BEOWULF

“BEOWULF” 

When I went to see Beowulf I scanned the audience to see if there would be anyone who looked suspiciously like a lecturer in Anglo-Saxon or ancient history. In fact most of the audience were students who were probably heading from the cinema to “Beowulf” the video-game. I am sure that most of the audience didn’t realize that “Beowulf” is the first extant poem in a language that mostly resembles English. The unnamed Angles or Jutes who created the story didn’t know what they were beginning.

 

The film was entertaining. The director clearly had done his research – and what with having Grendel express himself in (what I assume) was Anglo-Saxon-wanted to clarify that he was treating his sources with some respect. Yet the tale had a twist too-the liaison with Grendel’s mother was not from the textbook, but in the context of a masculine warrior society (a sixth century rugby team perhaps) it worked very well.

 

My only quibble was why the movie had to dwell on the comparison between the Norse pantheon and Christianity. Several times, the theme was touched the Christian faith would supplant their gods, and weaken the moral fibre of the people. The historical problem that poses is that the opening of the movie boldly announces “Denmark AD 507”.

 

Now in the actual AD 507 over much of northern Europe, Christianity had almost been forgotten. It survived, of course, in the remnant of the Roman empire ruled from Constantinople, but that empire had been supplanted in the west by Lombards and Ostrogoths who had only recently been Christianized. Augustine of Canterbury had barely begun his mission to Kent, and in only in the Celtic lands (Ireland and Wales) did Christianity have a presence.

 So why even bring this unknown religion into the picture?

~ by wr1tething on November 25, 2007.