How Has Beowulf Changed Over Time Essay

There were an abundance of changes implemented into the Beowulf movie that show how our society's customs, morals, and beliefs have changed over the years. The director of Beowulf was trying to make an old epic poem relevant to today's societal problems and add more action. A recurring theme throughout the movie is giving villains a reason to be villains, and showing that heroes are very similar to mortals. In the poem, all of Beowulf's enemies were evil, just because it’s who they were. For example Grendel attacked the city not just for game, but because he was stressed and in pain. The dragon wasn’t actually just a dragon; he was a troubled child. Grendel became a whole new character in the movie. Grendel went from being an evil monster, who kills for recreation, into a poor agitated creature. Grendel had an exposed eardrum that caused him pain, and it worsened when the citizens were being loud. The movie made it possible to relate to the character on a more personal level. Most people know the feeling of getting so mad, and doing reckless things, or being easily irritable because youre in pain. The story about the dragon drastically changed over time. It started off being an evil monster whose only purpose in the story was to be a cold hearted killer of Beuwolf, and put an end to the story.

When Beowulf dies in the epic poem, he wants his legacy to go on after death, and wants to be remembered for the amazing king he was and wanted everybody to know how heroic he was in his life. The movie shows the idea that even our heroes have flaws. He said that he wanted to be remembered as a person, rather than a hero. Today, people strive to be heroes. They want the fame, glory, and love that heroes are supposed to get. When heroes are portrayed as average humans, with weaknesses and flaws, it can give people courage to be heroes in their own