What's the Difference between Beowulf the Book and Beowulf the Movie?
| In the Book |
In the Movie |
Beowulf
|
Beowulf
Portrayed by: Ray Winstone
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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
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Grendel's mother
Portrayed by: Angelina Jolie
|
wiglaf
|
wiglaf
Portrayed by: Brendan Gleeson
|
Wiglaf
|
Wiglaf
Portrayed by: Brendan Gleeson
|
Dragon
|
Dragon
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Hrothgrar
|
Hrothgrar
Portrayed by: fre
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| In the Book |
In the Movie |
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The entrance to Grendel's mother's lair is guarded by a group of sea monsters. Beowulf slays one of them, while the rest are scared off by the playing of the thanes' trumpets. |
The entrance to the lair is deserted. |
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Beowulf eventually becomes king of Geatland when the former king, Hygelac, dies in war, and his son Heardred is slain by the Scylfings. |
Hrothgar declares Beowulf his heir to become king of Denmark, then commits suicide.
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Beowulf descends into the cave to slay Grendel's mother. He first tries to strike her with Hrunting, but the blade cannot hurt her. He then spots a gigantic sword among her hoarded treasure and uses it to cleave her throat, but her acidic blood melts all but the sword's hilt. |
Beowulf tries striking at Grendel's mother, but cannot land a hit. She entices him to stay with her, and uses her hands to melt Hrunting. |
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After slaying Grendel's mother, Beowulf brings Hrunting, Grendel's head and the hilt from the giant's sword back to Heorot. |
Grendel's mother takes off her own son's head. It is the only token that Beowulf brings back from the encounter.
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The identity of Grendel's father is unknown. The dragon that Beowulf and Wiglaf slay is said to have guarded its treasure hoard for 300 years before being disturbed. |
It is implied that Hrothgar was Grendel's father, while Beowulf becomes the dragon's father after his encounter with Grendel's mother. |