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This is the second translation of Beowulf I've read completely through. The first was Tolkien's, and while I enjoyed it use of language more, Heaney's is a lot easier to read and understand while still being in verse.
For the poem itself, one the greatest. It's important to note, if you want to compare his translation with the Old English text that the original text included is not what Heaney translated from because it was under copyright. This is evident as early as line six which reads "Eorle" ...more
For the poem itself, one the greatest. It's important to note, if you want to compare his translation with the Old English text that the original text included is not what Heaney translated from because it was under copyright. This is evident as early as line six which reads "Eorle" ...more
Beowulf, the work that caused me to realize my love of epic poetry as well as older forms of English. My fascination with it actually lead me to try my hand at writing an epic of my own in the alliterative verse style. Beowulf is a rousing story, and one could easily imagine it being recited in a fire-lit meadhall. It brings the old Germanic world alive in ways that are hard to describe. Certainly a different style of work than modern readers are used to, but oh so good!
A lot of this translation is great, full of engagingly direct wordplay with lots of thrilling alliteration and imaginative devices. But the anachronisms really take me out of the text— the “bros,” “stans,” & “hashtags,” etc. Either go full modern or don’t. This translation tries to have it both ways and doesn’t work so well because of it.
Dec 17, 2015
Dan
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