Essay On Grendel Vs Beowulf

Several differences can be seen throughout the old-English Beowulf (Heaney) and the modern-day film Beowulf and Grendel (Gunnarsson) due to the cultural difference between the Middle ages and Modern time. More details entered the film to appeal to a more modern audience that requires reason and details. The old English poem held no use for complexity to tantalize the reader. Additions that add complexity to Grendel’s character in Beowulf and Grendel include backstories and new characters.
In Beowulf, the epic, it states, “Grendel was the name of this grim demon haunting the marches, marauding round the heath and the desolate fens; he had dwelt for a time in misery among the banished monsters, Cain’s clan, whom the Creator had outlawed and condemned as outcasts (Heaney, pg. 9).” This shows that, in Beowulf, Grendel was just seen as

This being shown in the scene where Beowulf tries to fight Grendel but cannot understand his language so he asks the witch, “Why won’t he fight me?” and she replies, “why should he, you’ve done nothing to him.”(Gunnarsson) In our modernized society viewers require more complexity and are not satisfied with characters being classified as simply good and evil. People today know that not everything can be considered black and white. Complexity was added to Grendel’s character in the film due to the fact that, in Beowulf, the writer uses simplistic duality throughout the epic poem. The film modifies the simplistic duality used in the epic poem by adding a backstory to Grendel’s character. Instead of being seen as a monster committing senseless murders, he can be seen as compassionate, caring, and knowledgeable of his actions. The film shows his compassionate and caring side through his connection to the witch. In the film, the viewer can see that Grendel protects the witch from people who try to hurt her,