Beowulf and Grendel
This movie follows our text fairly well, but does interpret the text in its own unique way.
It adds a character, Selma (a witch), and gives a perspective on why Grendel attacked
the Danes. Watch and listen closely since you will need to complete a
comparison/contrast graphic organizer and answer questions on this movie.
To get started, here are some terms which may be unfamiliar and definitions to help you
gain perspective on the religious references in this movie. Also, I included a brief
review/summary of the movie.
Valkyries are usually represented as blonde, blue eyed and fair skinned. They wear scarlet
corselets and carry shields and spears. The Valkyries carry out the will of Odin in determining
the victors of the battle, and the course of the war. Their primary duty is to choose the bravest of
those who have been slain, gathering the souls of dying heroes or warriors found deserving of
afterlife in Valhalla. They scout the battle ground in search of mortals worthy of the grand hall.
If you are deemed by the Valkyries as un-worthy of the hall of Valhalla you will be received
after death by the goddess Hel in a cheerless underground world.
Odin is considered the chief god in Norse paganism. He is associated with wisdom, war, battle,
and death, and also magic, poetry, prophecy, victory, and the hunt.
Valhalla, Hall of the Slain, in Norse mythology is the hall presided over by Odin. This vast hall
has five hundred and forty doors. The rafters are spears, the hall is roofed with shields and
breast-plates litter the benches. A wolf guards the western door and an eagle hovers over it. It is
here that the Valkyries, Odin's messengers and spirits of war, bring half of the heroes that died
on the battle fields (the rest go to Freya's hall Folkvang).
Freya is a goddess of love and fertility, and the most beautiful of the goddesses. She is the
patron goddess of crops and birth, the symbol of sensuality and was called upon in matters of
love. She divides the slain warriors with Odin: one half goes to her palace, while the other half
goes to Valhalla. Women also go to her hall.
Movie summary: Stripping the poem of its fantasy trappings but remaining faithful to its outline,
the film tells the story of how the Norse hero Beowulf (Gerard Butler) leads a troop of warriors
across the sea to help the long-suffering Danish king Hrothgar (Stellan Skarsgard) rid his lands
of a murderous troll, Grendel (Ingvar Sigurdsson), who is exacting revenge on Hrothgar for an
earlier wrong by brutally slaughtering the Danes during nighttime raids on the king's newly
erected Mead Hall.
Another modification involves Grendel himself, who is no longer a mindless, evil fiend, but a
misunderstood outcast.
Here, Beowulf is not so much a hero, but a hatchet man, albeit a conflicted one who returns
home weighed down more with guilt than gold.
The poem's inherent Christian elements are minimized, with Beowulf portrayed as a Viking
agnostic with a humanist conscience.
Name:________________________________________________________Period:_________
Prologue: A Hate is Born --- 500 A.D. Outskirts of Daneland
1. In the opening scene, who is killed?
2. Which character does the killing?
3. Who is hiding and watching during the killing?
4. What does this small creature do to the body and why?
5. What is Hrothgar blessing?
6. Based on this opening scene, why does Grendel attack the Danes?
7. Grendel is what kind of creature in this movie?
8. How is this motive different from what we read in the text?
From the Sea a Hero – Geatland
9. What is the purpose of this opening scene with Beowulf?
10. How is Beowulf treated by his own people?
11. What grabs Beowulf’s hand while they are sailing to the Danes?
12. What does the Celtic priest come to offer Hrothgar’s people?
13. What is Selma?
14. Why does Wealtheow visit her?
15. How is Beowulf treated by the Danes?
16. How is Hrothgar depicted in this celebration scene?
17. Why does Grendel not attack the priest?
18. Why does Grendel urinate on the door of Heorot?
19. What do Grendel’s trap and his playing games tell us?
20. When Beowulf speaks to Selma, she says, “Be careful with what you don’t understand.”
What do you think she meant by this statement?
21. Beowulf finds out that Grendel has never killed women, children, or old men. What does
this tell Beowulf about Grendel?
22. Why will Hrothgar not tell Beowulf about Grendel’s motivation to attack the Danes?
23. What reason does Selma give Beowulf for why Grendel will not fight him?
24. Why does Selma seem to protect Grendel?
25. Based on the reason why Selma protects Grendel and what we have seen in the movie so far,
how were women treated during this time period? How were outcast women such as Selma
treated?
26. What does “Grendel” mean in the language of the trolls?
27. Why was Grendel given this name, according to Selma?
28. Why do you think Hrothgar gets baptized?
29. Why does Brecca urinate on Grendel’s cave?
30. What creature is again seen?
31. Describe Beowulf’s dream.
32. Why does one of Beowulf’s men smash and spit on the head of Grendel’s father?
33. How does Grendel prepare for battle?
34. Why does Grendel now choose also to attack the Geats?
35. How does Grendel lose his arm in this movie?
36. Where does Grendel go to die?
37. What takes Grendel’s body?
38. Hrothgar finally admits to Beowulf why Grendel has been attacking. Why does Hrothgar
say they killed Grendel’s father?
39. Beowulf in the textbook sees Grendel as a “monster”. How does Beowulf view Grendel in
this movie?
***Deleted scene: Selma reveals to Beowulf that she was raped by Grendel. However, Grendel
protected Selma after that time and never raped her again. Selma and Beowulf then sleep
together.
Blood of Kin
40. While Beowulf is with Selma, Grendel’s mother attacks and takes what two things?
41. Who comes to awaken Selma? (You should recognize him.)
42. What happens in Beowulf’s battle in the cave?
43. To whom does Beowulf speak in the cave?
44. Who is this boy?
45. As Beowulf prepares to leave Daneland, he warns Selma. What is his warning to her?
46. Why does Beowulf build a cairn for Grendel?