Beowulf And Grendel Comparison

The ignorance of the human mind often leads to myopic and blind prejudice against others of whom we have no prior knowledge. This has hindered humanity since the beginning of time, leading to wars and obnoxious disputes over vapid misconceptions. This same prejudice that has obstructed humanity is prevalent in both the Beowulf epic poem (Heaney) and in Beowulf and Grendel (Gunnarsson), a movie that was produced in 2005, as Beowulf holds dense presumptions on Grendel, the antagonist. Although prejudice is shown in both works, the two pieces hold distinct development and alterations of prejudice towards Grendel. In Beowulf and Grendel, the audience is given a Beowulf who starts out much like his counterpart in the epic poem, stringent and obstinate,

This contrast in the two works portrays the paramount difference in cultural values between these two periods of time, as the modern day movie of Beowulf and Grendel challenges the austerity of the epic by transforming the ideals of Beowulf to draw understanding and sympathy from the audience for Grendel, an audience likely to be opposed to the abhorrent callousness maintained by many of the characters in the epic.

In Beowulf the epic poem, the audience are given a broad insight to the simplistic culture that was widespread in the earlier centuries through the direction the poem takes in developing prejudice against Grendel. Beowulf has a solidified view on Grendel that remains consistent throughout the entirety of the epic. Once he hears of the perilous state that Grendel has left the Danes in, Beowulf immediately sets forth to put the monster down. Rather

Unlike its poetic counterpart, Beowulf and Grendel, the 2005 movie, reveals an entirely different culture and modern day views that are reflected throughout its entirety. In the movie, Beowulf, just like his counterpart in the epic poem, sets out to the land of Danes to relieve them of the beast Grendel. During his quest to take out the monster, Beowulf unveils details about his early life and upbringing to that point in time. Throughout the course of the movie, Beowulf’s attitude towards Grendel uncharacteristically transforms as he unveils new realities about the beast and he begins to develop sympathy and subtle compassion towards him. Eventually realizing that the harm caused by Grendel was no more the monster’s fault than it was Hrothgar and the Danes’. The shift in views from the epic to the movie embodies modern day views that are thoroughly absent in the epic poem. It demonstrates the modern day belief that one can not be judged based on their outside skin and actions but by first examining their life as a whole, discerning why an individual is the way they are. This is none more evident then when Beowulf defends Grendel after he is identified as a worm by saying, "He is no more worm than you and I."(Gunnarsson) This exhibits modern day ideals because in today 's society, most individuals would undertake the same approach Beowulf did