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Originally Posted by Baraka_Guru
I don't think this is the place to discuss this in length
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Why would you say that? Where would be a more appropriate place?
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but do you realize that you have suggested here that Zemeckis' Beowulf deserves to replace the original? More meaningful?....
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I think you may be stuck on the word "meaningful". I think it may have been a poor choice of descriptor, because I don't think that SecretMethod70 is implying in the least that the original Beowulf should be erased from existence.
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Beowulf can't really be compared to Greek drama, nor should it be. It is a hero myth. Mythological epics aren't the same as drama, as understood by the Greeks. This is how the poem is viewed. Zemeckis' film is probably more interesting by virtue of its visuals and action, but I seriously doubt it would surpass the interest from a literary or artistic standpoint......
We might view Beowulf as one-dimensional, but the same can be said of many mythologies. The limitations of the oral tradition plays a part in this, but the structure and inner workings of myth play bigger roles. Think of the function of myth: it tells simple stories of where we came from and how things had come to be. These are stories that are meant to be instructive and highly memorable (i.e. memorized). Let's not forget the source when we are looking at its reinterpretations, no matter how good or bad.
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I have to totally disagree with you on this. Look at one f the oldest epic poems in history, The Epic of Gilgamesh. It has all kinds of depth and drama.
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Originally Posted by Baraka_Guru
To reduce "Beowulf"'s plot to ultimate ends such as "this dies, that dies, he dies" overlooks other plot elements that are essentially tied to character and themes. If the movie fails, it isn't because of the original material's plot; it is because of the filmmakers' tolerances for artistic compromise.
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Could you possibly list some of the overlooked character and theme elements, not prose or lyrical elements, that make this a great, untouchable story.