What's the Difference between Beowulf the Book and Beowulf the Movie?
| In the Book |
In the Movie |
Beowulf
|
Beowulf
Portrayed by: Ray Winstone
|
Hrothgar
|
Hrothgar
Portrayed by: Anthony Hopkins
|
Wiglaf
|
Wiglaf
Portrayed by: Brendan Gleeson
|
Unferth
|
Unferth
Portrayed by: John Malkovich
|
Grendel
|
Grendel
Portrayed by: Crispin Glover
|
Grendel's mother
|
Grendel's mother
Portrayed by: Angelina Jolie
|
wiglaf
|
wiglaf
Portrayed by: Brendan Gleeson
|
Wiglaf
|
Wiglaf
Portrayed by: Brendan Gleeson
|
Dragon
|
Dragon
|
Hrothgrar
|
Hrothgrar
Portrayed by: fre
|
| In the Book |
In the Movie |
|
Grendel slays the Danes in the night, while they are sleeping, so that none have a chance to challenge him. |
Grendel bursts into Heorot in the night, but the Danes are awake, and fully witness his killing. |
|
Beowulf rips out Grendel's arm with his bare hands. |
Beowulf grapples Grendel, who has a chain wrapped around his arm, pulling it loose. As Grendel is trying to flee Heorot, Beowulf slams the door on his arm, severing it.
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After Grendel's death, his mother goes to Heorot to avenge him, but being weaker than her son, only makes off with a single thane, Æschere. |
Beowulf is asleep in Heorot after slaying Grendel when he has a nightmare about Grendel's mother, awaking from it to see that she has silently murdered many of the men in Heorot. |
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Immediately after Grendel's mother's attack, Beowulf and some men track her down to her lair. Before going in, Unferth bestows the sword Hrunting unto Beowulf. |
As no one witnessed Grendel's mother's slaughter, it is through Hrothgar that Beowulf learns of her identity. Unferth gives Hrunting to Beowulf before he and Wiglaf depart from Heorot.
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Wiglaf is a Scylfing prince, having become a vassal of Beowulf after abandoning the rule of Onela years after Beowulf's exploits in Denmark. |
Wiglaf is Beowulf's companion since before he sets off on his quest to slay Grendel. |