Introduction
The Old English poem “Beowulf” is a monument of late origin. Radical reinterpretations of the story include Robert Zemeckis’ feature film, Beowulf. This film does not claim complete plot similarity to the original narrative but is a new work based on the famous epic poem. The film and the poem have many differences, three of which are key: the portrayal of the hero, the understanding of heroism, and the innovation of the story.
Discussion
The first difference between the movie and the poem is the representation of the main character. In the poem, Beowulf fights Grendel unarmed and defeats the enemy by force (Heaney, 2009). The character in the poem is portrayed as a fairy tale hero with hyperbolized qualities. This element was portrayed in the film in a more epic rather than fairytale-like manner. This interpretation is positive because the story becomes more realistic.
The first half of the movie – which adheres to the poem’s plot – is the story of an ordinary hero. In the poem, this is a norm of heroism that is in no way condemned: Beowulf is a hero without fear or reproach in the first half of the poem. However, in the film, the background of his heroism is completely questionable, which can be considered a negative interpretation.
The next key moment is the battle with Grendel’s mother. The filmmakers change the poem’s plot to favor a broader archetypal meaning. Grendel’s mother is not a monster, not a crude seduction of lust like the décolleté young women. Unlike in the poem, in which the protagonist battles the monster’s mother, the film illustrates the hero’s seduction as a prerequisite for the appearance of the dragon, their son. At this point, the director’s innovation made a twofold change; on the one hand, we can say that the poem’s meaning was distorted, but on the other hand, it was distorted in a more modern way, by which the film became more interesting.
Conclusion
Thus, my opinion of the film is mixed. On the one hand, the director’s innovations and new storylines can be seen as an improvement in the original story. On the other hand, the director did not fully convey the poem’s meaning. The poem is based on the values of a different time and a different mentality, unlike the film, which only used the original idea.
Work Cited
Heaney, Seamus. Beowulf. Faber & Faber, 2009.