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Patriarchy In Beowulf

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Beowulf brought to life that no matter the time period and society there will still be distinction of a man’s role and a woman’s role. In both the poem and the movie there is a patriarchy, the men are more involved in the story, while the women are shown serving every need of a man. In the movie all the women including the queen are shown pouring and serving the mead, the women are even shown cleaning after the reopening of the mead hall. However, the movie portrays men as mentally weak to a temptresses and glory. The poem claims Cain to be Grendel’s father (line 19-21), but in the movie Grendel’s father is king Hrothgar. Simultaneously, Beowulf is also deceived by Grendel’s mother to receive glory and life forever.

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