NOTE: This episode contains spoilers. If you haven’t seen the film yet, you might want to hit pause and come back when you’re ready.

Robert Zemeckis’s 2007 animated film Beowulf offers a modern reimagining of the ancient epic, blending cutting-edge digital animation with a reinterpretation of traditional myth. The film presents a world where formidable digital bodies collide with fractured mythologies, revealing a story that challenges conventional notions of heroism. Beneath the dazzling golden armor and the shimmering illusions lies a narrative rooted in deeper themes of consequence and moral complexity. Using post-structuralist theory, this episode explores the legendary tale of Beowulf and how it begins to crumble under the oppressive weight of denial, temptation, and the silencing of multiple generations. We analyze how identity becomes fragmented under the pressure of mythic expectations and how the monsters we dread often symbolize the uncomfortable truths we refuse to confront or acknowledge.

Recommended Reading:

“Mythologies” by Roland Barthes

A cornerstone of post-structuralist thought, Barthes dissects how cultural myths are constructed and what they conceal. Essential for understanding how stories like Beowulf sustain power by hiding the truth in plain sight.