very confused of the life he is living. He is in search of his purpose in life, what he doesn’t realize at the beginning is his purpose is to be the villain. The humans in the novel are terrified of Grendel because to them he is a beast. As a natural reaction for us humans when in fear we tend to eliminate what causes us fear. In many occasions humans try to kill Grendel because he is viewed as evil, until Beowulf accomplishes men’s goalRead MoreThe Epic Of Beowulf And Grendel1363 Words   |  6 PagesWhen one first encounters the epic poem Beowulf, they are usually taken aback by the differences between the text of the Anglo Saxons at that time and our present culture. This tale of a heroic warrior, Beowulf, defeating his opponent, Grendel, is certainly different from current works of fiction. Differences in diction, context, and characters allow readers to see how different other cultures were, and whether or not these differences carry over into other cultures. It is no secret that things haveRead MoreThe Epic Of Beowulf And Grendel1363 Words   |  6 PagesWhen one first encounters the epic poem Beowulf, they are usually taken aback by the differences between the text of the Anglo Saxons at that time and our present culture. This tale of a heroic warrior, Beowulf, defeating his opponent, Grendel, is certainly different from current works of fiction. Differences in diction, context, and characters allow readers to see how different other cultures were, and whether or not these differences carry over into other cultures. It is no secret that things haveRead MoreCharacter Of Grendel And Beowulf999 Words   |  4 PagesMost readers find it hard to understand and sympathize with the antagonist of a story. When most think of Grendel, they picture evil and mayhem. However, this is because of the one sided portrayal provided by the novel Beowulf. By having another piece of writing that id entifies the other side to the character that was not addressed, it allows the reader to see a different point of view and connect with the overall story even more; this is especially important in significant parts of the story. BothRead MoreBeowulf And Grendel Analysis729 Words   |  3 PagesIn the books Beowulf and Grendel they discuss the meaning of our world, the power of good and evil. Prince of the welders was portrayed as the hero because this spine chilling â€Å"immortal† monster was to be slain at the hands of this warrior. The reason that â€Å"the slayer† wanted to defeat Grendel was so he could keep the riches and try to fill that void that fuels the greed within him. The creation of Grendel was a sound decision due to the aspect that it shows the ulterior motives of the story. The