Epic Vs Beowulf

As a society changes so do their people and this can be viewed in ancient cultures as well as modern day society. In the film Beowulf and Grendel (Gunnarsson 2005) and the epic Beowulf (Heaney 2000), we see the different perspectives on the protagonist Beowulf. The epic reveals a Beowulf that never changes character over the course of the epic. on the other hand in the film we see a Beowulf that changes in different occasions due to the sentimental emotions and compassion. Representing our modern day values or concept that it's not easy to distinguish the difference between good and evil. Throughout the epic, Beowulf can be seen to have the authority and great respect from the geats. The main idea of the epic is that it reveals to us a Beowulf that is praised as a god and whose actions are never questioned. He's also very boastful at the beginning of the epic, "I have suffered extremes extremes and avenged the Geats" (Heaney 2000). This reflects how the Anglo-Saxon culture viewed its heroes and what beliefs they held. Beowulf's mission since the beginning was to kill Grendel …show more content…
The battle between them can be described as simple and dull. There is no sign that Beowulf possesses the super inhuman strength referred in the epic. Even after hearing numerous stories of Grendel Beowulf seems to realize it has feelings and can communicate. After Grendel is defeated there is no sense of praise or admiration from the Danes as seen in the epic. There is only a sense of gratitude that can be seen from their actions and body language. The film demonstrates the differences between modern day culture and the ancient works of the Anglo-Saxon on how we distinguish the difference between good and evil. In ancient times, evil was determined by your actions or how you were raised. But the film shows a more modern day principle which is never judging a book by its