MovieChat Forums > Beowulf (2007) Discussion > Kings suicide??

Kings suicide??

posted 14 years ago by The_Funky_Junky
6 replies | jump to latest

Why did the king (Hopkins) kill himself? If the curse had been lifted from him then why did he want to die? What am I missing here?

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[–] hafabee 14 years ago

But the curse hadn't been lifted, he knew that Beowulf hadn't slain the water demon. As for why Hrothgar wanted to die I don't know for certain but I do have a good guess. My best guess is that he knew Grendal's Mother's deal with Beowulf to make him King, probably because he took the throne in the same fashion himself. I think Hrothgar knew what the water demon had promised Beowulf through his own dealings with her once he'd discovered that Beowulf hadn't killed her, and knew that she would find a terrible way for him to die so that Beowulf could take his throne, so rather than wait for Grendal's Mother to slay him he decided to take matters into his own hands and expedite the process.

[–] The_Funky_Junky 14 years ago

Ah ha. That makes sense. Thank you very much.

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[–] hafabee 14 years ago

No sweat, not sure if that's right or not but who cares, it's open to intrepretation.

[–] Angus-8 11 years ago

That makes the most sensible answer, which is something I wish they got into. There's clearly more to Hrothgar than was explained. How did he know the Grendel's father can't harm anyone? And what difference would it make to Jolie if Hrothgar was harmed or not?

[–] Suntory_Times 10 years ago

Because he is Grendels father. As with Beowulf she is punishing Hrothgar, for Beowulf for killing Grendel and for Hrogthgar we don't know (maybe just for kicks, she is a demon afterall).

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[–] azayrahmad 14 years ago

I think part of the curse is that he cannot die.
Remember the scene where a Frisian wants to confront Beowulf. He ask him to plant the axe. I think he did it because he knows no one can kill him, not even himself. He only can dead after he kills his son.