Beowulf is a heroic, Anglo-Saxon poem that takes place in the 6th century. It is believed that the poem was not manuscripted until 1000 AD. The poem originally had no title but was later named after a warrior from Scandinavia. A brave sailor who arrived to herot as the hero to all, and fought for nothing but glory, even though he seeks fame as well. By fighting the monsters that are frightening Hrothgar, the king, and his thanes, Beowulf's reputation grows. In the Beowulf movie and poem there are similarities and differences in the role of women, behavior of a hero, and the setting/tone, which reveal themes that reflect both Anglo-Saxon and modern society.
The first example of the similarities and differences in the poem and the movie is the role that women were given. To begin with, men dominated, but in the
…show more content…
Likewise he is a fair fighter, as he claims being able to fight Grendel with nothing but his strength, “my hands/ Alone shall fight for me”(172-173) and so he did getting rid of Hrothgar's nightmare, Grendel. Consequently Grendel's mother came in search of revenge for her only son. In the Poem, Beowulf is seen as a great warrior that fears none. However, in the movie he has a strong weakness, and that is women. Namely, Grendel's mother was one of the many women in Beowulf’s life. As a result, came the dragon who in the movie was Beowulf’s heir. He had been with the witch, Grendel's mother, she had trapped him in her plan. Eventually the treasure that Beowulf had promised to stay in the lake had been found. It follows that the peace in Herot and Scandinavia was now disrupted by Beowulf's nightmare. Despite the fact that the fire spitting beast was Beowulf's son, still, he confronted what he had created even though he was aging, “I am now old,/ But I will fight again, seek fame still,/ If the dragon hiding in his tower dares/ To face me”