Diversity In Beowulf

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We humans have always pondered varied perceptions. These perceptions ranged from our everyday way of life to our meditations of our existence in the universe. As the course of a thousand years exhaust itself, society constantly is reconstructed. More specifically, the way a story is told can be altered for another epoch. We can observe this as we compare the epic story Beowulf of a thousand years ago and the motion picture Beowulf filmed in 2005. They are not only disconnected in time, but they also differ in much of their storyline in order to fit the appropriate audience of the times. The classic epic Beowulf differs significantly from the 2005 movie of its title directed by Sturla Gunnarsson. The differences include Beowulf being portrayed…show more content…
We need diversity in order to have more of an escape from our prosaic lives. The story written way back when does not have the charisma we are used to unless we are taught to appreciate it. Because modern audiences are usually not drawn to the way the epic was originally written, the director of the movie added more characters that made the story more complex and relatable to contemporary society. The monk, the witch, and Grendel’s son and father were added in the story to give it a more complex flavor and color. However, they also serve a more important role. They convey a deeper lesson and add more symbolism to the story. Today, religion is not explicitly expressed as strongly as it was back when the book came out. Beowulf refers to God continuously throughout the older story. Today, society is not as comfortable with a story that has religion as one of the main focuses, and so the movie added the monk character to represent the element of religion in the story rather than Beowulf talking about religion throughout the movie. The monk is added to the story to give the rest of the characters courage when faced with death. This made another no-name character courageous enough to tell Beowulf where the lair of Grendel was because he was no longer afraid to die. One of the most important added characters is the witch. She is, in a way, Grendel’s conscience. The part in the…show more content…
He out-swam the great Breca and killed many evil creatures in his day. In the book, he says, “And I shall fulfill that purpose, prove myself with a proud deed or meet my death here in the mead-hall." This means that Beowulf is ready to sacrifice his life in order to kill Grendel. Even though he does kill Grendel in the movie, the ending’s tone is not the same as in the book. In the movie, Beowulf changes from a hero that kills for the greater good to regretting killing Grendel. Now, Beowulf feels sympathy for Grendel after discovering about Grendel’s previous suffering. The value of interior self-change and realization is what drives a story in today’s time. At the beginning of the movie, Beowulf is seen killing seven men in a flashback with a fisherman character. When he is in the mead hall, he proclaims that “the only flesh that the beast will feast on, is its own.” This tells us that he is going to kill “the beast” Grendel. Beowulf also goes on to say, “This curse will be less than a shadow.” We are shown the change in Beowulf at the end of the movie, when Beowulf exclaims with sympathy, “Sleep, Grendel.” Here, Grendel is the beast no more. Grendel has changed from just a creature to a respected father in Beowulf’s eyes. The change continues as Beowulf shows his vulnerable side by falling in love with the witch, Selma, at the end of the movie. In the book, these signs and changes are not there. The

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