Beowulf

by Neil Gaiman

  She goes up on tiptoes and kisses him, gently, on the cheek. And then she goes away.

  Beowulf begins to walk along, on his own, while the party sounds happen in the background.

  And he sees Hrothgar, standing beside a wall, waiting for him.

  Hrothgar takes Beowulf aside and holds him by the arm. They walk together.

  HROTHGAR

  Have you seen my wife?

  BEOWULF

  She went back into the hall. She said she thinks I should leave soon, so that she does not have to make love to me, and then hang me for your murder.

  HROTHGAR

  That’s a woman for you. They’re so sensible. And talking about women -- Tell me…You brought back the head of Grendel. But what about the head of the mother?

  BEOWULF

  With her body, sunken into the mire. Is it not enough to return with one monster’s head.

  HROTHGAR

  You did kill her?

  BEOWULF

  Why do you ask?

  HROTHGAR

  I was a young man once too, Beowulf. Answer my question straight -- it’s important for me to know: You did kill her, did you not?

  Beowulf stops walking and looks Hrothgar dead in the eye. There is a long moment between them.

  BEOWULF

  (in a way that could be construed as an accusation)

  Would I have been allowed to escape her had I not?

  Hrothgar knows the answer, and it chills him to the bone. He begins to step away.

  HROTHGAR

  (trying to convince himself)

  Grendel is dead. That’s all that matters to me. Grendel will bother me no more.

  BEOWULF

  And if the mother did still live, would you care then?

  HROTHGAR

  She is not my curse. Not any more.

  Hrothgar reaches one hand to his other arm, and pulls off a big golden armband. It’s worth a King’s ransom.

  HROTHGAR

  Catch!

  BEOWULF

  (catching it)

  You are too generous.

  HROTHGAR

  Aye. Maybe I am at that. The wind stands fair to the west. How soon can you be gone?

  BEOWULF

  Tomorrow morning.

  HROTHGAR

  Make sure you are.

  He walks away. Beowulf smiles, uncaring, tosses the armband in the air, and catches it. Then he toasts it, with his goblet, and drinks from the goblet, and we

  FADE TO BLACK:

  111 EXT. THE QUIET SEA - DAY

  111

  The ocean is as calm as the deep azure sky above it is clean. A perfect day. Sea-spray is liquid drops of diamonds. It’s a great day to be alive -- the first real sunshine we’ve seen in the film so far.

  112 EXT. RECESSED BEACH - DAY

  112

  Four of Beowulf’s thanes push the boat off the sandbar and into the sea, clambering in at the last moment, pulled in by the men in the boat. Strong winds, all blowing toward Geatland, fill the red newly repaired sails of Beowulf’s ship, billowing the golden dragon.

  113 EXT. THE CLIFFTOPS - DAY

  113

  The Scylding’s Watch stands on his cliff, with his arms folded, and stares out at Beowulf going away.

  114 EXT. THE QUIET SEA - DAY

  114

  Beowulf and his men are LAUGHING as they scud along in their ship, in the perfect weather and the swift breeze. The oars are shipped and unneeded. The storage hold in the middle of the ship is piled high with glittering golden treasure. Beowulf glances back at the shore.

  BEOWULF’S POV: Wealthow is standing on the cliffs watching him sail away. He can not see her expression.

  We realize that Beowulf only has six men plus Wiglaf in the boat. There are lots of empty seats, for the dead men they set out with.

  BEOWULF

  (to Wiglaf)

  There now, old friend. The scops will sing of our brave deeds from now until the day the sun grows cold.

  WIGLAF

  Your deeds, perhaps. Not mine.

  BEOWULF

  (perfectly satisfied)

  Isn’t that enough?

  Beowulf is in the prime of his life. He’s grinning, and happy, and beautiful: the entire world -- the sea and the boat and the sun and the seagulls, everything -- simply exists as a frame to the picture, in the middle of which, grinning like his namesake wolf, is Beowulf.

  The sun glints off the golden armband he was given by Hrothgar, and the PICTURE FREEZES.

  FADE TO BLACK:

  FIFTY YEARS AFTER

  115 INT. KING BEOWULF’S CASTLE - KING BEOWULF’S QUARTERS - DAY

  115

  We are looking, in CLOSE UP at the Golden Bracelet we last saw on young Beowulf’s arm. It is worn, now, and slightly tarnished. As we look at it, a man’s old fingers close around it. We pull back slowly, to reveal KING BEOWULF.

  He is in very good shape, for his age, which must, simple addition tells us, be in at least his early seventies. His hair is streaked with grey and white, his skin is liver-spotted, and marked with old scars, long healed. He is still tall and proud, though scarcely recognizable as the young man he was fifty years before. He has a golden circlet, denoting kingship, on his head. His beard is tightly trimmed.

  We are in his castle, a fortified Swedish stone building, on the moors. It is within sight of the sea. We are in his chamber. A rough bed, consisting of a pallet and sleeping furs, sits in one corner.

  He is staring out to sea, through a window. He will not be going to sea again.

  KING BEOWULF’S POV: The winter sea, grey, stormy and fickle, as it crashes on the rocks below. The sea has frozen to ice where it touches the rocks. Mid-winter in sixth century Sweden was bitter.

  URSULA, King Beowulf’s young mistress, comes up behind him. He does not register her presence. She is his personal maid, a young woman in her early twenties. Then she speaks and startles him.

  URSULA

  Your majesty?

  KING BEOWULF

  Unh? I was thinking, Ursula. Hundreds of leagues away, in my mind, over the ocean.

  URSULA

  My lord Beowulf. They are waiting for you, in the throne room.

  KING BEOWULF

  There is a moment at sunset at sea, when you watch the sun drop into the cold waters of the endless ocean, a red ball, and at the very moment it sinks beneath the horizon, it flames green as an emerald.

  While he is talking, Ursula is picking up a robe, bringing it over to him, fastening it around his neck.

  URSULA

  I have never been to sea, your Majesty.

  KING BEOWULF

  Who is waiting?

  CUT TO:

  116 EXT. KING BEOWULF’S CASTLE - DAY

  116

  We see that this is an old, stone castle, built overlooking the ocean. Sea-spray in the foreground. Snow on the ground.

  CUT TO:

  117 INT. KING BEOWULF’S CASTLE - SPIRAL STAIRCASE - DAY

  117

  Ursula walks down the stairs behind King Beowulf.

  URSULA

  You are to give judgement today, your majesty.

  KING BEOWULF

  Live long enough, Ursula, and they think you’re Solomon. Who cares who owns half-an acre of barren land?

  URSULA

  Well, obviously, Guthric does.

  CUT TO:

  118 INT. KING BEOWULF’S CASTLE - THRONE ROOM - DAY

  118

  GUTHRIC is staring at us, his face red with anger. He is a young man, hot-headed and impetuous, and he is really really angry right now.

  GUTHRIC

  This is an outrage! That land is mine by right of birth!

  PULL BACK TO REVEAL: We see that there are a number of other people in the throne room: OLD WIGLAF, again, fifty years older than the Wiglaf we knew in the earlier part of the film, and a few other THANES who are also elderly. There are also a couple of KING’S GUARDS. And King Beowulf himself.

  KIN
G BEOWULF

  You have land enough, Guthric. That land was due to your sister as bride-price.

  GUTHRIC

  This is not justice! This is a travesty!

  He advances on the King. The guards raise their spears. King Beowulf does not, however, need guards, for the anger of King Beowulf is a terrible thing to see, and now he’s angry.

  KING BEOWULF

  How dare you talk to me like that? If it’s treason you are talking, Guthric Olaf’s son, then it’s treason I shall punish you for.

  GUTHRIC

  (chastened)

  I was not…I did not mean to--

  KING BEOWULF

  See that you did not. The land is your sister’s.

  Guthric sets his jaw. He seems on the verge of exploding with anger, but he somehow keeps a lid on it. What he actually says is

  GUTHRIC

  It shall be as your majesty has said.

  And Guthric turns on his heels and storms out.

  King Beowulf turns to Old Wiglaf, and shakes his head.

  KING BEOWULF

  It did not used to be so hard, Wiglaf, did it?

  OLD WIGLAF

  He’s a young hot-head. He’ll cool down, in time.

  CUT TO:

  119 EXT. KING BEOWULF’S CASTLE - COURTYARD - DAY

  119

  Guthric leaps onto his horse, and GALLOPS off. He looks furious still.

  CUT TO:

  120 EXT. THE GEAT MOORS - THE BARROW - DAY

  120

  We see Guthric on his horse, riding past a huge barrow -- a raised mound -- on the snowy moors.

  CUT TO:

  121 EXT. GUTHRIC’S HALL - SUNSET

  121

  Guthric rides up on his horse. His slave -- CAIN -- stands beside the horse, with his hands cupped, to help his master down from his horse. Guthric puts his muddy boots in Cain’s hands as he dismounts.

  As Guthric gets down, the horse moves, nervously to one side, and Guthric misses his footing. He and Cain go down in the slush and mud together. Guthric gets to his feet as angry as it is possible for any human being to be.

  GUTHRIC

  You did that on purpose!

  CAIN

  Sire, it was your mare, she shied--

  GUTHRIC

  You pitched me into the mud on purpose, you creeping maggot!

  And with that he pulls his horsewhip and commences to WHIP Cain within an inch of his life, while shouting--

  GUTHRIC

  You stupid--!

  (whip!)

  miserable--

  (more)

  GUTHRIC (CONT’D)

  (whip)

  pathetic--!

  (whip!)

  cankerous--!

  (whip)

  louse-ridden!

  (whip!)

  oaf!

  (he stops for a moment to catch his breath)

  Now get out of my sight!

  Cain gets to his feet, nervously, and Guthric slashes the whip across his face. Cain’s thin shirt is in ribbons down the back and he has a bleeding welt across his face. He runs off, and Guthric goes into the Hall.

  122 INT. GUTHRIC’S HALL - NIGHT

  122

  A harpist is playing, and singing a ballad. The ballad he is singing is the “Saga of Beowulf”. Guthric is talking to LADY GUTHRIC. Lady Guthric is tending to the LITTLE GUTHRICS, a boy and a girl, who are sat on the rush-covered floor of the Hall, playing with dolls quietly.

  GUTHRIC

  The senile old fool. I could have run my sword through his doddering old head.

  LADY GUTHRIC

  Well, it’s a good thing you didn’t, dear.

  GUTHRIC

  Why? Why is it a good thing?

  LADY GUTHRIC

  He is King Beowulf. He killed Grendel. He killed Grendel’s mother--

  GUTHRIC

  Fucking Grendel and fucking Grendel’s fucking mother. Do you know how fucking sick I am of fucking hearing about fucking Grendel and fucking Grendel’s fucking mother?

  LADY GUTHRIC

  (points to the kids in a ’not in front of the children’ sort of way)

  I really don’t think--

  GUTHRIC

  It was a hundred years ago! It was in another country! What the hell was Grendel anyway? Some kind of giant dog, or something? And his mother? She doesn’t even have a name!

  LADY GUTHRIC

  That’s not the

  GUTHRIC

  And who was my Lord Beowulf’s mother, if it comes to that? I tell you, he does not have long to live, and

  But he is interrupted by WILFERTH, Cain’s sister, who runs in and says:

  WILFERTH

  My lord Guthric! It’s Cain! He’s not in the stables! I think he’s run away!

  CUT TO:

  123 EXT. THE GEAT MOORS - NIGHT

  123

  Guthric and some of his friends are riding around on horses, calling out to Cain. As we hear them call, we also see shots of the bleak and deserted moor. Night has not yet quite fallen, and rock shapes twist into shapes that remind us of monsters and demons.

  GUTHRIC

  Cain! Cain! Can you hear me! You don’t want to stay out on the moors! There are things out here that’ll eat your heart for breakfast! And you’ll starve to death out here, you’ll freeze! You’ll die out here! If you don’t come back, I’ll fucking kill you!

  Guthric’s VOICE travels across the moors to

  124 CAIN

  124

  who is cowering behind a rock, as the SOUNDS OF THE SEARCH begins to fade.

  Cain is shivering and scared. The SOUNDS OF THE PURSUERS are fading away into the distance. And then, close to us, we hear the HOWL of a wolf-pack…

  Cain bolts for it, running through the moors, when suddenly the ground gives way beneath him and he is seemingly swallowed into the Earth.

  125 INT. THE BARROW - NIGHT

  125

  Cain is under the ground. It’s dark…but Cain realizes that we are somewhere that glimmers…. that glimmers golden.

  Cain SWEARS to himself as he bumps into something…and then slowly his eyes begin to get used to the darkness and he sees…

  GOLD!

  It’s a treasure horde, unimaginable to these times: rings and bracelets, necklaces torques and plates, coins and statues and goblets, piled all around. Helmets and mail-shirts, swords, daggers and spears, shields and harps, statues of hawks and horses…the world glows in gold.

  Cain moves through the gold like a dark shadow….

  CLOSE ON: Cain’s feet as he walks past…

  126 A SLEEPING DRAGON

  126

  THE DRAGON is the color of the hoard, a glittering gold. In fact at first we think it is a statue. It’s half-human, half dragon, winged and tailed (the wings are folded, the tail is curled) but its face is part human, part reptilian. It is played by the same actor who played young Beowulf, but this should not be immediately obvious.

  To repeat, this seems like a statue, and might indeed, for the first few shots, be a statue. Eyes closed…

  CAIN

  Such riches…

  And, as he says that, the Dragon’s eyes slowly begin to open, and a smile spreads across its face.

  CAIN reaches out, tentatively, for a golden goblet, similar to the one Wealthow gave young Beowulf earlier.

  CUT TO:

  127 EXT. GUTHRIC’S HALL - DAY

  127

  Guthric is standing at the door to his hall. Then, almost to his surprise, in comes Cain, edging towards him in a servile,

  scared sort of way. He is cradling the goblet, so it cannot be seen.

  GUTHRIC

  Cain!

  CAINI…

  I’m sorry I runned away, master. I brought you something -- what I found. Please don’t hurt me no more.

  CLOSE ON: Guthric’s face -- he says nothing, and then he viciously hits Cain.

  GUTHRIC

  I thought you’d come back when you got hungry.

  Cain
goes tumbling to the ground, WHIMPERING and MOANING and pleading.

  CAIN

  Sorry master, sorry, please no master, please no…

  Guthric kicks at the fallen Cain, and the Golden cup falls from his grasp, and rolls onto the snow.

  CAIN

  Brought it for you. Good master. Nice master. Sorry. Sorry.

  Guthric looks at Cain, and then reaches down and picks up the goblet.

  The weal across Cain’s face has started to heal and scab. He looks scared.

  CAIN

  Please don’t kill me.

  GUTHRIC

  (taking the goblet)

  This is quite exquisite. Where did you find it?

  CAIN

  (too scared, initially to speak, he says nothing but points to the moors, then, nervously)

  Up there. On the moors--

  GUTHRIC

  You didn’t steal it?

  CAIN

  I swear I didn’t master!

  Guthric holds the Goblet up to the light…

  CUT TO:

  128 EXT. KING BEOWULF’S CASTLE - DAY

  128

  The sea spray lashes the rocks in front of Beowulf’s castle. We are looking in at from the sea.

  129 INT. KING BEOWULF’S CASTLE - ANTEROOM - DAY