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Questions and personal interpretation of the plot, theme and moral

posted 15 years ago by Meehael
8 replies | jump to latest

Hi,

I have watched Beowulf 2 days ago, and at first, the movie wasn't something special to me. I thought of it as a typical hack'n'slash fantasy movie, but with great voice talents. Several hours later, I wanted to think about the theme and moral of the story in the movie. That's when I started to become very intrigued and impressed with the movie. The more I was thinking about it, the more I got myself deeper into the movie. At some point, I got frustrated, because I couldn't see reasons to why everything happened the way it did. So, the next day I watched it again. Some things became clearer, but there were still some other which weren't fully revealed to me.

Before I ask questions about the plot, let me tell you my interpretation of it. There was this water demon, which probably existed since forever, and which seduced men into giving her a son. When Hrothgar killed a dragon who ravaged the kingdom, he got this golden dragon horn treasure and he was visited by the demon. The dragon was probably her son, whom she got by seducing a man (a king) before Hrothgar. With her son dead, she seduced Hrothgar into giving her a new son. He was weak like all the men before him and he slept with her. But, the demon gave birth to a hideous creature Grendel, and not a dragon. A few times, it was mentioned that Grendel was Hrothgar's shame. Hrothgar kept this a secret to everyone, but the queen Wealthow. Since then, he wasn't able to get a son with Wealthow, partially because she couldn't bear the thought of him cheating on her, but probably mostly because it was a curse. Grendel also started to attack people in the kingdom, and after the last brutal attack in which Grendel spared Hrothgar, Hrothgar announced a reward to any man who kills Grendel. In pursuit of glory and gold, Beowulf with his crew came to Hrothgar's kingdom to kill Grendel. Beowulf was fearless and heroic, and has killed many monsters before. After Unferth taunted Beowulf about losing a swimming race, Beowulf boasted in front of everyone that he lost the race because he was attacked by sea serpents and that he had killed all of them. But in truth, one of the monsters was actually a mermaid or a siren to whom he made love, instead of killing it or concentrating on the race. This was the first display of Beowulf's weakness to women. Beowulf noticed Wealthow, too. Hrothgar also promised to give him the golden dragon horn, among other treasure, if he kills Grendel. The same evening when Grendel came, Beowulf killed it. His mother weeped for Grendel and she found out that Beowulf was responsible. At night, Beowulf had a dream about a woman who looked like Wealthow, who told him that she wanted him to give her a son, but when he asked her where is her husband, she told him that he was dead. When he woke up, he found out that in the hall where he was sleeping all of his men were killed (except his best lieutenant Wiglaf), probably by Grendel's mother. When Beowulf found out that he needs to kill her as well, he went to her cave carrying the dragon horn along with his weapon and armor. The demon turned out to be a beautiful seductress, and again, he showed weakness and couldn't kill her. She asked of him a son, and in return she'll make him an all-powerful king. She also gets to keep the dragon horn. He fell for it. When he returned to the king's hall, he informed everyone that he killed her, but he lied. The king wanted to talk to him in private. Hrothgar said that his curse is lifted, and that Grendel's mother is Beowulf's curse now. Hrothgar announced that upon his death, Beowulf will become the king. Suddenly, Hrothgar jumped out of the window and commited suicide. You can also see a yellow light, typical for Grendel's mother, near Hrothgar's corpse, and how the waves dragged his body away. The story then continues many years after, with Beowulf being older and still the king. In an encounter with an enemy soldier, Beowulf yelled at him to kill him, but the soldier couldn't. Beowulf said that he couldn't because he died many years ago. You can also see that Beowulf isn't showing love and affection to his queen Wealthow and that she is quietly suffering. He cheats on her with a young woman. Beowulf, too couldn't have a son, just like Hrothgar. Suddenly, the dragon horn was found, and brought to Beowulf, which meant that the deal he made long ago with Grendel's mother was broken. After an immediate attack by a dragon, Unferth yelled about "sins of the fathers". Beowulf rushed to the cave and threw the horn to the demon, but she said that it was too late and he got attacked by a dragon. He killed the dragon, with him also being wounded to death, but he saw that the dragon materialised into a golden man, his son. Beowulf passed away, and Wiglaf became the new king. Suddenly, Wiglaf saw the dragon horn buried in the sand. Grendel's mother fixed her eyes on him hoping to seduce him, while Wiglaf looking at her. Will he be weak and make the same mistake as every king before him, or will he resist the temptation, thus break the curse?

So, here are my questions:

1. Why did Hrothgar get Grendel and not a dragon?
2. What curse is Hrothgar talking about exactly ("the curse is lifted")?
3. Why did Hrothgar commit suicide?
4. Not as important: why did Grendel's mother want sons so badly?

The moral could be that one's weakness does not bring a curse and consequences only to him, but to his whole family or kingdom (country/world). One must look beyond temporary short-term pleasures, for his and his kingdom's sake and welfare.

Theme is about man's weaknesses and their consequences.

I am simply dazzled by the movie, actually. It is really deep.

Thanks,
regards!

[–] SilverSB 15 years ago

Hi,

1. It is hinted that Grendel once was "golden man" - notice the golden flakes on his head. My take is that he was born prematurely by his mother, hence the physical and mental deformations. When demons die they transform into their real shape (like the dragon at the end) - Grendel's shape was one of an embryo. With a head of his father.

2. It is obvious - Hrothgar was seduced by Grendel's mother and had a son, which terrorized his kingdom. This is the curse. Beowulf killing Grendel was "lifting" the curse. Beowulf fhucking Grendel's mother was "it's not my curse, not anymore".

3. Hrothgar didn't killed himself. Grendel's mother killed him offscreen when she murdered all Beowulf's thanes and took his place, since she is shapeshifter. She made Beowulf a king as she promised. If you pay attention you'll see the golden trail after the ocean waves cover the body.

4. Well, this is obvious too: she wants her kind to continue to exist.

Hope it helps.

[–] Meehael 15 years ago

Very interesting, thank you :)

Best regards!

[–] King_777 15 years ago

I think it's obvious Wiglaf is seduced by the water demon at the end.

2. Hrothgar was seduced by Grendel's mother and had a son, which terrorized his kingdom. This is the curse. Beowulf killing Grendel was "lifting" the curse. Beowulf fhucking Grendel's mother was "it's not my curse, not anymore".

3. Hrothgar didn't killed himself. Grendel's mother killed him offscreen when she murdered all Beowulf's thanes and took his place, since she is shapeshifter

If Hrothgar was dead when the thanes were killed why would the Water Demon say "it's not my curse, not anymore"?

[–] El_Guapo_Caballo 15 years ago

part of her 'act', maybe...

[–] Brysden 14 years ago

3. Hrothgar didn't killed himself. Grendel's mother killed him offscreen when she murdered all Beowulf's thanes and took his place, since she is shapeshifter. She made Beowulf a king as she promised. If you pay attention you'll see the golden trail after the ocean waves cover the body.

This is a very interesting take on this, one that I'll admit I overlooked and hadn't thought of. Upon watching Beowulf, I noticed the golden trail, however, I was under the impression that it was simply Grendel's mother 'claiming' his body. This idea was reinforced, at least in my opinion, at the end of the film where she appears once again to 'claim' the body of Beowulf as his burial ship sinks. I like your interpretation very much, but I am not so sure that Hrothgar didn't just do it because he now finally has 'closure' that the curse is no longer his to bear, but Beowulf's. Compounded with the fact that it would be such a subtle nuance, easily overlooked, that Hrothgar was a victim during Grendel's mother's visit. I think someone cleaning up the hanging bodies would have been able to identify their king, as well as Wealthow at least noticing that he is gone (after all, Grendel's mother had to return to her cave to await Beowulf's arrival). Although, to concede to your point, Grendel's mother does tell Beowulf in his nightmare that Hrothgar is dead, albeit in Wealthow's form. But I would like to reiterate, I love your interpretation because I never would have thought of it unless you had brought it up. Thanks!

[–] The_Funky_Junky 14 years ago

Thats the most solid reason for Hrothgar killing himself I've heard so far.

Although another good one was that:

Hrothgar, knowing that Beowulf had made a deal for his kingdom, decided to kill himself rather than meet some potentially gruesome faith at the hands of the water demon.

I'm a modest man, but then I have much to be modest about.

[–] SilverSB 14 years ago

It is not in the character of Hrothgar just to kill himself. He is a man of non-stop feasts drowned in mead and why AFTER "the curse is lifted" he would suddenly kill himself? His sick joke is to put Beowulf in his place (I mean the place of the *cursed*, not of the *king*) asap?

Of course, there is no definite answer what is happening actually - the important part is that the movie deliberately leaves this for the viewer to decide and that's the beauty of it.

One more cool detail, which most of the people miss:
http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/1378/45069965.jpg
Note how half of the head is the head of Grendel and half of it is the head of Hopkins. It is amazing to find so much subtlety in a Hollywood blockbuster, which is essentially a fantasy action-adventure.

[–] sugarteacream 13 years ago

erm, my obvious thought was that: the water demon put Hrothgar under some kind of spell/hypnosis, to make him suddenly run, and jump to his DEATH. Afterall she is a demon - who seduces men...I really didn't think she 'shapeshifted' to become him, at all.