Beowulf

Critics

• Beowulf: A New Verse Translation

  Review-a-Day Saturday, September 14th, 2002 Beowulf: A New Verse Translation by Seamus Heaney A review by Doug Brown I bought this when it came out because I thought I should have it. The reviews were glowing, the word of mouth was buzzing, and all a ... (read full critics)

  powells published on Mon, 6 Sep 2010

• Hasped and Hooped and Hirpling

  Writing in 1887 of the proposal to establish an Anglo-Saxon-based school of English at Oxford, the moral philosopher Thomas Case protested that ‘an English School will grow up, nourishing our language not from the humanity of the Greeks and Romans, b ... (read full critics)

  lrb published on Fri, 3 Sep 2010

3 Reviews

• 

  Heaney's Beowulf: A Painting with a Worthy Guide

  I appreciated this translation of Beowful like I would a painting, or a piece of classical music: indulging the rich colours and dramatic overtones, peering into the Dark Ages with curiosity and wonder at the mysterious poet - the original author - tackling the complex task of depicting this fresque ... (continue)

  I appreciated this translation of Beowful like I would a painting, or a piece of classical music: indulging the rich colours and dramatic overtones, peering into the Dark Ages with curiosity and wonder at the mysterious poet - the original author - tackling the complex task of depicting this fresque in such poetic detail.

  Yes, it takes a bit of intellectual effort and concentration to be able to visualize the colours, to hear the melody. This is not something to be read for the sake of the plot - though Tolkien fans may enjoy that too, I reckon. The poem does not offer any codes or observations that would be applicable in today's world either. It was, for me, and aesthetic experience above all.

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  Teodora said on Jan 26, 2011 | Add your feedback

• 

  If you are a liberal arts student and especially an English Major, you were at least exposed to a smattering of Beowulf. If you haven't yet, it's time to read the whole poem in this wonderful verse translation. If you want a glimmer of what the original was like, you have that on the left page with ... (continue)

  If you are a liberal arts student and especially an English Major, you were at least exposed to a smattering of Beowulf. If you haven't yet, it's time to read the whole poem in this wonderful verse translation. If you want a glimmer of what the original was like, you have that on the left page with the corresponding modern English on the right. It is a pity that more did not survive.

  I was pleased to remember so much of my professor's comments from Wayne State in '71 or so. He mentioned that one of the few surviving texts (written down centuries later) had clearly been used as a cutting board: it had slices and stained rings where someone had set down a glass of wine.

  Like all poetry, I consider this not "finished", but something I plan to re-read periodically.

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  Smithgp2u said on May 19, 2010 about the Hardcover edition | Add your feedback

• 

  This rating is for this illustrated edition and I actually found the pictures annoying in this. Many only had superficial connection with the poem and for some, such as the example of a Scandinavian sunset, the connection is trite and adds nothing to enjoyment of the text.

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  huntch said on Feb 22, 2009 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

Book Details

• Rating:
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• English Books
• Library Binding
• ISBN-10: 1417666374
• ISBN-13: 9781417666379
• Publisher: Rebound by Sagebrush
• Pub date: Feb 01, 2001
• Dimensions: 1419 mm x 1097 mm x 194 mm Just how big is that?
• Also available as: Mass Market Paperback, Paperback, Hardcover, Audio CD, Audio Cassette, School & Library Binding, Others and eBook
• In other languages: other languages Livres Français, Deutsche Bücher, Libros en Español, Livros em Português, llibres en català, Libri Italiani, Nederlandse Boeken

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