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Beowulf: A New Verse Translation
 
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Beowulf: A New Verse Translation (Hardcover)

by Seamus Heaney (Author)
4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (39 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Hardcover: 208 pages
  • Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux; 1 edition (15 Feb 2000)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0374111197
  • ISBN-13: 978-0374111199
  • Product Dimensions: 23.1 x 15.2 x 2.5 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 490,795 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review
What could be a more promising poetic project than the greatest of early English poems, Beowulf, newly translated by arguably the greatest of living poets writing in English, Seamus Heaney? The literary pedigree of this great fabular epic in the hands of Nobel Laureate Heaney matches Ted Hughes' award-winning rewrite of Ovid's Metamorphosis, Tales from Ovid. Heaney has chosen the plain, prosaic yet subtly cadenced vernacular of his Northern Irish roots as the poetic voice into which he renders this famous Anglo-Saxon fabular epic of a dragon-slaying Danish warrior. The result is an engaging evocation of the highly alliterative, densely metaphorical texture of Anglo-Saxon verse, which is famously hard to capture in modern English poetic forms.

"It's narrative elements may belong to a previous age but as a work of art it lives in the present," writes Heaney of this tale of monstrous, murderous Grendel, heroic, kingly Beowulf, blood-feuds, dragon-slaying and spiritual grace. The very plain-spokenness of Heaney's translation makes it admirably easy to read and understand, whilst rendering an often true translation at a galloping narrative pace. Heaney's Beowulf opens up one of the most famous founding epics of European literature to a modern world of new readers. --James Barry --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Customer Reviews

39 Reviews
5 star:
 (27)
4 star:
 (10)
3 star:
 (2)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.6 out of 5 stars (39 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars An enjoyable book, 26 Dec 2003
By Sally-Anne "mynameissally" (Leicestershire, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)   
This review is from: Beowulf: A New Translation (Paperback)
I'm the average reader: not a student or scholar studying the book, but a person who has just read the story for the first time. Also, I have no ear for poetry, which could well be perceived as a profound disadvantage when reading an epic poem. So I'm pleased to announce that the book is readable and enjoyable. Seamus Heaney's introduction is helpful, moving and filled me with anticipation so I could hardly wait to start reading his translation. As expected, the poetry element was almost entirely lost to me but I could, at least, tell that it's beautifully written. The story itself is a gripping yarn and disbelief needs to be suspended, especially for aquatic sections where Beowulf appears to be able to function under water for hours and swim for weeks dressed in mail. He could have been an early model for Superman. I've never read anything like this book before and enjoyed it despite the fact that it seemed very odd to me. My only criticism is that I thought a glossary would have been useful.
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37 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars BEOWULF LITE..., 4 Nov 2003
By Lawyeraau (Balmoral Castle) - See all my reviews
(TOP 10 REVIEWER)   
This review is from: Beowulf: A New Translation (Audio CD)
This is the new verse translation of this first millennium text, which was written sometime between the seventh and tenth centuries by an unknown English author. Translated by Seamus Heaney, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1995, and read by him on this audio cd, he breathes new life into this mythic epic.

This is the story of the heroic Beowulf , and his timeless story is stark in its simplicity, made sonorous by the poetic reading given by Seamus Heaney. It is, in its simple narrative, a story that was meant to be read aloud. After all, between the seventh and the tenth centuries, few people could read.

Seamus Heaney gives a remarkable reading, his soft brogue and cadence capturing the dark, epic mood of the piece. His verse translation gives the story an accessibility that should make it a much more enjoyable experience for many who may have shied away from this early English work.

What is there not to like about this story? It is about a hero who vanquishes monsters and lives to fight another day in the quintessential battle between good and evil. Its message, undoubtedly relevant when written, is still relevant today. Those who are new to this work should consider purchasing the audio cd and listening to Seamus Heaney's rendition of this ancient work.

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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A translation that fits the story, 1 Nov 2006
This review is from: Beowulf: A New Translation (Paperback)
Beowulf is an exciting tale and this fast-paced and wonderful translation allows modern readers to explore the story in all of its glory. I first had to read Beowulf as an assignment and was skeptical about reading a story written so long ago. Fortunately, I picked up this translation by Seamus Heaney. As a result I have discovered the wonderful world of medieval literature and it's all thanks to this book. Buy it and read it. Who knows, maybe you'll discover that you've been missing out on a really great thing.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Epic stuff
Heaney has tried to retell the poem in its own terms, and his recasting of the poet's original imagery is vivid - we can almost smell Grendel and his mother, and Smaug's hoard... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Nicholas Whyte

5.0 out of 5 stars Beowulf - Seamus Heaney
Seamus Heaney's literary transaltion, 'Beowulf', is an epic adaptation of the originally Anglo - Saxon poem, written sometime between the 8th and early 11th century. Read more
Published 6 months ago by O. Tutcher

4.0 out of 5 stars Beowulf: Story of a true warrior
This remarkable story was written sometime between seventh and tenth century of first millennium in Anglo-Saxon or Old English language. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Mr. Tomas Skiotys

4.0 out of 5 stars Epic stuff!
This was my first encounter with Beowulf, (I haven't seen the film either). I chose the bilingual edition to see what the Old English looked like and although I could barely... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Annabel Gaskell

3.0 out of 5 stars Monotonous
I was very much looking forward to listening to 'Beowulf' read by its illustrious author/translator. Read more
Published 15 months ago by J. Smith

5.0 out of 5 stars Englands Oldest Legend!!!!!!
originally told round the bonfire and in small halls until it was finally written down in the 7th century(ish) after it was brought to england by the invading... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Mr England

4.0 out of 5 stars Beowulf BY Heaney?
Although I should've known before buying it, the translation seems to have too much of Heaney's personality in it to be considered an honest translation (though I have of course... Read more
Published 16 months ago by N. A. FURNIVAL

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome
This poem was written between the 7th and 10th centuries and praises the adventures of the hero, Beowulf. Read more
Published 20 months ago by kehs

5.0 out of 5 stars This is an excellent, inspired, suitably elemental translation.
Seamus Heaney's Beowulf is a masterful reworking of the traditional Saxon epic. Somewhat definitively, it captures the stark elemental intimacy of an age where nature and man are... Read more
Published 20 months ago by S. Crawford

5.0 out of 5 stars A hero for all times
I read Beowulf for the first time over 25 years ago (in a different translation obviously) as a first year student of English Literature. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Didier

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