When people think of the word epic, they usually think of a phrase that teenagers use to describe an event, but what is the true meaning of the word epic? An epic is a form of poetry that is mostly based on the adventures of a legendary or heroic figure. These characters usually contain unhuman like characteristics, charming personalities, and strengths unknown to any other character in the poem. This is very apparent in both versions of Beowulf, and though the two versions have some similarities in conflict and character, they are more different than they are alike. Overall Beowulf is still a magnificent epic about a brave hero, whose story is told in two very different ways, with one or both containing tales of betrayal, seduction, and bravery. …show more content…
In the movie Grendel attacks Hrothgar’s kingdom because of a curse Hrothgar had bestowed upon the kingdom. Grendel is not the son of Cane, but he is Hrothgar’s son. The dragon in the movie is also brought into the movie by this very same curse, only his father is the new king. However, in the book, the dragon is in of the land of the Geats not the Danes, and he is introduced by a thief. This happens differently in the movie, because Beowulf never returns home and he takes over Hrothgar’s kingdom instead. Beowulf seeks out Grendel in both versions looking for fame and praise, but in the movie he ends up getting tangled in a web of lies that eventually led to the harm of his
The plot is where the book and the movie totally differ, they have almost nothing in common. A big plot twist in the movie is when Beowulf goes to kill Grendel’s mother; first of all he did not end up killing her and lies about it. Also in the movie, it shows that Grendel’s mother is just angry about Beowulf killing her son, so she makes him stay and give her a new son by making love to her. Another big plot twist is when Hrothgar kills himself and Beowulf does not return back to his kingdom, and becomes King of Dane Land. But in the book Hrothgar lives and stays king of his land and Wiglaf takes the throne after Beowulf dies; “Take what I leave, Wiglaf, lead my people, help them; my time is
The poem Beowulf, written by an unknown Anglo-Saxon poet and the movie script, written by Neil Gaiman and Roger Avary. The story is about a Man named Beowulf, who becomes a hero to his town Heorot, by defeating a monster named Grendel. He is later named King of Geats, because of his braveness and loyalty to his people. After about fifty years of ruling, a dragon threatens the town’s people. Beowulf and his servant, Wiglaf, set off to defeat this dragon. While he did succeed to kill it, sadly Beowulf dies in the process. In the poem versus the movie, Beowulf shows different character traits throughout the story. Heroism, loyalty, and bravery all differ from the poem to the movie. The audience will perceive Beowulf as a completely different person if only looking at one of the two pieces.
An Epic Hero is a brave, noble character in an epic poem, and they are admired for great achievements or affected by a grand event. In another point of view, A Epic Hero has to have strength, faith and Braveness in order to perform heroic deeds. In the story Beowulf , Beowulf is an epic hero because he kills Grendel the monster, Grendel’s Mother and a dragon that no one else could have defeated. All the things Beowulf did throughout this story showed evidence of an epic hero, also with his personality and dedication. Beowulf is an epic hero because of how he sacrificed his life to perform heroic deeds. Also for his extraordinary strength, Braveness, and Faith.
Anglo-Saxons refers to settlers from the German regions that migrated to Britain during the fall of the Roman Empire. In the story Beowulf, his actions portray him, indeed be an epic hero. Both Christianity and Paganism are both portrayed throughout the epic Beowulf. Beowulf frequently speaks of God throughout the story, while there are also many Pagan elements that are evident throughout the story as well. In addition, "It 's hard to ignore the Christian and Pagan elements in Beowulf. These types of elements are what define the heroic warrior in the epic Beowulf"(Vengeance the Pagan and Christian Inspiration). Throughout the epic Beowulf, while the Anglo-Saxons followed Christianity, they had a hard time letting go of the Pagan beliefs when things got hard.
Beowulf is one of the oldest poems in history, it was originally written in Anglo-Saxon, and it was told orally with many literary devices so it could be remembered throughout generations. It shows what their society was based on back in the Anglo-Saxon era. Although throughout history the poem has been changed to fit our modern day society. For example, having different values and morals and how we look at religion has all changed. In the Beowulf poem and movie there are many similarities and differences in Religion, Characterization, and Morals it highlights the value and beliefs of each society.
An epic hero is someone who is of great importance, they have supernatural abilities, have some form of connection with the Gods, and accomplish great deeds. In Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney, Beowulf is the epic hero in his tale and he is considered great by those who know of his life. There are two versions of his story which portrays him in a certain way. The video version does not do its best to portray him as an epic hero but instead show that he is a liar, a womanizer, and a coward. The written version does not portray him as such, it portrays him as someone who is strong, brave, and fearless. The written version best portrays Beowulf as an epic hero by showing his actions involving superhuman deeds in battle.
Beowulf is an epic poem being cited as one of the most important works of Old English literature. Beowulf is an Old English epic poem. The poem is set in Scandinavia. Beowulf, a hero of Geats, comes to the aid of Hrothgar, the king of the Danes, whose mead hall in Herot has been under attack by a monster named Grendel. After Beowulf slays him, Grendel's mother attacks the hall and is then also defeated. Victorious, Beowulf goes home to Geatland and later becomes king of the Geats. After a period of fifty years has passed, Beowulf defeats a dragon, but is mortally wounded in the battle. After his death, his attendants cremate his body and erect a tower on a headland in his memory. Beowulf is clearly a hero because of his brave deeds, he is a strong and responsible leader, and his courage. Beowulf is a hero because of his brave deeds. Throughout Beowulf, Beowulf does many deeds which are considered to be brave during the Anglo-Saxon period.“Grendel is no braver, no stronger/Than I am! I could kill him with my sword; I shall not,Easy as it would be. This fiend is a bold And famous fighter, but his claws and teeth.../ Beating at my sword blade, would be helpless. I will meet him With my hands empty-unless his heart /Fails him, seeing a soldier waiting /Weaponless, unafraid. Let God in His wisdom /Extend His hand where He wills, reward /Whom he chooses!”. In his first battle, Beowulf fights Grendel. He fights without any armor. Also, Beowulf kills Grendel’s mother. He then
In the text, we see that Beowulf is not yet a king, but, a king to come. He is not quick to react without thinking. Beowulf ordered his boat, picked out his men. A Saviour hero, thanking God after sailing. In the film, the heathen of gods was good, but Christ Jesus was bad.
Someone who is dearly admired or idealized for their courage and outstanding achievements or their noble qualities is what is said to be a hero today. Hero’s in today’s world have many qualities, such as, courage, selflessness, humility, patience, and a care/concern or kindness for others. When comparing both Dante the pilgrim’s character qualities to Beowulf’s character qualities, Beowulf comes out on top being the most like today’s modern heroes.
In his three major battles, Beowulf fights for many different reasons. His motivation varies, and as he grows older and wiser his attitude toward these battles also changes. Throughout the epic, Beowulf bradoshously beats Grendel, then more methodically murders Grendel’s mother, and with his last breathes humbly hollers for help to slay the dragon. This shows that Beowulf’s early focuses of glory and riches changes as he becomes a weathered warrior acknowledges that he cannot defeat his enemies alone and must utilize the resources provided to him such as armor, magical items, and companions.
Heroes, from Beowulf to Superman our cultures have always created heroes. We may always have political, social, economic and religious differences, but at the end of the day we all have one thing in common, heroes. They help define who we are and what we want to be. They give us hope and inspire us to head in the right direction. They show us that good will always triumph over evil and that anything is possible if you set your mind to it. Heroes give us the inspiration we need to overcome problems in our own lives and that is why we create them. Beowulf perfectly embodies the idea of a hero. He defeats the evil Grendel and his mother, slays the dragon and saves his people. He is
In both ‘War of the Worlds’ and ‘Beowulf’ the enemy is described as a large inhuman creature. “A big greyish rounded bulk, the size, perhaps, of a bear” is the phrase describing the size and basic features of the Martians in ‘War of the Worlds’. The word “bulk” suggests that the creature is large and stocky but it also implies the lack of movement. Also “the size, perhaps, of a bear” shows that this creature is inhuman as the humans are attempting to compare it to “a bear” and the word “perhaps” shows their uncertainty and hesitation as they haven’t seen any creature like this. It is similar in ‘Beowulf’ as Grendel (the enemy) is presented as a large monster with the phrase “A powerful monster. Till the monster stirred, that demon, that fiend”. “Powerful” suggests that he is large and able to cause mass destruction among others and that he has a large figure and a destructive attitude. “Demon” implies that he is a hellish character which means that he is against God and mankind. Also the word “fiend” suggests that he is out to cause trouble as a “fiend” is an evil spirit or “demon” which also adds to his hellish nature. Grendel is more
Beowulf Comparison Essay At a young age, during my sleep, I was rudely awakened with the pressure of force on my chest and the feeling of being struck. In the same way, the feeling shared the connection of Grendel having the tendency to kill at night. Although the movie and the poem of Beowulf share many similarities, the different portrayls of Grendel, Beowulf, and the role of women reflect both Anglo Saxon and modern society. Till this day, the story of Beowulf is considered to be one of the most oldest poems, that continuosly seems to be chanigng overtime.
An epic, is a lengthy narrative poem concerning about social and political organization, and events significant to a culture or nation. In Fred Robinson words, much of Beowulf is devoted to show the Germanic heroic code, in different aspects, which values strength, courage, bravery and loyalty in warriors; hospitality, generosity, responsibility and political skill in kings; ceremoniousness in women; and good reputation in the inhabitants.
An epic is a long, narrative poem that encompasses a hero or a heroine who is usually involved in an amazing battle between two forces. It includes forces that are not of the human world such as demons, angels, gods, and spirits. The epic of Beowulf is about a hero with superhuman strength that defeats the demon who torments the soldiers of the kingdom. In The Rape of the Lock, the heroine Belinda has a piece of her hair cut and stolen from her and the major battle is trying to get her lock of hair