Beowulf essay

Beowulf essay

            We read the text Beowulf in class and then we watched the film afterwards. The purpose of this essay is to compare and contrast the similarities and differences from both the film and the text. There were many differences that stood out to me. The main three were how dishonest Beowulf was in the film, how much Beowulf and the king Hrothgar were so much alike in a major way, and lastly I noticed how the details about the dragon and the reason why he came were different. A lot of people like the text better. I however show more interest in the film because it has more details. I like to be able to visualize the story I am reading, and while reading the text that didn’t happen for me.

            The first major difference I noticed was how dishonest Beowulf was in the film. In the text he was an honest, bold, hero that always told the truth and everyone looked up to him. He went to Denmark to defeat Grendel and succeeded in both the text and the film. However in the film he did not rip his arm off with his bare hands as he said he did, he really used the door for help. Also in the text Beowulf beheaded Grendel’s mother. He attempted to kill her in the film but instead he allowed her to seduce him. She offered him help from the gods for life if he gave her a son, and of course he did exactly what she asked of him. When he got back he told everyone that he had killed her just as he did her son Grendel. His pride was stopping him from telling the truth in the film, this was his tragic flaw. I think the director added this in the film to show how easy it is to give in to temptation no matter who you are. I think this scene was a very good way to show that.

            In the text Beowulf sailed back to Sweden and was crowned king because of his victorious battles. I noticed was how similar Beowulf and king Hrothgar were in the film and the text, because they were both kings. However in the film Hrothgar made Beowulf king because he had no choice, he had also made the deadly deal with Grendel’s mother many years ago and now his time was up. It was almost like a terrible endless cycle in the film. The director made it so that Beowulf was the exact same person that the king was when he was young. The both of them made a terrible mistake to become king and ended up paying for it in the long run. They both realized that being king that way wasn’t the way it should’ve been. Hrothgar passed his demons to Beowulf. Grendel was the kings son and the dragon was Beowulf’s son. This was their karma they created their own monsters. These details help support the theme of not giving into temptation.

            The one thing that stayed the same throughout the whole film and text was Wiglaf’s loyalty to Beowulf. In the text he was right there when he fought Grendel and also when he went to fight Grendel’s mother. Wiglaf was waiting at the end of the cave for Beowulf to come out; he never lost faith in his friend. He also helped Beowulf fight the dragon in both as well. He was a true friend. I like that they kept it the same because it’s good for everyone to have a good loyal friend that sticks with you through thick and thin, that’s exactly what Wiglaf was.

            All three of the details that I listed were the major differences that stood out to me the most. They are also the ones that support my reasons for liking the film more than the text. I believe the director did an amazing job carrying out his themes of loyalty and temptation throughout the whole film within the scenes.