- Sunday, March 16, 2008
- Thoughts On Beowulf
Earlier this year, I got together with my friends to watch the epic, ancient Anglo-Saxon turned movie Beowulf. I’ve always been a fan of epic conflict, of heroes rising up to defend their honor and surpass immeasurable trials - even to the point of losing their life. The lone man fighting his way back home, marching endlessly through the winter colds, and waging war against all who come between him and his wife and family are stories that stir up passion in every young boy’s heart.
Beowulf though… there was no honor to be found. A prideful womanizer who sought only glory for himself is no hero. Who, due to his own selfish ambitions, brought the death of many of his own companions in his quest for his tale. Nay, despite all his proclamations of greatness, in the end, he was reduced to be but a mere man. Even he himself understood how hollow he was at the end when he asks his queen to remember him “not as a hero, but as a man, fallible and flawed”.
No… the movie did not life up to my expectations at all. I was disappointed in myself that I had brought my father and my brother to see this movie, falling to the lies of all the hype. Full of sex, gore, foolish pride, vain glory, lies, deceit, and so much more, I had done them a disservice in inviting them along.
But I was surprised when I was talking to other people about how great the movie was. Was it just me who found the movie to be more on the distasteful side? Admittedly it wasn’t -that- bad but still enough to make me wish I hadn’t wasted my time and money. Perhaps that was the early stages of my transformation in which many things have that nature started turning to ash to the taste.
And so I left the movie rather disappointed. Oh it was still epic but I could’ve done better, oh so much better.
Tonight I found an article on Mars Hill’s website. Apparently they host a "Film and Theology" event in which they take various movies and redeem elements of it making biblical parallels.
As I read through the review and listened to the audio portion, I began to see why I disliked the movie so much. For the movie was not about a fallen hero but about me. It was not an epic saga but a representation of the endless cycle of man’s fall into sin and death. All to often do I seek glory for myself, all to often do I make such prideful proclamations in attempt bring attention and glory to myself.
It seems that I too get easily distracted from the One who truly is worthy of all glory and honor. Any that I seek to obtain myself will inevitably wilt and be forgotten but there is One who’s glory will never be lost in time for it is timeless.
