Jonathan Seagraves Summer Assignment

Its not done, but I'll post what I have here because you wanted me too.  It will be done sometime this week.

Beowulf is an ancient tale that originates around 700 A.D. by an unknown Anglo-Saxon poet.  This is a time before the Scandinavian peoples invaded the island of Britain and Christianity had just been introduced to the heavily pagan society of the Swedish and the Danish.  This was the time of honor and courage.  Where men were defined by the choices they made and the actions they took.  This was the perfect setting for the creation of Beowulf.  Within Beowulf’s legend, fact and fiction is intermingled throughout the setting and personalities of the characters.  History is an important aspect of Beowulf; constant war and battles with supernatural demons were common place.  This was a time of heroes, seeking honor and immortality through glorious conquests and epic battles.  The legend of Beowulf has lasted throughout time because of its unique appeal to the nature of man.   Although the book was forgotten by movie makers until 1999, when Mortal Kombat and the bloody fighting world was at its peak.  This was a time when monsters were loved and fighting was endorsed.  The first movie Beowulf followed the storyline to a point, but then took off in another direction to keep the movie in a constant state of action and bloodshed.   Another more recent and more accurate rendition of the Beowulf yarn was filmed in 2007. This modern adaptation used complete animation, which allowed for more action and detail to be added in the movie, but also, a more secular worldview.   When comparing the ancient legend of Beowulf to the more recent movie version, it’s clear to me that the film is far superior for three reasons, its characterization, theme, and compelling afterthought that is instilled within the viewer.  

The portrayal of specific characters within the movie Beowulf presents a more relatable story to the people of today than in the ancient book, Beowulf.  Specifically, the movie altered three characters from the original text: Hrothgar, Grendel’s Mother, and Beowulf.  In the book Hrothgar is esteemed as an honorable, noble, and respectable king, who is a devout Christian, bestowing upon Beowulf wise, kingly counsel; however, the movie portrays him as a drunken fool, who drinks too much meed, parties naked, and disrespects his prize possessions.  Likewise, Grendel’s mother, an old moor hag with “loathsome talons”, is the last of her kind, who produced the demon Grendel that attacked and killed innocent people (Beowulf, p.94).  Contrary to the book, the movie portrays Grendel’s mother quite differently.   In fact, she is portrayed by the beautiful and talented Angelina Jolie, the only non-completely animated character in the movie, who, throughout the movie, is completely naked.   Shown as an evil temptress, she controls men and deviates their quest for glory and honor to a quest for lust and power.  This is evident when she tempts Beowulf in her liar, “Underneath your glamour, you’re as much a monster as my son.  A king needs glamour.  Love me.  Give me a son and I shall make you the greatest king that ever lived.  Forever be king, strong and mighty”(movie, 2007).  The third and final characterization from the book to the movie is the main protagonist himself, Beowulf.  Honor bound and respected, this courageous man is portrayed similarly in both the book and in the beginning of the movie.  However later on in the movie at the pivotal moment when Beowulf attempts to kill Grendel’s mother, Beowulf succumbs to temptress’s temptations.  No longer does he seek glory and honor for himself.  Instead, he becomes a liar and deceiver for his own personal gain.  Clearly by altering the portrayal of the characters, the world view itself has changed to relate to the challenges of the audience of today.    

Along with the characterization, the major theme in the movie is far superior to the theme in the book because the movie was made to relate to the audiences of today.  The major theme of the ancient book Beowulf is that of choice.  In the beginning of the book, Beowulf recklessly seeks adventure and glory because he has nothing to lose, but further on in the book, when he is king, he has everything to lose and must make the best decisions for his people or risk war and death.  Throughout the book, Beowulf is faced with difficult decisions.  The most important and costly decision Beowulf makes, is what he should do as king when the evil dragon emerges from his hole and terrorizes the kingdom.  At that time, tradition dictates that the king is never allowed to fight directly in combat.  So Beowulf is faced with the decision to, act like a king, like the wise Hrothgar and wait for a brave young worrier hero to come and save his kingdom, or act like the worrier he was as a young man and fight for his kingdom with his bare hands.  In contrast to the book, the movie Beowulf’s theme is also that of choices but not the choice of duty and honor.  The theme of the movie Beowulf is that of choosing what is right over lustful sin.  In the movie, Hrothgar is portrayed as a drunken incoherent fool because he sinned with Grendel’s mother giving her a son, the beast, Grendel.   Now he is forced to live the rest of his life with the curse of sin and tries desperately to drink himself to death because of it.  This theme of choosing what is right over sinful desires relates more toward the audiences of today because we live in a world where the constant choice to do what is right or to do what I want, is constantly being tested and most of the time the choice we make is that to follow our sinful desires.  

Although the ancient tale of Beowulf provides insight and direction on how to live nobly and honorably, the 2007 movie rendition leaves the viewer with a compelling afterthought on the consequences of our sinful nature.  In the text, Beowulf was driven by his strong desire to be immortalized, for he lived in a time where only those who accomplished heroic, noble, legendary feats of bravery were sung about for generations to come.  Beowulf’s choices were centered around what was honorable and right, for choosing the right decisions, like killing Grendel’s mother, returning to his homeland, and honoring his King Uncle by bestowing upon him King Hrothgar’s payment for ridding his kingdom of evil, gave him honor and respect.  Beowulf’s consequences for doing what was right were honor, fame, glory, and the kingdom when his uncle died.  Although it is not easy to do what is right, man’s lust and greed often clouds our judgment.  Beowulf struggled with this choice when he was confronted the choice to kill her or to use her for his own satisfaction.  Her promise of power, glory and invincibility tempted Beowulf’s moral character and he like so many of us fell for the shortcut.  His abandonment of integrity only lead to lies, deceit, and cover up which hurt those he loved the most.  As a result, the beloved King Hrothgar through himself over the palace walls when Beowulf’s lies were reveled.  

Since our society elevates fame and notoriety, the 2007 movie Beowulf hits this conflict head on through the actions and choices of the protagonist Beowulf.  In the movie, Beowulf is tempted to earn what he wants the easy way and it is through this decision that we relate to him.  So many of us relate to the movie Beowulf because we are challenged to take the shortcut to fame and glory.  Society encourages this shortcut but it is the decisions we make in the dark that define who we really are and how we will live.  The compelling afterthought is the question of dignity and honor and the consequences that we make in the dark when no one is looking.

When comparing the recent 2007, movie version and the ancient yarn, Beowulf, it is clear to me that the movie version is far superior because of its convicting message about man’s sinful nature and the consequences of his choices.  In comparison to the choices that Beowulf struggled with in the text and the choices he made in the movie, the choices in the movie are more relatable the challenges of today because they speak to an audience that faces them continually.  The modern audiences of today face the desire of fame, greed, lust, and power.  They choose to either acquire them the right way or earn them in the dark when no one is looking, and that is why so many of us relate to the movie Beowulf because we are challenged with the choice to either take the shortcut to fame and glory or earn it slowly.  In conclusion, Beowulf’s claim that we are the monsters now only illuminates an immoral society that is willing to trade honor, nobility, and respect for the shortcut to fame and glory.