Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Re-imaging Beowulf
If you were to prepare a new version of Beowulf -- for either text or cinema -- what would you change about it? If your purpose was to stay faithful to the original theme and intent of the original, how could you tweak a character, scene, or major episode in order to BETTER deliver the message? The makers of the recent animated movie version of Beowulf did just this, changing the story after line 1888 to deliver the same message with a more deliberate stroke. What would your contribution be to this story?
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If I were to change the story of Beowulf, I would most likely cut out the stories of origin for each of the weapons and arms as well as the tale of the cruel queen; not because they were poor elements of the book, but because they would simply ruin the coherence and fluidity of a motion picture. In addition, I might also begin the story at Beowulf's funeral for an interesting opener as well as the suspense that the viewer would feel because they knew that after some trial that Beowulf faces he dies.
ReplyDeleteIn other words, I would be sure to maintain the underlying focus and integrity of the original work, but I would transpose it so that it fits the art of a motion picture.
DeleteI agree with Harry, the lengthy tangents often confuse readers, but obviously these parts are essential to a fully developed story. Although they provide contrasts to the overall message, I would portray non-central characters in an alternative way. For example, instead of using the extended story of Queen Modthryth to compare queens, I would simply mention that Queen Hygd was unlike harsh queens of the time.
ReplyDeleteHarry’s idea of adding Beowulf’s funeral to the beginning of the poem might provide too much foreshadowing to the readers. I think a subtle way to add bits of information to the original Shield funeral would be ideal.
I think it is essential to keep Beowulf in basic clothes, while King Hrothgar and Hygelac are decorated in shinny metals. This would highlight Beowulf’s morals, and be significant in his fight with Grendel. Because this epic provides stark contrasts, I would want to emphasize these in the re-make. For example, I would show Heorot in times of prosperity and happiness, and then again after Grendel lurks the halls. I think in a remake, every detail has to be embellished, to insure that the overall meaning is understood.
What Tess and Harry said about the tangents and how they often confuse readers is correct, however, they help convey themes in Beowulf in a alternate way. So, I think that they are essential, and I believe there are creative ways to add them to cinema or text that could ultimately help better understand central motifs in Beowulf. In film you could have flashbacks showing these tangents and highlight the themes within them, that way after seeing this viewers will understand its relation to Beowulf. For example the story of Queen Modthryth could be showed and the theme of woman taking on different roles to better their nations could be conveyed, and then related to Queen Hygd. An element I would add to a motion picture would be how Beowulf does not fight Grendel with a weapon. I still ponder why he used his bare hands and would want to pose that question in the film for viewers to think about. Also, seeing Beowulf fighting with his bare hands put a much stronger curiosity in viewers minds then just reading it. I also agree with Tess in the stark contrast and comparisons of the epic that should be displayed in a movie. The comparison of Beowulf and the dragon should be highlighted exactly like it was in the film we watched in class. For me, that helped better understand why they were alike, and I could make more assumptions about that. Without changing the text, but by adding small details such as this, motifs and characters can be better understood.
DeleteIf I were to prepare a new cinematic version of Beowulf, the main change I would make would be to cut out the detailed retellings of events that have already occurred in the story. These retellings do not convey any new information or ideas to the audience and would hence greatly disrupt the flow of the movie. Also, I would cut out many of the details regarding the backstories of events or characters (such as Queen Modthryth) that do not have very much direct impact on the main message that the story is trying to convey, and thus too would disrupt the flow of the movie. Lastly, I would provide some more detail as to what Beowulf actually did during his fifty year reign as king, as I feel that much of the detail regarding this portion of the story tends to get glossed over.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Like the animated cinematic film, I would definitely cast John Malkovich as Unferth.
If I were to prepare a new version of Beowulf I would only tweak a few things because the story already does a good job of engaging the reader, even today. The things I would change would make it even more enjoyable for the modern day reader. First, I would place more emphasis on the three action scenes: killing Grendel, killing Grendel's mother, and fighting the dragon. These were huge parts in the story and contained almost all of the action in the book, yet they were so brief. The poet really didn't get in depth with the fighting scenes, which is what most people in our era tend to enjoy most in an action based heroic story like Beowulf. Secondly, I would make what goes on between the lines in Beowulf a little more apparent to today's readers. For example, the hidden sextuality of the fight between Grendel's mother and Beowulf, that we discussed in class, is hard for a modern reader to pick up on because the context clues take some background knowledge and deducing skill. Yet, these background plots add a lot of depth to Beowulf and are quite essential for the reader to understand in order to get the full picture the poem is portraying. Lastly, I agree with the comments above. Sometimes the additional information about side stories and the re-telling of events is necessary, but for the most part it should be taken out because it takes away from the sequence of action and bores the reader.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Victor that the action scenes in the book could have been emphasized more to add some extra depth to the storyline. When the fight between Beowulf and Grendel is described in the book, I think it would be interesting if it were told from Grendel's perspective. Beowulf defeat of Grendel was one of his greatest accomplishments because Grendel was such a tough opponent, and I think that we could go a lot more in depth with that scene. Telling the battle scene from Grendel’s prospective would also add more depth to the story because during the fight there are such strong emotions associated with Grendel’s character, and it is the first time we see weakness from him. I also agree with the others in regards to the tangents being a bit obsessive and unnecessary. At times they just seemed repetitive and confusing. If all of the tangents that were included in the book were also included in the movie, I think that the modern day viewers would just see it as extra “fluff” and not really be able to relate it back to the story.
DeleteOne significant change I would make in producing Beowulf as a movie would be to create a non-animated version of the movie (Brad Pitt would make for an awesome Beowulf!). While the animated movie was great and provided new insight into the original text, I feel as if creating a "real" movie would make the story seem more realistic and appeal to a larger audience whereas animation underscores some of the significance placed on the text by making it seem childish. As far as the individual characters go, I would play up Beowulf's infallibility in the movie and portray him as a hero that can't be touched because it would make his death even more significant for the audience and would also play up the central theme of the text which sets out to show that the human race is eventually fated to doom because of their own shortcomings and foolishness. I would also focus in more on these fallacies and shortcomings by showing more of the feuds that occur between the Danes and other peoples, such as the Frisians and Swedes, and also play up the story of the lost ancient race who buried the treasure that the dragon guards because these would reiterate the message of mankind's destruction coming at the expense of their own transgressions. Grendel and his mom's character would also be changed to appear more humanlike than to appear like monsters because I want the audience to be able to connect with them more and to feel as if they represent fallacies of the human race (Grendel's mom represents vengeance while Grendel represents the loneliness that comes with a lack of belonging and outcast status and a force of evil).
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ReplyDeleteWhat makes Beowulf such an engaging and exciting read are the many subplots contained within the epic tale, which reveal key contextual clues to the motives behind Beowulf's actions. Some of these subplots within Beowulf involve secondary characters but they never get in the way of the main action. Each of the subplots share thematic elements in common. Beowulf is a frame story, composed of several interlocking and inherently connected sub-plots. If I were to prepare a new version of Beowulf, I would tweak the character Unferth, thus altering a significant subplot present within the novel. Unferth, in the novel and the movie, does not present himself as quite the foil to Beowulf as I would have preferred. Unferth's doubts and criticisms of Beowulf established in the beginning of the novel, should have been taken a step further. Unferth should be connected or swear allegiance to the monster descendents of Cain. This betrayal of Hrothgar and the people of Heorot would have expanded upon a subplot left largely undeveloped within the novel. Evil, in terms of Beowulf, takes shape in the form of monsters and curses. However through the development of Unferth, evil could be extended to the human form further enhancing the central plot of Beowulf.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what everyone else has said so far. I would definitely cut out the lengthy, unnecessary retelling of events that have already been described in enough detail as well as the tangents. They confuse the reader and almost act like fluff around the central themes of the poem. One thing I would want to include is more backstory on Beowulf himself because though we are given a bit, it's very brief. It's important that his humble beginnings are described in detail so that way it sticks with the viewer more than just a quick reference.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Sadiah. All the retelling was just a whole bunch of unnecessary fluff. Also the long ten page poem about an attack in Friesland could have definitely been shortened. It was pretty distracting and did not seem so important to me. When there is long droning on story it does not help the reader stay interested in what they are reading. I think the idea Sadiah has in adding more back story to Beowuld would be great! You always want to know more about the hero and they really did not put much into his story before he came to fight Grendel. I would not change much more to the story because generally it was a good book and even though I could say I did not like some parts I believe that you would not get the same feeling if you change the story around.
DeleteThe re-imagining of an ancient story is no small task, especially considering the amount of translation required to make it relevant, and exciting, in today's world. Let's start off with what I would keep. I would start the story off with Beowulf's arrival, a foreign ship sailing into harbor on a dark, cold and wet night. This would set the tone and message immediately. Herot's creation would be told by a bard to Beowulf, culminating in the plague of Grendel. This is where I personally struggle to chose. On one hand creating Grendel as the deformed monster would stay truthful to the book, but runs the risk of seeming cheesy and unrealistic. The scare factor just wouldn't exist, especially due to the fact that to the main character Grendel doesn't even register as that large of an obstacle. Therefor, I would make Grendel an actual human, but perhaps a sociopathic killer, emphasis the deformed nature of his mind than his body. This would also mean that each progressive monster be human, albeit twisted. Removing the fantasy element is a risk, it will in a sense stay true to the story and make the entire movie much more enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the retellings and tangents present in Beowulf are overly excessive and would not flow well in the cinematic retelling of Beowulf. The story of Sigemund acts as a foreshadowing for when Beowulf slays the dragon at the end of the story. In a movie, I would picture foreshadowing to work, only if it is done by an action that progresses the plot of the story. In Beowulf, one of the bards simply tells a story of Sigemund slaying the dragon, it acts as a tangent from the course of the main plot. At times, these tangents confused me, and I had to reread the passage a few times to catch on to the significance of a rather rough transition. I believe that the stories of Heremod and Queen Modthryth are insightful as contrasts towards Hrothgar and Beowulf, who represent the Heroic Code, yet too many of these tangent appear excessive and take away from the flow of the story. I also appreciate Varun's idea of having evil become directly connected to and associated with man in the story. I mean, we all know well enough that humans, as well as monsters can be evil. I see the story as representing how even in a normal, functioning society, there is a hidden underbelly of what is depicted as evil. When this evil is exposed, it can deteriorate society. The cause of this is ultimately human, and I believe that if Unferth's grudge towards Beowulf( an attack on the hero) was expanded to a greater evil as displayed by the monsters, it will show more directly, the human connection in the deterioration of society.
ReplyDeleteWhen re-imaging Beowulf, it is important to consider audience. If it your intent to appeal to the masses, then the elimination of the tangential elements is a good choice. It creates a linear story that is easy to follow and provides viewers with some fun and exciting battles. However, if your intent is to create a work of art meant to convey complex messages, it is not essential to eliminate the tangents. I would begin my re-imaging of Beowulf with a glimpse at the lives of Shield Sheafson and Beow, much like in Lord of the Rings the movie begins with a distribution of the rings and Sauron's defeat. Establishing a historical context is always useful in providing a greater understanding of the story and its events. I have still not decided where I would take the story from there. One other thing I would add would be an account of Beowulf's days as a leader. Though I like that the animated leaves certain elements to the viewer's imagination, I would have liked to see Beowulf as a ruler. Perhaps a selfish action, I am not sure yet if adding this would add any symbolic value and would just be a personal indulgence. In that regard, I would need to create a scene which suprised viewers and contradicted the current tone of the movie.
ReplyDeleteKyle: I agree with you on John Malkovich, but what about an actress for Grendel's mother?
I love the idea of starting the story with the lives of Beow and Shyld Sheafson. this would provide a very interesting contrast between how they ruled and approached adversity with how Beowulf approached these things. It would be worthwhile to examine Hrothgar in that context as well. To have the most effective comparision, it is completely necessary to add a glimpse, a scene, or some lines to the 50 years of peace that Beowulf oversaw. As readers, we only really get to see Beowulf in action. But how was Beowulf in peace? How did he settle disputes? Was he as effective in peace as he was in battle? I don't think you can truly compare any of these figures to Beowulf until this context is establish. I disagree with you that this wouldn't add value. The addition of this would provide the reader with further evidence of Beowulf's personal development and maturily.
DeleteKyle and Dylan: Angelina Jolie was perfect for what was trying to be accomplished in the film. However, if you are going to go with a more traditional route for Grendel's mom she needs to be much older, more weathered, and I picture her kind of looking like a witch. She needs to look like a hag.
The retellings serve a purpose in the original context of the story, which was meant to be told orally. The orator can give a personal inflection by each character when they retell the story. This helps the listeners receive insight into the characters and helps the story stay fresh in their head since they do not have the privilege of being able to reread parts of it. This is an inefficient use of time in a remade cinematic version of Beowulf. The characters are developed enough in other manners that can be brought out in a more timely fashion. Actions speak louder than words and this can be applied to a movie, as well. People are also more intrigued by action than they are by words and I would make sure to play upon this in a movie version. The tangents by the story-teller in the old version also served a purpose that has become outdated as the story ages. Many of the other characters in the story actually existed and can be found in other texts. They would be relevant to the audience of the time but these names to not have any value to a modern audience. I would limit the story to characters that further the plot line and help develop Beowulf as a character.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mark about the idea of actions bringing more meaning to a story or movie than words. Words certainly have their place in the story line, but I feel that they broke up the actions of the characters too much and bogged the story down. Also, in my opinion actions show just as much character development or even more than do words. If I were to create a movie remake of Beowulf, I would play up the actions of the characters and cut out many of the tangent segments of Beowulf the story teller added, as Mark stated, which would not transition well to a film. In doing this, the film would still retain the theme of the original story which to me was threats to social order.
DeleteThe first thing I would change about the original script is the fact that Beowulf returned to Geatland. If he had remained in Heorot, I believe the concept of being a foreigner would have been much stronger. In Beowulf's time, being honored and revered as a foreigner was very rare and so when Beowulf returned to his homeland, he lost a bit of significance. Additionally, by having Beowulf remain in Heorot, Shield Sheafson would gain more importance. It would make for a better comparison between Shield and Beowulf, being foreigners. And so Shield's introduction in the beginning would make him more a part of the story rather than part of a history lesson. The second element I would change would be the amount of storytelling. With all the historical interruptions, it is hard to see "Beowulf" as a poem. Not to mention, the stories are a bit boring and confusing (what with all of the names and relationships to try and follow). In my opinion there should have been more about Beowulf's story and less about his ancestors stories.
ReplyDeleteJust like most people above I would take out a lot of the tangents that the author seems to go on for background information. I liked Harry's idea to start at Beowulf's funeral and thought it would be a great foreshadowing effect to start out with. If I were to change something about a character, I would do a flashback with Unferth, and going off of "Grendel" show his ordeal of fighting Grendel before Beowulf arrived at Heorot. I think that this would add a little more understanding as to why Unferth is a little afraid, yet jealous of Beowulf when he comes ready to take on Grendel. That would be the contribution I would add if I made it into a film.
ReplyDeleteOne of the biggest problems I had with the original text is that their are often allusions/criticisms of Christianity and paganism. I think that the two different voices shown by two different authors are contradictory in many ways. If I created my own adaptation of Beowulf in text form, I would develop a strong stance either criticizing Christianity or criticizing paganism. I think that the Christian voice in the text is very preachy, and I would seek out to criticize that by reverting Beowulf and the other characters back to a time of strictly pagan beliefs, where Grendel is just a pagan monster, nothing more. I don't like that Grendel and his mother have become symbols for ancient sin brought on by Cain and his descendants.
ReplyDeleteI feel that when reimaging Beowulf, it is important to stick to the themes and intents portrayed by the original text. While the movie version of the text did this for the most part, it changed key characters or ideas, causing a change in the central themes. For example, the changing of Grendel’s Mother magnifies the theme of in the end, the monsters will win. However, this change also weakened the central motif of the contrast between victory in youth and defeat in age. However, in doing this it also better connected the first and second halves of the story, carrying over themes from the first half to the second half. Also, the ending of the movie where Wiglaf is confronted with Grendel’s Mother undermines the point of men ultimately becoming the monsters. In order to expand that idea, I would have had Beowulf slay both the Dragon and Grendel’s Mother in the end, completing the transition for men to become the monsters. Another change I would make to this text is the removal of the retellings of the battles by various people because they seems to be clutter compared to the rest of the development of the story.
ReplyDeleteBecause this novel was written ages ago, and was most likely not meant to be a work of fiction but a fable to share with future generations, it makes sense that this novel has no real plot. The story is mainly the timeline of a hero's journey in life, and the triumphs and misfortunes he has along the way. While staying true to the text, I would like to add an actual underlying plot, where there was not only a conflict but a climax moment, rather than a series of random battles like the original text provides. Also, I think another adjustment that would provide insight to the characters would be having the author dig deeper into the history of Grendel and Grendel's mother to help give the reader of the reasoning behind the two monsters' vicious attacks on Heorot.
ReplyDelete-Christina Oehler
I completely agree. I think the story is mostly contained with Beowulf seeking out battles with no real purpose other than to make a name for himself. I think an underlying plot involving intentions of Hygelac to take over Heorot would make it very interesting. I also think delving into the past of Grendel and Grendel's mother is a good idea, and I really like the way that the movie changed that, assuming Grendel was revealed to be Hrothgar's son. I also liked how the movie tied the dragon and the horn back in with Grendel and Grendel's mother, so my insight would look into the history of that horn and how Hrothgar came to possess it.
DeleteOops that was me, didn't realize my sister hadn't logged out of her gmail account.
DeleteIf I were to reimagine Beowulf, I would make the story more realistic by changing the qualities of the central hero Beowulf. Beowulf is almost irrelatable because he is to perfect. Real men are corruptable, no one is perfect, I think that if Beowulf was recreated as a modern story, the author would have to make beowulf into a corruptable character. This is because people today appreciate the abiltiy to relate their own lives to a character, as aposed to people a thousand years ago wanted to only glorify the hero and appreciate him as perfect.
ReplyDeleteI thought that most of the poetic beauty of Beowulf came from its symmetry. If I were to adapt Beowulf to a modern form, I would be sure to stress the symmetry. I would split the story into five major parts. The first would be a quick overview of Shield-Sheafson, focusing mainly on his funeral. Next would be the battle between Grendel and Beowulf. This would be the beginning of Beowulf’s quest. Next, the climax would be the confrontation between Beowulf and Grendel’s mother. This would be the point were Beowulf shifts from man to legend. Then would come Beowulf’s battle and fall to the dragon. This scene would have the most action, and show how far Beowulf has come. The story would end almost identically to its opening scene. The only difference would be swapping Beowulf’s body for Shield-Sheafson’s
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ReplyDeleteThough I enjoyed the minor changes the Beowulf movie made to the plot line of the book, I feel as if they don't hold too true to the literature. In this sense, if I were to fluctuate the book to fit into movie form, I'd make a link from the Dragon to Grendel as the movie did but not in such an absurd way. I also would have made Beowulf more relatable, the fact that he could defeat Grendel with his own two hands makes him seem to much of a unsurpassable superhero to me.
ReplyDeleteTo reiterate what most people are saying, I believe that I would cut out some of the long, unnecessary portions of the story because they disrupt the flow of the poem. If i was to remake the film, I would focus a lot more on the juxtaposition and foil between characters, such as Hrothgar and Beowulf, Beowulf and Unferth, etc. I believe that this would help advance the character development within the plot line and help provide audience members that have not read the poem with a clearer idea of the characters' true purpose within the story. Contrary, I could also take it in the direction of the Creative Writing or John Gardner's approach and describe the epic poem in another person's perspective. This would allow me more breathing room in being creative with the story and create an exciting change that is unlike the many versions of Beowulf's story.
ReplyDeleteTo reiterate what most people are saying, I believe that I would cut out some of the long, unnecessary portions of the story because they disrupt the flow of the poem. If i was to remake the film, I would focus a lot more on the juxtaposition and foil between characters, such as Hrothgar and Beowulf, Beowulf and Unferth, etc. I believe that this would help advance the character development within the plot line and help provide audience members that have not read the poem with a clearer idea of the characters' true purpose within the story. Contrary, I could also take it in the direction of the Creative Writing or John Gardner's approach and describe the epic poem in another person's perspective. This would allow me more breathing room in being creative with the story and create an exciting change that is unlike the many versions of Beowulf's story.
ReplyDeleteAs most of my peers have already mentioned, I would make a point of taking out some of the anecdotes that are scattered throughout Beowulf. They interrupt the plot, confuse the reader, and only act as added "fluff" to the story. Although it is very interesting to be able to see the origins of certain weapons or read the history behind a nation, I can't help but think that the story would be clearer and easier to read if it was written in a more concise way.
ReplyDeleteIf I were to make a new version of Beowulf, though, I would film a new version of the movie. As Maggie said above, although the movie we just watched in class presented some very intriguing ideas, it was not very accurate. I would film it through the point of view of an insignificant character, such as a random Geat or Dane soldier, just so that the audience could get a different view of the story yet still see all the action.
Honestly, I wouldn't want to tweak anything about the story. Beowulf represents the ancient Anglo-Saxon society and by changing it to get a point across more clearly almost defeats the purpose of the poem. In modern times, the whole essence of Beowulf is an account on the Anglo-Saxon people- their daily tasks, their thinking, their lifestyle, etc. If we were to change a certain part or take a part out we are giving it a modern taste. So basically it depends on us what we think the poem represents. To me, it gives me a glimpse into the barbaric lives of the Anglo-Saxons. I understand that sometimes the anecdotes that digress from the story line can often be confusing, but the beauty of Beowulf is that it isn't meant for modern day readers, it was meant to entertain the people of those days. When reading Beowulf it almost takes us back into the past.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Reena because I think a good amount of the appeal of Beowulf comes from the fact that it wasn't meant to be read and wasn't originally in modern English. Changing some of the things that make Beowulf what it is, would alter the very things that differentiate it from any run of the mill epic story.
DeleteI agree with everyone but it could be easier if you design it as a real movie than an animated movie because trying to figure out the purpose of the movie is easier if it was a real movie but because its an animated movie it might look unrealistic because of how the story is unfolded and you might think hmm this isn't right well because animated movies can tend to give you false intentions like how battles take place. Life styles will be different in animation than real life because of how its intended to create an animated reality of that era so yes if you see that it needs readjusting its because its animated it suppose to be different even if they made it to try to be what it suppose to be.
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