Article

A Comparative Analysis of Beowulf’s Poem and the Movie

By: Ryo Potter

Abstract

Many movies those are adapted from a novel. There will be several distinctions between the movie and the source story. In the case of Beowulf movie, it is not adapted from the novel but the story comes from the poem. However, the way to perform the distinction is the same with the novel adaptation. This research is aim to analyze the similarities (comparative analysis) and the differences (contrastive analysis) between Beowulf the poem and the movie. This research uses a theory of adaptation from novel into film by George Bluestone.

A.  Introduction

Morris (617) argues that poetry is one of the oldest works of English Literature. He also adds, “it is a form of literature that many readers hold in a special kind of affectionate of admiration and poets have always reflected the temper of the ages in which they live.” Moreover, Wolowsky (18) points out, “poetry can be philosophical, or emotional, or sentimental, and it can paint pictures, in a descriptive mode, or tell stories, in a narrative one.”

Beowulf is known as the very oldest epic poem in English literature. Samekto (2) points out that Beowulf poem is the biggest work of Old English period. It is also stated in the official website (http://beowulfepic.com) that it consists of 3,182 lines. It also adds that the poem was written between 720 – 796 A.D. It has been preserved in the Cotton Vitellius A XV manuscript, in the British Museum, which was written about the year 1000. Although the characters and the digressions belong to Germanic, but nobody knows who the writer of the poem is. However, it becomes the first poem from Old English era that still exists and can be read and be analyzed by everyone as the material of study about Old English literature.

Beowulf is interesting to analyze because the poem has been adapted  to a movie with the same title. Its official website (http://beowulf-movie.com) writes that the movie of Beowulf itself, which is released in 2007 under the director Robert Zemeckis, is best known in cinematographic circles for the unique "motion capture process" similar to the technique used in The Polar Express and Monster House.

The story is almost adapted from the whole story based on the poem. However, as most films in general which is adapted from the novel or from the story of poem, there are several points which are different from the story in the poem. These differences are generally similar to another film. For example, the serial film of Harry Potter which is adapted from its novels, each novel is adapted to the movie with some differences, especially in the plot, characters, and setting. Sometimes the plot is made shorter, sometimes some characters are not included, or the setting which is made be different from what describes in the novel. This pattern is always used in most film adapted from novel.

In this paper, under the title “A Comparative Analysis of Beowulf’s Poem and the Movie”, will focus on the analysis of similarities and differences between the poem and the movie. The similarities will be taken from the whole story of the poem and the movie, while the differences will focus on the plot by taking some events on the story. Therefore, the paper is intended to find and to answer these following questions:

1.   What are the similarities between Beowulf the poem and the movie?

2.   What are the differences between Beowulf the poem and the movie?

The method is used in this study is firstly by data about the poem and the movie. Secondly is by selecting the data that is necessary to be comparison. The last is by analyzing the selected data. The main data of this paper are taken from some references. It consists of literary sources from book and internet sources. The literary sources are directly taken from the poem itself, poetry theory, English Literature period theory, and the movie. The electronic book (E-Book) is used to support the theories. The internet sources become supporting source of this paper. It consists of some websites related to the literature theories, the poem and the movie.

B.   Review of Literature

Beowulf poem has been adapted to a movie. The adaptation movie like Beowulf is not something new in literary field. Arne Engelstad (431) states in her essay that an adaptation is not a new phenomenon at all. The biggest movie production, Hollywood, has released many adapted films that most of them are adapt from myth, epic folk, fairy tales, and novels. Engelstad also adds that the British scholar Christopher Booker recently published a very thorough piece of research in which he showed, and in fact proved, that most stories of the world – from myths and fairy-tales, novels and plays to Hollywood films and TV soap operas can structurally and thematically be reduced to “seven basic plots” – which is also the title of his study.

The reason why the story is adapted to a movie is to attract people to be interested in the original story. Then, they want to read it and compare it as their criticism. This reason deals with Engelstad’s statement. She argues that the adaptations from novels into film clearly stimulate the interest for literature (Engelstad: 431). Some adaptation films have been made before Beowulf. Engelstad (434) adds that after successful Norwegian film adaptations, long forgotten novels like Knut Hamsun’s Sværmere and Bjørnstjerne Bjornson’s Fiskerjenten have been reprinted published in paperback with pictures from the film on their covers and sold in newsstands along with magazines, papers and comic books. Even an author with a more limited accessibility, like Virginia Woolf, gained a considerably enlarged circle of readers after the adaptation of her own Mrs. Dalloway (1997) and of Michael Cunningham’s The Hours (2002).

1.  Beowulf Poem

a.  General Information

Beowulf is one of work from Old English Age.  Samekto (2) states that in the Old English Age, Beowulf is the biggest work. Beside that, Beowulf poem becomes the ancient epic poem. Cobb (1) adds that Beowulf is an ancient Saxon epic poem, probably composed in the English kingdom of Mercia more than a thousand years ago. The official website (http://beowulfepic.com) states that it consists of 3,182 lines. It also adds that the poem was written between 720 – 796 A.D. It has been preserved in the Cotton Vitellius A XV manuscript, in the British Museum, which was written about the year 1000. The genre of the poem is epic poem which tells about heroic person, battle, and death of Beowulf. The origin poem is written in the Old English language by anonymous poet. To make it easier to understand, Lesslie Hall (1) has divided it into 43 chapters.

b.  Summary

Beowulf poem is divided into several chapters. Each chapter tells the story. All chapters consecutively tell Beowulf adventure. Lesslie Hall (1) has divided it into 43 chapters which tells the story from the beginning until the ending of the poem.

Chapter I tells about life and death of Scyld. He is great-grandfather of king Hrothgar. He has a son named Beowulf – a name afterwards made so famous by the hero of the poem.  Then he is dead and his body is laid on a vessel and wafted seaward as what he has requested.

Chapter II tells about Hrothgar’s mead-hall. King Hrothgar build a great hall in which he may feast his retainers. Then, the monster Grendel comes and madly envious of the Danemen’s joy.

Chapter III continues the story of Grendel’s arrival. He attacks the sleeping heroes. A cry of agony goes up, when Grendel’s horrible deed is fully realized.

Chapter IV tells about Beowulf’s arrival to assist king Hrothgar. He comes with fourteen companions. Then he challenges using vessel.

In the Chapter V, the Geats – people from Geatland, reach Heorot. They offer theirselves to king Hrothgar to help him against the horrible creature.

Chapter VI-VIII tell about Beowulf’s introduction in the palace to the king Hrothgar. Hrothgar remember to his father because of Boewulf. Beowulf intends to fight Grendel unaided and he will be able to beat him since he has no weapon.

Chapter IX and X tell that Unferth taunts Beowulf. He hestate with Beowulf’s ability to fight Grendel. Beowulf just keeps silent and prepare himself to fight Grendel.

Chapter XI-XIII tell about the battle between Beouwulf and Grendel. When others sleep, he takes a rest to prepare his battle. Then, Grendel comes and seizes some warriors. Beowulf fight him suddenly. Grendel is amazed with Beowulf’s strength. Finally, Beowulf vanquishes Grendel. His hand  and arm are suspended by Beowulf in Heorot.

Chapter XIV-XIX tell about rejoicing of people in Heorot. Hrothgar then gives Beowulf a gift. He lavishes him and his companions, including those had been killed by Grendel. They are paid for in gold.

Grendel is away from Heorot and goes to the cave. Here, his mother is introduced as a devil shaped woman. She is angry with the people of Heorot and wants to revenge them. Then she comes to Heorot to avenge for his son.

In the Chapter XXII-XXIV tell about meeting Beowulf and Grendel’s mother. Beowulf tries to fing Grendel’s mother in the cave. After he arrive at the cave, he meets and fight with her. He is almost beaten by her, but he can finally escape from her and brings Grendel’s head to King Hrothgar.

In the next chapters, the poem tells about his homeward trip after farewell from Heorot and gets gift from king Hrothgar. Queen Hygd, a noble queen of Hygelac, is told in Chapter XXVIII. She lavishes him of gifts. While King Hygelac is told in Cchapter XXIX who is interested in Beowulf’s adventures.

The hoard and the Dragon are told in the Chapter XXXII. In the cave, there are a number gems and jewels. But in the cave, there’s a fire-dragon. The dragon is infuriated because he feels his treasure are disturbed. Beowulf then seeks the dragon. He realizes that the dragon is his reminiscences. Then, he has his last battle.

After a heroic battle between Beowulf and the dragon, he is finally dead. In the Chapter XXXVIII, he gets a fatal wound from the dragon. Before his death, he asks Wiglaf to save the hoard for his poeple and Wiglaf fulfils his lord’s behest.

Wiglaf sends the news of Beowulf’s death to liegemen near by. He delegates the messenger to deliver it. Then, Wiglaf prepares a funeral-pyre for Beowulf’s funeral. The burning of Beowulf is told in the last chapter. His body is placed on a pyre. Then, his body is burnt with the pyre until the funeral-flame appears as a smoke-cloud. People mourn for their lord and sing his praises.

2.   Beowulf Movie

a.  General Information

Beowulf is an American fantasy movie that draws upon the tale narrated in an Old English poem. The official website (http://www.beowulf-movie.com) states that it is released by famous director Robert Zemeckis and written by Neil Gaiman and Roger Avary. Beowulf was best known in cinematographic circles for the unique "motion capture process". Similar technology had been applied earlier in films like Monster House. The stars of the movie were Anthony Hopkins, Angelina Jolie and Ray Winstone. Supporting cast included Robin Penn, John Malkovich, and Crispin Glover among others. The launch date was 16th November, 2007 in the United States and United Kingdom. It is distributed by Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros Pictures and from the studio of Sangri-La Entertainment and Image Movers. This film spends $ 150 million and grosses $196,149,662 when it becomes box office.

b.  Summary

The story of Beowulf movie is quoted from its official website (http://www.

beowulf-movie.com) the movie starts by Hrothgar’s mead-hall (King Hrothgar is played by Anthony Hopkins). In the middle of party, a horrible monster, Grendel (Crispin Glover), comes angrily. He makes the party so terrible. People are afraid of him.

Beowulf (Ray Winston) hears about the monster. After he arrives in Denmark he finds himself enamored by Hrothgar's wife, Queen Wealtheow (Robin Wright Penn). Then Beowulf joins in the mead-hall to entice the monster Grendel out of hiding. Beowulf discovers that the reason for Grendel's dislike of celebrations is his acutely tuned hearing, which makes the noise painful to him. Finding this out, Beowulf uses it to his advantage and wounds Grendel. The hurt Grendel flees back to his cave on the outskirts and tells his mother what happened.

Grendel’s mother (Angelina Jolie) knows that his son was slain by Beowulf. She comes into the mead-hall and kills everyone but Beowulf and Wiglaf. After that, she goes back to the cave and Beowulf chases her and enters, he finds that Grendel's mother is actually a beautiful woman who offers Beowulf a kingdom if he will sire a son through her to replace Grendel.

A royal wedding was in the offing. Years afterwards, Beowulf is married to Wealtheow. But their union is not blessed. And so Beowulf starts an affair with Ursula.

Seduced to accept her advances, Beowulf returns to hear from Hrothgar that he too had once been through the same experience - and that Grendel is really his son! In a dramatic shift of events, Hrothgar crowns Beowulf king and kills himself. The rest of Beowulf movie traces the rule of the new king until the point where he is forced to confront a dragon sent by Grendel's mother to destroy him.

Beowulf realizes that the dragon is his son, but he has to kill the dragon to save the kingdom. It is the last battle of Beowulf. In the movie, the battle is described as a heroic battle. Although the dragon is powerful, Beowulf can defeat it. Yet he gets a fatal wound in the battle. He is finally dead as a hero. At the same time, the dragon changes into a solid man – his own son.

Wiglaf raises his body and put him on funeral-pyre. Then, the body is put on the vessel and he sails it into the sea. After the vessel is far away from the land, it is burnt. Then, the Beowulf’s body is drowning with the vessel into the deep sea. Before the vessel is drowning, Grendel’s mother appears upon the Beowulf’s body and she comes into the sea with the body.

C.   Discussion

The discussion in this study will be divided into two main discussions. Each will attempt to answer the question will try to find in the study. To find the similarities of the novel and the movie, it will apply comparative analysis. To find the differences of them, it will apply contrastive analysis.

1.  Comparative Analysis

In this analysis, some similarities will be discussed. The similarities are taken from general aspect. The aspect can be taken from the theme, the character, the plot, and the setting. Below are the similarities that can be found between the story of the poem and the movie:

a.   Theme

Both poem and movie tell about heroism. The heroic adventures of Beowulf both in the poem and in the movie are his battle with Grendel, his battle with the dragon, and his death when he fights with the dragon.

b.   Main Character

The main character of the movie is similar to the main character in the poem. They are:

1)   Beowulf who is played by Ray Winstone in the movie.

2)   Wiglaf who is played by Brendan Gleeson.

3)   King Hrothgar who is played by Anthony Hopkins.

4)   Queen Wealtheow who played by Robin Wright Penn.

5)   Grendel’s Mother who is played by Angelina Jolie.

6)   Grendel (in an animated monster) who is played by Crispin Glover.

c.   Setting (Places)

Some settings which are shown in the movie are similar to the setting of the poem. The settings are:

1)   Great Mead-Hall

It is a hall in Danes Kingdom which is used to have party of the king and the people. It is mentioned in Chapter II line 23-26:

To adorn the great folk-hall. In due time it happened

Early ‘mong man that was finished entirely,

The greatest of hall-buidings; Heorot he named it

Who wide-reaching word-sway wielded ‘mong earlmen. (Chapter II: 23-26)

2)   The Cave

It is a great cave where Grendel and his mother live. Beowulf meets Grendel’s mother there and brings Grendel’s head from there.

c.   Beowulf’s Palace

The palace is the place where Beowulf was born. He comes back to the palace after he beats Grendel. In the last chapter, Beowulf fights the dragon at that palace.

2.  Contrastive Analysis

In the story of the poem and the movie, there are some differences. Those differences will be analyzed by contrastive analysis. It tries to find the differences in some aspects. In general, there are some common differences occur between both works. Bluestone (48) states, “The story of the poem has three tenses but film has only one tense.” The story is told by narrative explanation (using past tenses) and conversational statement (using present tenses).  He adds that in the film is incapable in maintaining the illusion for very long (Bluestone: 60). It causes the process of cutting down the time-flux in the film. Consequently, the plot of the film is shorter than the story.

The discussion of this study mostly focuses on two aspects. First, the poem and the movie are different in describing some characters, Grendel and his mother. Second, the poem and the movie are different in the plot when it describes the beginning and the procession of Beowulf’s funeral.

a.  Character

The movie is different from the poem in describing Grendel and his mother. In the poem, Grendel is described as a horrible creature – a horrible monster. While in the movie, Grendel is described as a bad creature. He looks like a human rather than a monster but he has physical disability.

Grendel’s mother is described as a devil shaped a woman in the poem. She is not specifically described as a beautiful woman. While in the movie, she is described as a beautiful woman (played by Angelina Jolie). She doesn’t look like a wicked devil. Even, Beowulf firstly assumed that she is a monster like Grendel. Therefore Beowulf is persuaded her flattery when he meets her in the cave.

b.  Plot

The poem starts the story by telling about Scyld, the king of Danes kingdom. He is explained as Hrothgar’s great-grandfather. When he is dead, his body is laid on a vessel and wafted seaward. In the movie, this scene is not exist. The story starts by telling about  Hrothgar’s Mead-Hall. The description of Hrothgar’s mead-hall is similar to the poem description until the arrival of Beowulf.

In the end of of the poem, the poet tells about Beowulf funeral. The funeral is held on the top of a hill. His body is placed on a pyre. Then, his body is burnt with the pyre until the funeral-flame appears as a smoke-cloud. In the movie, Beowulf’s body is laid on the vessel with pyre. The vessel is then ptu into the sea. After the vessel is far away from the land, it is burnt. Then, the Beowulf’s body is drown with the vessel into the deep sea.

D.      CONCLUSION

This study focuses on finding the similarities and the differences between Beowulf’s poem and the movie. The discussion applies comparative analysis to find the similarities and applies contrastive analysis to find the differences. The discussion shows that the theme and the main characters are same. The theme is about heroism. The main characters are Beowulf, Wiglaf, King Hrothgar, Queen Wealtheow, Grendel and his mother. Beside that, both stories have two same places as the setting of the story. They are the mead-hall, the cave, and the Beowulf’s palace.

The differences between Beowulf’s poem and the movie are the description of Grendel and his mother. Both also differ in describing the beginning of the story and the procession of Beowulf’s funeral. In the poem, Grendel is described as a horrible creature-horrible monster and his mother is a devil shaped a woman. While in the movie, Grendel is described as a bad creature that has physically disability. His mother, in contrast, is described as a beautiful woman. Beside that, the poem begins by telling about Scyld, the king of Danes kingdom. He is explained as Hrothgar’s great-grandfather. While in the movie, the story begins by describing the King Hrothgar mead-hall.

E.        REFERENCES

Beowulf: An Anglo-Saxon Epic Poem. Trans. Lesslie Hall. Washington: D.C. Heath & Co., Publishers. 2005.

Bluestone, George. Novel into Film. Los Angeles: California UP, 1956. Print.

Engelstad, Arne. Literary Film Adaptations as Educational Texts. -------------

Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA: Handbook for Writer of Research Paper. 7th ed. New York: MLA, 2009. Print.

Kendall, Calvin B. The Metrical Grammar of Beowulf. New York: Cambridge UP, 1991. Print.

Morris, Alton C,. Bradshaw, Hodges, and Whitten. Colleges English:The First Year. 4th ed. New  York: Hartcourt, Brace & World, 1964. Print.

Samekto. Ikhtisar Sejarah Kesusasteraan Inggris. Jakarta: Daya Widya, 1975. Print.

Wolowsky, Shira. The Art of Poetry: How To Read A Poem. New York: Oxford UP, 2001. Print.

“Beowulf movie: The Unofficial Fan Sites”. n.d. Web. 26 December 2011. <http://www.beowulf-movie.com/>

“Beowulf: Etext of Beowulf and Online Resources”. n.d. Web. 26 December 2011. <http://www.beowulfepic.com/>