What do you think?
Rate this book
Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library #3
The Beowulf Manuscript: Complete Texts and The Fight at Finnsburg
Beowulf is one of the finest works of vernacular literature from the European Middle Ages and as such is a fitting title to head the Old English family of texts published in the Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library.
But this volume offers something unique. For the first time in the history of Beowulf scholarship, the poem appears alongside the other four texts from its sole surviving manuscript: the prose Passion of Saint Christopher, The Wonders of the East, The Letter of Alexander the Great to Aristotle, and (following Beowulf) the poem Judith. First-time readers as well as established scholars can now gain new insights into Beowulf—and the four other texts—by approaching each in its original context.
Could a fascination with the monstrous have motivated the compiler of this manuscript, working over a thousand years ago, to pull together this diverse grouping into a single volume? The prose translation by R. D. Fulk, based on the most recent editorial understanding, allows readers to rediscover Beowulf’s brilliant mastery along with otherworldly delights in the four companion texts in The Beowulf Manuscript.
But this volume offers something unique. For the first time in the history of Beowulf scholarship, the poem appears alongside the other four texts from its sole surviving manuscript: the prose Passion of Saint Christopher, The Wonders of the East, The Letter of Alexander the Great to Aristotle, and (following Beowulf) the poem Judith. First-time readers as well as established scholars can now gain new insights into Beowulf—and the four other texts—by approaching each in its original context.
Could a fascination with the monstrous have motivated the compiler of this manuscript, working over a thousand years ago, to pull together this diverse grouping into a single volume? The prose translation by R. D. Fulk, based on the most recent editorial understanding, allows readers to rediscover Beowulf’s brilliant mastery along with otherworldly delights in the four companion texts in The Beowulf Manuscript.
374 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
11 people are currently reading
137 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
September 30, 2024
The Old English (or more to the point the West Saxon dialect of Old English) and anonymous early Mediaeval Beowulf (penned from between 700–1000 CE) has become one of my favourite pieces of epic literature. But to be honest, my appreciation and my enjoyment of Beowulf really only happened during my post secondary years (my MA and my PhD in German) when in a number of graduate level seminars on German language history and early, post 1600 German literature, we were also reading Beowulf in its original Old English for comparison and contrast with Old High German, Middle High German and German language Mediaeval epics (which brilliantly showed to me, to us students just how similar in particular Old English and Old High German are linguistically and also the many obvious textual parallels that exist especially between Beowulf and the Middle High German epic Das Nibelungenlied and of course vice versa as well).
For while I originally did read Beowulf in high school English, I absolutely despised the translation by Edwin George Morgan our teacher was using, as even in grade ten, even as a teenaged reader, I found that Morgan's rendering of the Old English Beowulf into a genuinely modern poetic idiom massively annoying and not at all feeling Mediaeval in tone, and that yes, this was even more made obvious to me when I finally had the chance to be reading Beowulf in its original Old English during graduate school. And for me, my personal textual encounters with Beowulf (at school and at university) therefore and basically say and pretty clearly demonstrate that I can and will only appreciate and manage to enjoy Beowulf in Old English, and if appearing in a dual language format, that the modern English needs to be basically a scholarly, themes and context translation and not a poetical adaptation (which is why I really cannot stomach Irish poet Seamus Heaney's 1999 famous and judging from online reviews quite well liked Beowulf, as he puts way too much of himself and his own lyricism into his translation and that I also really do chafe at calling both Edwin George Morgan and Seamus Heaney as being translators of Beowulf (as for me, both are more like adapters and both do not really ever manage to capture the early Mediaeval poetics and the feel of the anonymous Beowulf poet).
But of course, one might also want to argue that in the 2010 The Beowulf Manuscript, a tome that contains ALL of the works found in the (residing in the British Library) original manuscript in dual language Old English/Modern English format (and thus, not only Beowulf but also The Passion of St. Christopher, The Wonders of the East, The Letter of Alexander the Great to Aristotle, Judith and in the appendix the The Fight at Finnsburg), Robert D. Fulk is also presenting his Beowulf translation in a manner that does not attempt to show the spirit and the poetics of the original text. However, and yes indeed majorly importantly so, you are actually and in my opinion NOT really supposed to be reading Fulk's thematic and content based (but unpoetic) rendition of Beowulf and the other included works WITHOUT at the same time reading the original, the Old English texts, using Robert D. Fulk's modern English words as a guide, but with the primary texts always being the original Old English ones, and this of course means for Beowulf, in particular the epic's delightful and evocative of the early Middle Ages heroic poetry with its kennings, alliterations etc. (and that for me, indeed, this is really the ONLY way I want to and care to approach and read Beowulf and that translations of Beowulf that sound like modern English verse just do not at all measure up and often simply manage to annoy me).
And therefore, considering both reading pleasure and textual integrity, The Beowulf Manuscript totally rates as shiningly five stars for me (and that I am indeed oh so happy that Robert D. Fulk just shows his English Beowulf text with regard to the contents and the themes, as basically a tool for reading, understanding and enjoying Beowulf and the other presented pieces of writing in Old English, in the original). But truly, I kind of actually wish I could be rating The Beowulf Manuscript
For while I originally did read Beowulf in high school English, I absolutely despised the translation by Edwin George Morgan our teacher was using, as even in grade ten, even as a teenaged reader, I found that Morgan's rendering of the Old English Beowulf into a genuinely modern poetic idiom massively annoying and not at all feeling Mediaeval in tone, and that yes, this was even more made obvious to me when I finally had the chance to be reading Beowulf in its original Old English during graduate school. And for me, my personal textual encounters with Beowulf (at school and at university) therefore and basically say and pretty clearly demonstrate that I can and will only appreciate and manage to enjoy Beowulf in Old English, and if appearing in a dual language format, that the modern English needs to be basically a scholarly, themes and context translation and not a poetical adaptation (which is why I really cannot stomach Irish poet Seamus Heaney's 1999 famous and judging from online reviews quite well liked Beowulf, as he puts way too much of himself and his own lyricism into his translation and that I also really do chafe at calling both Edwin George Morgan and Seamus Heaney as being translators of Beowulf (as for me, both are more like adapters and both do not really ever manage to capture the early Mediaeval poetics and the feel of the anonymous Beowulf poet).
But of course, one might also want to argue that in the 2010 The Beowulf Manuscript, a tome that contains ALL of the works found in the (residing in the British Library) original manuscript in dual language Old English/Modern English format (and thus, not only Beowulf but also The Passion of St. Christopher, The Wonders of the East, The Letter of Alexander the Great to Aristotle, Judith and in the appendix the The Fight at Finnsburg), Robert D. Fulk is also presenting his Beowulf translation in a manner that does not attempt to show the spirit and the poetics of the original text. However, and yes indeed majorly importantly so, you are actually and in my opinion NOT really supposed to be reading Fulk's thematic and content based (but unpoetic) rendition of Beowulf and the other included works WITHOUT at the same time reading the original, the Old English texts, using Robert D. Fulk's modern English words as a guide, but with the primary texts always being the original Old English ones, and this of course means for Beowulf, in particular the epic's delightful and evocative of the early Middle Ages heroic poetry with its kennings, alliterations etc. (and that for me, indeed, this is really the ONLY way I want to and care to approach and read Beowulf and that translations of Beowulf that sound like modern English verse just do not at all measure up and often simply manage to annoy me).
And therefore, considering both reading pleasure and textual integrity, The Beowulf Manuscript totally rates as shiningly five stars for me (and that I am indeed oh so happy that Robert D. Fulk just shows his English Beowulf text with regard to the contents and the themes, as basically a tool for reading, understanding and enjoying Beowulf and the other presented pieces of writing in Old English, in the original). But truly, I kind of actually wish I could be rating The Beowulf Manuscript
November 14, 2013
The new Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library is published and designed by the same people that brought us the Loeb Classical Library and follows the same format by giving an introduction, text and translation of the text that each particular volume contains.
The first volume in the Old English series covers the Beowulf Manuscript, meaning it includes The Passion of Saint Christopher, The Wonders of the East, The Letter of Alexander the Great to Aristotle, and Judith, but also adds The Finnsburg Fragment. While Beowulf and the Finnsburg Fragment are relatively easy to find, maybe too easy to find these days, the rest have only been available in Andy Orchard's Pride Prodigies, all except for The Passion of Saint Christopher. This situation seems rather odd considering that Sisam and numerous other scholars have long stated that the Beowulf Manuscripts is a book about monsters, coupled with Fred C Robinson's call for Old English texts to be read within their manuscript context for a better understanding of their meaning, this edition seems to be long overdue.
For this edition and translation of Beowulf the editorial board have chosen R. D. Fulk, a scholar amply qualified for the job. The foundation Fulk's reputation as a leading Old English scholar were laid in the 90s with his History of Old English Meter and more recently his Revision of Klaeber's Beowulf and completion of Richard Hogg's Old English Grammar.
All texts, except for Beowulf and Finnsburg are newly edited for this volume by Fulk. Fulk states that "except for the diacritics been removed, the texts of Beowulf and The Fight at Finnsburg are practically identical to those found in Klaeber's Beowulf and The Fight at Finnsburg (fourth edition)" meaning the general reader can get a feel for the Old English text alongside a modern translation before splashing out on a fourth edition Klaeber. The translation could also be used in conjunction with Fulk's new Klaeber as an aid to translation and guide to syntax.
The translations do not attempt an artistic interpretation of the texts but are readable scholarly prose aimed at a wide readership and make the poem accessible to both the scholar and general reader alike. I'm not sure I agree with Fulk's translation of Scyld Scefing into Scyld, son of Scef and his forcing of apposition where there isn't any and think the name should be left untranslated. Especially seeing that, to my knowledge, the problem has never been solved as to whether Scefing is a patronymic or tribal name.
After my only major gripe, on to the good points. Fulk very wisely leaves the problematic break in the text within line 62 where the text "hyrde ic þæt [.] wæs Onelan cwen" blank and doesn't try to fill the gap with an assumptive Old English version of the Norse Yrsa from Hrolfs Saga or Saxo Grammaticus. Fulk also preserves appositive phrases such as "Hróðgár maþelode, helm Scyldinga" by translating them "Hrothgar made a speech, helm of Scyldings". Abrupt transitional ending are also preserved with no attempt by Fulk to smooth them out in order to make the poem more acceptable to a modern readership.
All in all, this is an excellent and long awaited text and translation of the entire Beowulf Manuscript by a leading Old English scholar that should be read by anyone interested in the subject.
The first volume in the Old English series covers the Beowulf Manuscript, meaning it includes The Passion of Saint Christopher, The Wonders of the East, The Letter of Alexander the Great to Aristotle, and Judith, but also adds The Finnsburg Fragment. While Beowulf and the Finnsburg Fragment are relatively easy to find, maybe too easy to find these days, the rest have only been available in Andy Orchard's Pride Prodigies, all except for The Passion of Saint Christopher. This situation seems rather odd considering that Sisam and numerous other scholars have long stated that the Beowulf Manuscripts is a book about monsters, coupled with Fred C Robinson's call for Old English texts to be read within their manuscript context for a better understanding of their meaning, this edition seems to be long overdue.
For this edition and translation of Beowulf the editorial board have chosen R. D. Fulk, a scholar amply qualified for the job. The foundation Fulk's reputation as a leading Old English scholar were laid in the 90s with his History of Old English Meter and more recently his Revision of Klaeber's Beowulf and completion of Richard Hogg's Old English Grammar.
All texts, except for Beowulf and Finnsburg are newly edited for this volume by Fulk. Fulk states that "except for the diacritics been removed, the texts of Beowulf and The Fight at Finnsburg are practically identical to those found in Klaeber's Beowulf and The Fight at Finnsburg (fourth edition)" meaning the general reader can get a feel for the Old English text alongside a modern translation before splashing out on a fourth edition Klaeber. The translation could also be used in conjunction with Fulk's new Klaeber as an aid to translation and guide to syntax.
The translations do not attempt an artistic interpretation of the texts but are readable scholarly prose aimed at a wide readership and make the poem accessible to both the scholar and general reader alike. I'm not sure I agree with Fulk's translation of Scyld Scefing into Scyld, son of Scef and his forcing of apposition where there isn't any and think the name should be left untranslated. Especially seeing that, to my knowledge, the problem has never been solved as to whether Scefing is a patronymic or tribal name.
After my only major gripe, on to the good points. Fulk very wisely leaves the problematic break in the text within line 62 where the text "hyrde ic þæt [.] wæs Onelan cwen" blank and doesn't try to fill the gap with an assumptive Old English version of the Norse Yrsa from Hrolfs Saga or Saxo Grammaticus. Fulk also preserves appositive phrases such as "Hróðgár maþelode, helm Scyldinga" by translating them "Hrothgar made a speech, helm of Scyldings". Abrupt transitional ending are also preserved with no attempt by Fulk to smooth them out in order to make the poem more acceptable to a modern readership.
All in all, this is an excellent and long awaited text and translation of the entire Beowulf Manuscript by a leading Old English scholar that should be read by anyone interested in the subject.
March 26, 2016
Not reviewing the Wolf, of course, as it goes without saying that it is one of the great texts of our species' earlier age, but this edition is beautifully made - and having the Anglo Saxon original on the facing page is a joy and a boon. Plus you get the additional texts from the manuscript, which include some fantastic medieval travel writing I had not read before.
I have already ordered a couple more from this series, and look forward to reading them.
(On a related note - moving in to our new house is almost done so I will hopefully be able to read properly again soon!)
I have already ordered a couple more from this series, and look forward to reading them.
(On a related note - moving in to our new house is almost done so I will hopefully be able to read properly again soon!)
January 30, 2026
Contains an edition of all the Old English texts in the Nowell Codex—about a third of a translation of a vita of Saint Christopher, Wonders of the East, a spurious letter of Alexander the Great to Aristotle, Beowulf, and most of a bad retelling (or a very bad translation) of the Book of Judith—as well as The Fight at Finnsburg, a fragment of a poem about a conflict also mentioned in Beowulf. Obviously Beowulf is the star here, but the Nowell Codex is also our only source for the vita (though we have the Latin original in a few variants), the letter (though we have the Greek original and about a billion translations and adaptations), and Judith.
The DOML series is very much trying to be Loebs-but-for-Medieval-texts, so the text edition is usable but definitely geared more towards people interested in the language or the story than the actual text (there is a non-standard and anaemic apparatus at the end of the book) and the commentary is very brief. The translation is just about serviceable and doesn't aim to be more than that—it's running prose even for Beowulf, which is certainly preferable to attempting iambic pentameter.
If you just need a good-enough text of Beowulf or any of the other texts in the Nowell Codex or Finnsburg (for serious values of good-enough), you could certainly do worse. I'm actually not sure if you could do much better.
The DOML series is very much trying to be Loebs-but-for-Medieval-texts, so the text edition is usable but definitely geared more towards people interested in the language or the story than the actual text (there is a non-standard and anaemic apparatus at the end of the book) and the commentary is very brief. The translation is just about serviceable and doesn't aim to be more than that—it's running prose even for Beowulf, which is certainly preferable to attempting iambic pentameter.
If you just need a good-enough text of Beowulf or any of the other texts in the Nowell Codex or Finnsburg (for serious values of good-enough), you could certainly do worse. I'm actually not sure if you could do much better.
Want to read
December 24, 2012Lovely hardcover.
The single copy of 'Beowulf' is part of a book with other tales of marvels and wonders. Whoever made this book had 'a fascination with the monstrous'. I always have, so can't go past this, and my resident expert says the translations are fantastic. It's original/translation on facing pages.
The single copy of 'Beowulf' is part of a book with other tales of marvels and wonders. Whoever made this book had 'a fascination with the monstrous'. I always have, so can't go past this, and my resident expert says the translations are fantastic. It's original/translation on facing pages.
March 2, 2023
I think that this rating is mainly based on the fact that I apparently don't really enjoy medieval books. The men, kings, heroes are insufferable, and seem to kill people and other creatures just for the fun of it. These men, however, are the protagonists of most stories. I enjoyed reading about a woman ("Judith") who chopped off the head of a tyrant most. The weird distances they used in "The Wonders of the East" where also entertaining, but it became a bit repetitive after the third page.
Read
April 7, 2021Overall, I quite enjoyed reading something so different to modern literature. That said, it's not something you read for fun really. I also have nothing to compare it to so I can't really rate the translation, although it was generally easy to read and the Appendix and Notes were interesting to dip into.
Beowulf
Finished 05/03/21
It seems weird to rate or review Beowulf. It’s an Old English epic poem, so I can’t really judge it in modern terms. The closest I’ve ever read is Book 9 of Paradise Lost, which I loved. But this is much older. Thus I can’t really rate it but I will say: it was enjoyable, but nothing was developed. Things were told in a very matter of fact way (an effect of the time and style). There was a lot of time dedicated to speeches and very little dedicated to action. I did like the descriptions of Grendel and his mother, though. I found myself drifting off and taking nothing in for long stretches and having to go back. I did like this copy for having the Old English on one side, not because I can read it, but because it’s just interesting to see. Also, too many mentions of chainmail armour - they mention it like every page, not sure why. Maybe my mind will change when I actually watch the lectures I am supposed to watch explaining it.
Ok yeah I enjoyed the lectures on this book a lot. I don't think it makes the text more accessible but they do make it more interesting. I doubt I'd ever go back and read Beowulf, but it's fun to hear about all the meanings and interpretations. Plus it's sparking my interest in reading more Old English texts just because they're kind of cool.
The Passion of St Christopher
Finished 9/3/21
Much shorter and also much more readable than Beowulf. Probably because it was originally prose and also I have more context for the content. I did enjoy ‘as soon as this miraculous speech from heaven was heard and completed, immediately he was killed by the soldiers’. I mean the bluntness is just amusing.
The Wonders of the East
Finished 23/3/21
I actually quite enjoyed that one. It’s like the Liber Monstrorum but much less condescending and sceptical. I was enchanted by some of the descriptions of the creatures, especially the ear people around line 73. I also liked the idea that phoenixes ‘build their nest of the most precious mixtures of the spice that is called cinnamon’ (lines 109-110). It’s not less racist than the Liber Monstrorum though which is a disappointment.
The Letter of Alexander to Aristotle
Finished 23/3/21
Alexander is clearly very up himself but also you would be in his position. Also he’s a bit of a dick although I suppose I should have expected as much from him. I do like reading about the ‘monsters’ and unknown creatures which I know to be, like, crocodiles or rhinos or whatever.
Judith
Finished 23/3/21
Ok maybe I’m just tired but I found it so hard to follow. I think I got the gist but honestly couldn’t tell you much about it. I’ll know more when I finally watch the lecture on it.
Beowulf
Finished 05/03/21
It seems weird to rate or review Beowulf. It’s an Old English epic poem, so I can’t really judge it in modern terms. The closest I’ve ever read is Book 9 of Paradise Lost, which I loved. But this is much older. Thus I can’t really rate it but I will say: it was enjoyable, but nothing was developed. Things were told in a very matter of fact way (an effect of the time and style). There was a lot of time dedicated to speeches and very little dedicated to action. I did like the descriptions of Grendel and his mother, though. I found myself drifting off and taking nothing in for long stretches and having to go back. I did like this copy for having the Old English on one side, not because I can read it, but because it’s just interesting to see. Also, too many mentions of chainmail armour - they mention it like every page, not sure why. Maybe my mind will change when I actually watch the lectures I am supposed to watch explaining it.
Ok yeah I enjoyed the lectures on this book a lot. I don't think it makes the text more accessible but they do make it more interesting. I doubt I'd ever go back and read Beowulf, but it's fun to hear about all the meanings and interpretations. Plus it's sparking my interest in reading more Old English texts just because they're kind of cool.
The Passion of St Christopher
Finished 9/3/21
Much shorter and also much more readable than Beowulf. Probably because it was originally prose and also I have more context for the content. I did enjoy ‘as soon as this miraculous speech from heaven was heard and completed, immediately he was killed by the soldiers’. I mean the bluntness is just amusing.
The Wonders of the East
Finished 23/3/21
I actually quite enjoyed that one. It’s like the Liber Monstrorum but much less condescending and sceptical. I was enchanted by some of the descriptions of the creatures, especially the ear people around line 73. I also liked the idea that phoenixes ‘build their nest of the most precious mixtures of the spice that is called cinnamon’ (lines 109-110). It’s not less racist than the Liber Monstrorum though which is a disappointment.
The Letter of Alexander to Aristotle
Finished 23/3/21
Alexander is clearly very up himself but also you would be in his position. Also he’s a bit of a dick although I suppose I should have expected as much from him. I do like reading about the ‘monsters’ and unknown creatures which I know to be, like, crocodiles or rhinos or whatever.
Judith
Finished 23/3/21
Ok maybe I’m just tired but I found it so hard to follow. I think I got the gist but honestly couldn’t tell you much about it. I’ll know more when I finally watch the lecture on it.
May 13, 2025
Okay!!!! The way that I liked all (most...) but the titular text. Wild. It's all Beowulf this, Beowulf that, but what about Judith? What about The Passion of St. Christopher? She beheads the man who sexually assaults her, and he has the head of a dog! Quite cool if you ask me! Still a Old English snoozefest, but that is a bridge I must cross alone. Zzz...
February 21, 2026
Beowulf itself is actually pretty good for an Old English poem especially if you're familiar with Anglo-Saxon conventions and have some biblical knowledge. Haven't read the other works in this book (except for the Finnsburh Fragment) tho and doubt that I have sufficient knowledge to fully grasp them lol
June 5, 2024
Still believe that eastern monsters is what unites this manuscript, why else would Judith and Christopher be included?
February 15, 2026
Fighting monsters bare-handed isn‘t the best thing to do if you want to live long (looking at you, Beowulf)
October 14, 2020
As with the other volumes in the Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library series, this one has a facing-text style with the Anglo-Saxon on one side and Fulk's English translations on the other. Beowulf is, of course, the work that will draw most people's attention to this book, yet Fulk, by including the other texts along with a history of this singular manuscript is able to draw attention to the broader issues and debates concerning that text. The introduction briefly surveys some of the known history of this manuscript, summarizes the texts in it and some related scholarly issues, such as the question of why this particular assortment of works were all included in a singular manuscript. While the theory that the texts were originally collected together out of a shared interest in monsters may hold some weight, the common theme of monstrosity will certainly hold the interest of modern fans of Beowulf. The other texts of the manuscript are certainly less well known to modern popular culture, but no less intriguing. The Passion of Saint Christopher recounts of the latter portion of the martyrdom of the cynocephalic saint. The Wonders of the East and The Letter of Alexander the Great to Aristotle contain a vast assortment of paradoxographical phenomena and monsters that are claimed to occupy the medieval terrae incognitae of the far east. The fragmentary Judith gives a brief version of the deuterocanonical book of Judith. Lastly, though it is not included in the manuscript itself, Fulk has also added a brief fragment of a text recounting another version of the Fight at Finnsberg episode, which is recounted in Beowulf. All of these texts are given lively translations, as Fulk manages the difficult task of writing in concise modern-sounding English that is accessible, yet still retains the aura of antiquity and solemnity that the original stories hold. Overall, it is a great read through for anyone who has already found an interest in Beowulf or these fictional worlds that would go on to inspire the writers of the modern fantasy genres.
August 10, 2014
I read this book while on an extended tour of Scotland, seeing before my eyes during the day the Bronze Age edifices of the Calandish Stones and Dun Carloway standing yet against the weather of time; the Medieval stages of Cawdor, Aviemore, Scone, Dunstaffnage, Doune, and Urquhart; and the Stone of Scone in its new shrine in Edinburgh Castle. The stories from this manuscript along with the vivid landscape through which I was traveling made for a great experience, tho the trip was actually inspired by James Boswell's "A tour to the Hebrides with Samuel Johnson LL.D." I'm sure a tour through Geatland in Sweden would be equally inspiring.
(My Description of the text below)
This edition offers the original language on facing pages to modern English text, making it a joy to read and glance back picking up original cognates and similar phrasing even for those new to the manuscript. For those embarking on more scholarly work, the expanded experience of having both languages is excellent. This particular translation by R. D. Fulk facilitated an engaging read of the stories in modern English while painting a well-detailed vision of the time of the authoring of the work as even it gazed into the world of Beowulf. This volume includes the full contents of the manuscript, including "The Passion of Saint Christopher", "The Wonders of the East", "The Letter of Alexander the Great to Aristotle", "Beowulf", "Judith," "and The Fighting at Finnsburg" with extended commentary on their context and related work. This context provides a good sense for how we inherit literature and also brings these works to greater light by their inclusion.
(My Description of the text below)
This edition offers the original language on facing pages to modern English text, making it a joy to read and glance back picking up original cognates and similar phrasing even for those new to the manuscript. For those embarking on more scholarly work, the expanded experience of having both languages is excellent. This particular translation by R. D. Fulk facilitated an engaging read of the stories in modern English while painting a well-detailed vision of the time of the authoring of the work as even it gazed into the world of Beowulf. This volume includes the full contents of the manuscript, including "The Passion of Saint Christopher", "The Wonders of the East", "The Letter of Alexander the Great to Aristotle", "Beowulf", "Judith," "and The Fighting at Finnsburg" with extended commentary on their context and related work. This context provides a good sense for how we inherit literature and also brings these works to greater light by their inclusion.
March 4, 2018
This text collects the entire Manuscript from which the legendary epic Beowulf was drawn. It allows a look at the context that usually accompanied the story. It's certainly an interesting collection with my favorites being The Passion of Saint Christopher and The Wonders of the East.
September 27, 2021
A fantastic and accurate translation of the entire Beowulf manuscript. It is a useful book as it gives not only the famous poem, but also what was bound with it as well.
Read
February 2, 2024One of the great pieces of literature of all time 🫡 I also liked this translation
July 6, 2024
(Ignoring beowulf) the first two texts (the wonders and the letter) reveal a lot about early medieval proto-colonial attitudes. Bare in mind that St Christopher is a 12 foot tall dog man. Judith is fantastic too.
(with beowulf) big strong men doing big strong man things. Etc, etc. the Grendel bits read best alongside the wonders, especially in questioning who is the arbiter of what’s human and what’s monstrous. Grendel is a “descendant of Cain” !!!
finnsburg 6/10. Tolkein had a good essay on it, which makes it make a lot more sense (it makes very little sense)
(with beowulf) big strong men doing big strong man things. Etc, etc. the Grendel bits read best alongside the wonders, especially in questioning who is the arbiter of what’s human and what’s monstrous. Grendel is a “descendant of Cain” !!!
finnsburg 6/10. Tolkein had a good essay on it, which makes it make a lot more sense (it makes very little sense)
October 23, 2021
pretty solid edition
April 17, 2023
I hate beowulf
July 31, 2023
I appreciate what it did. But it was very boring.
May 1, 2025
I read this for Brit Lit Before 1066 in Spring ‘25.
October 17, 2025
Love Fulk‘s translations.
February 12, 2012
The Beowulf Manuscript is an edition of the entire manuscript that contains Beowulf. There are four other tales included in the same manuscript as Beowulf: The Passion of St. Christopher (final third of the tale remains); The Wonders of the East; The Letter of Alexander the Great to Aristotle; and Judith. Reading Beowulf in its original setting gives a new lens through which to study the text. Are the stories randomly selected and compiled, or did the scribes have reasoning in their choices? Is it appropriate that we give Beowulf all the attention and neglect the other tales? This book makes the reader consider some interesting questions. (Old English appears on the left-hand page and a prose translation appears on the face page.
January 12, 2015
"Đonne is sum ea-lond in þære Readan Sæ, þær is man-cyn þæt is mid us Donestre nemned, þa syndon geweaxene swa frihteras fram þam heafde oð ðone nafolan, ond se oðer dæl bið minnisce onlic, ond hy cunnon eall mennisce gereord. Þonne hy fremdes cynnes mannan geseoð, þonne nemnað hy hyne ond his magas cuþra manna naman, ond mid leaslicum wordum hy hine beswicað ond hine gefoð, ond æfter þan hy hine fretað ealne buton þon heafde ond þonne sittað one wepað ofer þan heafde."
November 23, 2012
This was a new translation of Beowulf and I bought a copy to spur me to read the poem again, which I did. I am no classicist but it is rewarding to read it through, regardless of the version. This version was very readable.
January 27, 2012
This is supposedly the most accurate translation of the classic epic, complete with Old English. It's not the most easily readable version, but I applaud the work done to keep the accuracy precise.
Read
November 6, 2015Surprisingly Brilliant. Primarily about the relationship between heroes and monsters. But there is so much more in it. Politics, hints of the world order etc.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews