Beowulf is perhaps the most popular of all epic poems. It is the story of a

triumphant hero battling three supernatural monsters. Even though there is not a full

theatrical remake of this classic tale, The Thirteenth Warrior provides us with a more

realistic view of Beowulf. The supernatural monsters are replaced with the barbaric,

cannibalistic tribe of the Wendols. However, the main character in The Thirteenth

Warrior is not Beowulf, it is the outsider Ibn Fadlan of the group of warriors that Buliwyf

(the spelling interpreted by The Thirteenth Warrior) leads.

The first scenes of The Thirteenth Warrior compare well to that of Beowulf. Ibn

Fadlan is shown at a celebration for a king's death, similar to the opening funeral in

Beowulf. It is at the celebration that the warriors learn of King Hrothgar's unspeakable

terror. He calls upon Buliwyf because he is too old to fight the terrors that haunt him and

his people. Buliwyf comprises a group of thirteen men for the que

generation before being written down.

Beowulf is not poisoned until the fire dragon is fought. The mother of the Wendols meets

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tries to convey what actually happened in history to cause the story of Beowulf. The

slaying of the mother the warriors escape by swimming for a long time underwater. This

supernatural settings were a product of the story being passed from generation to

when entering the mead hall. In both stories he is portrayed as an old man that was once a

characters of Beowulf are shown on screen. First, King Hrothgar greets the warriors

the warriors finally claim victory over the barbaric tribe. After the battle, Buliwyf shares

defeating the leader until the poisoned Buliwyf enters the battle. Using the last of his

This final battle is parallel to the fire dragon in Beowulf. The Wendols attack the warriors

defeat the Wendol tribe the absolute leader must be killed to break the spirit of the tribe.

worth. It is at this mead hall where the first of the three mai

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 730
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)