Dragon or Son?

     The last monster we see in the Beowulf story is the powerful Dragon which is to much for the aged Beowulf and in the end they take each others life. In the novel the Dragon is protecting a legendary treasure near Geatland, but is awakened when a thief steals from it's treasure a gem covered goblet. The Dragon is then enraged and goes on a rampage from town to town, looking for the thief, and burning all houses and buildings including Beowulf's home which housed the throne. After hearing of the destruction of his home Beowulf promises to avenge his people and armors up for the battle with the dragon. In the novel the Dragon finally brings Beowulf to his death after biting him with his poisonous teeth, but the Dragon is also stabbed by Beowulf and dies shortly after.
     When it comes to the film we see a much broader story line behind the story of the Dragon. Unlike the novel, Beowulf never returns to Geatland, and so the legendary treasure that the Dragon protects in the novel is not in the film. The Dragon in the film attacks Beowulf's kingdom shortly after Beowulf receives a Dragon Horn that he swore he had left with Grendel's Mother years ago. Beowulf then returns to the cave where Grendels mother resides and she immediately sick's the Dragon on him and the Battle begins. So at this point we see that in the film version Grendel's Mother has control over the Dragon, but we do not understand why yet. After a long heroic battle with the Dragon which destroyed half the Kingdom Beowulf finally after cutting off his own arm rips the Dragons heart out and then they fall to the beach where they both lie. In the last few moments of the film as the Dragon's body is getting washed away Beowulf finally sees the true form of the Dragon which is a golden man that we know can only be his son.






Blogspot.(October 11, 2011). Beowulf's Bane. Retrieved from http://anneelisabethstengl.blogspot.com/2011/10/tuesdays-dragon_11.html

Csis.pace.(2012). Beowulf. Retrieved from http://csis.pace.edu/grendel/projf984b/beowulf.html

Moviepooper.(2007). Beowulf. Retrieved from http://www.moviepooper.com/6/2708beowulf.html

 Tom Quach.(2012). Beowulf. Retrieved from http://tomquach.com/images/Beowulf/gld.html

Staffered Riggs.(1933).The Story of Beowulf. Retrieved from http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/tsb/tsb05.htm

Grendels Mother? Beowulf's One Night Stand?

     So now we come to Grendel's Mother. Her name is never told within either the novel or film but we believe the writer wanted it this way to show the importance of her isn't that great, or at least in the novel she is not. Within the novel you see a more caring side from Grendel's Mother towards Grendel with her wanting to avenge Grendel's death, but in the novel her insignificance is still clear with her seemingly quick and easy defeat by Beowulf deep within her murky underwater lair.
     Unlike the novel, in the film Grendel's Mother's is in the story till the end. After Beowulf enters her water liar the story takes a whole new turn with many new elements being introduced into the story. In the novel Grendel's Mother is described as "monstrous" and from everything else is thought to be hideous and demonic, but this is not the way the film producer sought to show her as. We see in the film that she is shown to be cunning and her looks are beautiful and anything but "monstrous," with Angelina Jolie playing the part.
     At first Beowulf attempts to slay the beast but with every strike having no effective toward her he stops. After a long conversation with Grendel's Mother Beowulf instead of going into an epic battle with the demon which would end in her defeat, gets persuaded not fight her and in the end is seduced by Grendel's Mother after she promises him fame and wealth.  


Buzzsugar.(2007 December, 17).Book To Film: Beowulf. Retrieved from http://less-than-original.buzzsugar.com/Book-Film-Beowulf-885961

Kevin Kiernan.(2010).Grendel's Heroic Mother. Retrieved From http://www.uky.edu/~kiernan/iconic/GrendelesHeroicMother.htm

Ugo.(2008 November, 19).Top 50 Evil Women. Retrieved from http://www.ugo.com/movies/evil-women-grendels-mother

Screened.(1999).Beowulf. Retrieved From http://www.screened.com/beowulf/16-190386/

GRENDEL

     Not much changes are done between the film and novel when it comes to Grendel. We understand from the novel that Grendel does not have a father anymore and his family was banished from the Kingdom after the killing of his father. This is the reason for Grendel's chaos he brings within the novel supposedly to avenge his father.
     Within both stories almost nothing changes though when it comes to his attitude and being the son of his mother which we do not the name of. In the film we also learn that the story of Grendel's father portrayed in the book is replaced with Hrothgar being Grendel's father. Besides Hrothgar being his father the only other  real marked difference of Grendel that the producers did was changed his emotions and how he reacted to the destruction he brought upon the Kingdom.In the novel Grendel is portrayed  as a demonic, monstrous, blood thirsty thief who not only murders the soldiers but slaughters them with easy without a single thought in doing so to avenge his father. 

    

     When it came to the time for the film producer to give Grendel's traits they seemed to have lacked a little on his carefree slaughter. In the film you see a more sensitive Grendel although he is still killing all the soldiers. It is better depicted that the image we see is that he is a half crazy, half sensitive creature when killing the soldiers. He hates to hear the enjoyment of the soldiers as they party in the Hall. After his fight with Beowulf which is also different because Beowulf is completely nude in the film  he is brought to his death in the same manner in the end with Beowulf tearing off his arm.

    


     Answers. (2012). Beowulf the movie and Beowulf the Book. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beowulf_%282007_film%29#cite_note-14
    
     Elfwood.(2009 January, 30). "Beowulf vs. Grendel". Retrieved from http://www.elfwood.com/~loneanimator/Beowulf-vs-Grendel.2978040.html

     Scribblings and Bibblings. (2010 February, 23). Beowulf. Retrieved from http://www.scribblingsandbibblings.com/beowulf_2007.htm
 
     Wikipedia. (2008 November, 20). Differences between Beowulf the book and the  movie Beowulf and Grendel. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Treaken/Differences_between_Beowulf_the_book_and_the_movie_Beowulf_and_Grendel