Thoughts That Bite

Robert Jordan & The Wheel of Time

My blog transfered to a new home: Food for the Fool! See you there…

Beowulf: A Battle against Pride

The dark, sexy and playful style of Neil Gaiman’s writing, plus the skills of the award-winning screenwriter Roger Avary plus the breath-taking and grand directorship of Robert
Zemeckis plus the cast of the most well-sought actors plus the amazing technology of 3D comprises the latest rendition of Beowulf. What more could you ask for.

In light of the spirit of the ancient European Epic, the world of the reel has graced us with one more visionary and visually-superb creation.  A must-see for all the family. This is what we really hope to see, especially those who cannot grasp the flowery literature of the Beowulf’s old English style. This is the best way to introduce beginners to the complex plot of the said literature.

I, myself, do admit that Beowulf in written form confuses me with its zigzagging phrases. But come its 2007 movie rendition everything has come to light. I understood now why Grendel was so furious as he had to attack the Hall of Heorot. I now understand why Beowulf has to face the dangers, aside from being heroic. And I now understand the paradox of sin.

As I see it Beowulf is a story with man’s relation to sin. Grendel’s mother (Old English: Grendles modor) maybe sin personified and Beowulf may be the man in general. maybe is weak, so they say, and being weak makes us vulnerable to the temptations brought about by sin. We are in constant battle with it though we always fail.

In the essence we will always face the consequence of our weakness and eventually the fruits of our weakness (in the story it could be Grendel or the Dragon) that would deliver us to our downfall. What was so great about this story is that although Beowulf have died to face his downfall at least he has triumphed in overcoming it. That’s the good in it. One more that delights me in the story is the fact that the hero is presented a a real human person: flawed, and that makes it realistic (despite the existence of fantastic creatures).

One cannot deny that he or she has never been tempted by sin. And it lead me to think, and I dare say, that Beowulf is our story not just a story of a hero.

(Image courtesy of http://movies.yahoo.com/)

STARDUST: A Fae Quest

Have you ever wondered how the strife between the lion and the unicorn have started?  Or did you ever wished to catch a fallen star of your own? Wonder no more for the Stardust by Neil Gaiman will give you answers - fictionized they may be.

Stardust is written in a tone different from his other works of art. It was mainly because it was written in the tradition of pre-Tolkien English fantasy. Fluent as it may seem it is not a tale for children for there are ideas that only matured thinking could grasp.

In the real world, we always look up the sky to search for fallen star to make a wish. But in the world beyond Wall — a village in remote Europe — fallen stars are more than what you really expected. Stars are of humane nature and they are literally in human form.

And that is what Tristan Thorn promised to give Victoria Forester to prove his love — thinking that it was only a fallen star, in short cosmic rock. Stardust is a journey not only of distant lands but a journey to manhood. Here Tristan will do everything and even cross the wall to prove his love to his lady.

But will he really succeed in doing it so. At first he was tested in crossing through the gap in the wall but when he finally did he was aided by creatures and humans alike to fulfill his ordeal. There he discovered that the fallen star was not actually a morsel of rock but a lovely creature of the fae.

But his discovery is not yet at an end for the life of the star is endangered by other entities just to satisfy their own whims. One (or three) is the lilim that would do everything to obtain youth and beauty. There is also the Sormhold gents, which contest for the throne of the Stormhold Castle.

At first it was only a journey of love until it became a series of conflicts - greed, malice, hatred and lastly death. Here the seemingly Happy Ending was brought to a scary point as to what will happen to the star. Revelations where poured in a heap and a truer and fiercer love has been realized.

The ending was quite unexpected. There are twists and turns that would lead you to go away with your presumptions. When the journey was near at an end you, yourself, will debate who is best for Tristan. But eventually true love will rule and even a magical knife can’t defeat it.