Similarities And Differences Between Beowulf And Grendel

We have read the Anglo-Saxon poem of Beowulf and watched the movie of Beowulf and Grendel. These two manifestations of one event have rather great differences in the characteristics and behavior of their characters. The movie seems show the actual events of the tale, while the poem seems to capture the events in an exaggerated and praiseful way towards Beowulf’s actions. In the movie, the poem’s narration is actually by a Geat, one of Beowulf’s men. The tales differ because of exaggeration and lack of presence in some events by the Geat.
The story narrates of Grendel’s unquenchable desire to slaughter in his lust for evil. It speaks of the fear caused by him and how Herot’s population fell as people were killed or fled from the village. Herot

He ripped one apart and consumed his meat and blood. When he grasped Beowulf, he perceived the warrior’s strength and was immediately filled with fear. Grendel wanted to flee, but Beowulf grasped him. These two battled in the hall and in his struggle for freedom, gender lost his arm.
Grendel escapes, only to die in his cave, and his arm to be hung in the hall. Grendel’s mother, the mighty water witch, came to the mead hall to avenge her son and obtain Grendel’s arm. Beowulf could not penetrate her skin and was losing, until the monster’s arm turned into a sword forged by giants. Beowulf used this to kill the witch. Beowulf repaid Grendel with a visit in is cave, where he lay lifeless, and cut off his head.
The movie on the other hand is more complex and makes Beowulf seem like a normal person, however a warrior of the finest kind. Grendel is not just a monster; he is a troll whose father was killed by Hrothgar when he was only a child. He was killed because he had crossed paths with the Danes and took a fish. Hrothgar was the only Dane to see the child and decided to spare his life. With this information, we can understand that the reason for Grendel’s attacks is revenge for the murder of his

He learns of how Grendel only seeks justice for what was done to him. This kind of justice was also taken upon the first Geat killed, who rather than chosen randomly as in the poem, was actually chosen due to having shattered and desecrated Grendel’s father’s head. Once this deed had been taken care of he tried to escape from the mead hall, but his arm was accidentally hung on a rope and he decided to escape by cutting his arm off with a spear. Grendel then runs off, only to die soon after by the shore.
Grendel’s mother pulls him in the water and takes him to her cave. She then goes to the mead hall to recover Grendel’s arm, killing some men in the process. Beowulf and his men seek the cave and find an underwater tunnel, which Beowulf crosses alone. He finds Grendel and his mother’s treasure, is attacked by the mother and kills her. Soon after, he finds Grendel’s offspring defending his father’s corpse. He decides to leave the body and spares the child. Beowulf leaves Herot by ship, short after burying Grendel in a respectful manner, this which Grendel’s son