Culture defines a person’s belief, characteristics, certain practices, values, way of thinking, and acting about a certain position. Each individual is represented by their own culture, and how it is supposed to be done in a certain way. In the epic, Beowulf, and the movie Beowulf and Grendel, Beowulf shows two different perspectives and feelings towards religion. Not only this, but extra characters are added to the movie that were not a part of the poem, and causes a character conflict. During the epic and in the movie, religion is treated very seriously during the time of Beowulf because of the different cultures in the scenes and how each character is not like the other. The cultural values, within both …show more content…
the epic and the movie, can be compared to most people's religion in today's society.
The epic written over a thousand of years ago, when the Anglo-Saxons were traveled all through modern day Europe. Beowulf is significant because of the time it was written. Beowulf’s character can be summed up as very strong, huge, fighter, fearless, and a hero in the epic. Although during the movie he is not addressed strong or a fighter as much as he was like in the epic, he still is very tough. Also Beowulf was a part of three battles during the epic, but for the movie he deals with some types of fight but not as much. Beowulf is very strong that he doesn't even use a sword, shield, or any type of weapon.
Another important character in the epic and in the movie is Grendel. Grendel was in one of the battles with Beowulf at the beginning of the epic. His character is very different compared to humans. The reason for this is because at the beginning of the movie, Wrathgar, another important character, killed Grendel’s father. After having years without a father, Grendel never grew up from his child ways. Therefore, without somebody there to raise him up into a man, he never learned how to really act like his age. During one of the scenes for the movie, Grendel comes to attack and meets face to face with Beowulf. After trying to escape without anything happening to him, he gets his arm stuck around a rope. Beowulf just stares at Grendel as he struggles to run away, but is not able to. So instead staying there waiting for Beowulf to let him go , he decides to take a very complicated decision by just chopping off his arm and running away. After he loses one of his arms, he continues running away from his life hoping to stay alive. Since he lost his arm and lost a lot of blood, he doesn't last very long to stay alive. Instead of taking the easy way out he chose to take the harder one. Grendel could have been killed by other men, but instead basically killed himself by chopping his arm off his body. During the movie, Grendel showed no interest in religion, but more of being in fights with other men, and causing problems. He seemed to one have revenge from the men who had killed his father when he was a child. His character was important during the times of the fighting.
During the poem, Beowulf emphasis a lot about having faith in God and how it's going to help get through certain struggles in life.
As for the movie, he treats religion as if he has no interest in converting into Christianity or doesn't care anything about it. Since he is strong he must think that he doesn't need help to be protected. One of the scenes during the movie is talking about the people going through the process of baptism. Beowulf exact words about his thoughts towards baptism were, “They swim out of fear.” His point of this was to emphasize how the people really don't know about religion, but instead are doing it because they want and think it will protect them. He views it as a way for them to feel like they will have no more fear after they get baptized. This could be a comparison of how some people today may view baptism or even don't have any interest in religion. The reason for this is because they don't see the significance of it. Although Christians clearly see the purpose of baptism. It represents something and is very important to them. In the movie, it shows how the baptism is being done in some type of lake. Christians may be baptized in like as well if they liked to or could be baptized in a church. That is one of the common things between the movie and real life. Wrathgar, and as well as other characters shows a different point of view of baptism from Beowulf. Wrathgar explains to Beowulf how believing in after life will then be worth believing in at …show more content…
the end. He believes that God is the solution to solve the struggles, and problems in life. Wrathgar shows having his faith in God and believes that faith will determine wherever I go. Today's world some people don't believe in faith, but rather rely on more of the science than the truth. This could be how Beowulf thinks about it.
Beowulf is one of the few characters that do not wear a necklace with a cross and a hammer around the neck. However, Wrathgar and others wear the necklace with the cross, and hammer because to them it symbolizes of protecting. They believe that with God with them, they will be protected and that's God is on their side. Same for Christianity, they believe God is on their side. When you put your faith in God he will help you get through anything. Beowulf was asked to be converted into Christianity, but refused to accept it. He didn't even consider about converting to Christianity. He simply made his decision right away. This could go for people when they don't want to convert to Christianity. For others today, people do exactly the same thing like what Beowulf did. They are asked if they would like to accept the free gift of salvation from God, but yet are not interested in giving their whole life to God, and refuse to turn away from their sin.
A new character that was brought into the movie, but wasn't a part of the poem was the witch. The witch plays a part where she claims to know how a person’s death is going to be like. Compared to the other characters, she is very different than the others because of what she is capable of doing. One of the struggles the witch deals with in the movie is how she is rejected from society. Because was suspected of killing a person and the body was found in her bed. Although she claimed that it wasn't her, it made her look very bad and was blamed on her. In today's world, one of the things that could be compared to how some people even today may believe in witches and use it as an idol to look up to and think that it means something but it doesn't. Christians, they view idols as not a God. Christianity would say God is the one and only who will know how, and when our death is going to happen. From Beowulf religion to real life, religion there is somewhat a comparison.
It has some differences, but then some things in common as well. Religion is a part of the poem, movie, and as well real life. Beowulf is one of the types that doesn't care about faith or anything having to deal with Christianity. He thinks that he is fine the way he is and thinks that baptism won't give him protection. Beowulf is the opposite of the characters and is not going to deal with religion. Unlike other characters who have their faith and believe in God. Culture makes a huge impact on a person’s belief and makes them who they are. We see how it's like for Beowulf and Wrathgar in the movie. They both have different thoughts, feeling, and opinions about religion and other as well. Along with an addition to the characters in the movie it kind of shows the different cultures of each person and as well if they are Christians or not. It emphasizes their beliefs about things that happen. Culture is very important in the way a person thinks and believes in their
life.