Essay on The Sexuality Of Women In Beowulf Film vs. Print

In the movie Beowulf, the women are depicted differently than in the poem. The women in Anglo Saxon culture had more power than demonstrated in the movie. For example, the servant in the Mead Hall is clearly objectified. She is wearing a tight dress with her breasts showing, wanting to gain attention from the men. While she is washing the table, she is bending over so her breasts are exposed. All the men are surrounding her and staring. The main reason for the servant being at the Mead Hall is so the workingmen can look at her. The men are only interested in the servant in a sexual way. An example of this is when a working man states, â€Å"†¦No wonder my loins are burning.† He wants his sexual desires to be completed by the servant. He†¦show more content†¦A further example of Wealctheow being treated as a sexual object is right before Beowulf fights Grendel. If Beowulf kills Grendel, then Hrothgar will reward him with prizes. Hrothgar says to Beowulf , â€Å"If you destroy my Grendel for me, she’ll be yours forever and ever and ever.† The king is going to reward the hero with his precious horn and his precious queen. Wealctheow is clearly treated as an item in this situation. Later when Hrothgar commits suicide, the queen is passed on to Beowulf. She goes from king to king like an object. Wealctheow would be nothing without a king. As she gets passed along, the queen becomes a pawn and becomes more and more detached. Her resistance dies down as she is passed from king to king. When Beowulf is king, she acts very gloomy the younger woman tells Weachtheow, â€Å"What happened to us? Too many secrets.† Also, Weachtheor’s expression and tone of voice is very disconnected. Her resistance to Hrothgar ends up being useless because she still doesn’t gain equality at the end of the movie. The queen looses power because she isolates herself from the king and society. Grendel’s mother is portrayed in a negative and objectified image. First, she has a sexual appeal. Grendel’s mom wears no clothes; her skin is gold, which covers her body. She is half woman and half monster. She has a promiscuous look that draws in attention from the opposite sex. In addition, she has a sexual attitude. Right when Beowulf enters the