Superb!, 15 Feb 2005

By	J. Newton (London, England) - See all my reviews

Although composed in England, Beowulf is set in Scandinavia during the sixth century AD. The poem starts with the most notable warrior of the Geats, Beowulf, crossing the sea to the land of the Danes in order to rid them of a fearsome and evil monster who has terrorised King Hrothgar and his people since the construction of his impressive hall. This monster, Grendel stalked the kingdom at night attacking and devouring those who slept. After a confrontation with Grendal and then a second with the beast's mother, Beowulf returns home in triumph having killed both beasts and gaining favour from the native king. His rewards at both home and abroad are great and eventually he rises to the throne of his homeland where he rules impressively for fifty years. At this point Beowulf's final adversary emerges. A dormant dragon is woken by the theft of a gem-studded goblet from its hoard. The dragon, in a fit of rage, begins to decimate the land and it is clear that the beast must also be destroyed. A now aged Beowulf confronts the dragon in a final and decisive battle that claims both the dragon's life but also Beowulf's. In an emotive ending, Beowulf is mourned by his followers and people at his funeral, where his pyre is set alight and a memorial built.

Dating the poem is a very difficult task. It is understood that the poem could not have been composed before 521AD because of the reference in the poem to the death of Hygelac; the king of the Geats, who is known to have existed due to the sixth-century historian Gregory of Tours. Neither can it be later than about 1000AD as this is the date given to the only surviving Beowulf manuscript. It is uncertain when exactly between these two dates the poem was written, there are many theories on this, perhaps the most popular is for the seventh century. This is because the poet alludes to, and expects his audience to be familiar with, many characters and legends of Germanic origin that may have been forgotten in later times. Other historians have suggested the eighth century, while a few scholars have recently suggested a date as late as the tenth century. The exact date is unimportant; suffice it to say that the date of composition is thought to be some time between the seventh and tenth centuries AD.

Beowulf was originally written in Anglo-Saxon or Old English and there are undoubtedly many translation errors due the way in which the English language has developed. Despite this, the poem is still skilfully written and is, according to Seamus Heany "one of the foundation works of poetry in English." Studying it provides many insights into the period in which it was written.

One of the most notable features of the text is the reverence and piety offered to the Christian God. Throughout the poem, the author shows in his writing the religious nature of the culture that he comes from. For example, from line 923, when King Hrothgar gives thanks for the destruction of Grendal he says "First and foremost, let the Almighty Father be thanked for this sight." Other examples occur throughout the book, any notable event that takes place is said to have taken place through the Lord's bidding. There are also many scriptural references to the Old Testament, notably Grendal's origins that were linked to the sins committed by Caine and on more than one occasion Grendal is associated with the Devil.

The poem is also set in an obvious warrior culture in which a great name is to be found through great deeds on the battlefield and a good king is one who is able to defend his people and expand his borders. This type of culture is personified by the character Beowulf, hailed as the greatest hero, his fame and support stem from his prowess as a warrior and skill in battle. Presumably this type of society could be found in the period in which the poem was written, the qualities the reader sees in the hero Beowulf were the qualities that contemporaries looked for in their Lords. The 'code of honour' exhibited in the poem is also a reflection of the chivalry that existed in the society of the author. A society whose code of honour necessitated a sense of loyalty to your King, people and allies, in which the gratitude of the Shieldings to Beowulf in ridding them of Grendal would bind them Beowulf's own people, the Geats in their time of trouble. Alliances would presumably have been forged on a basis such as this.

The translated poem Beowulf was a thoroughly enjoyable assignment. As well as the language and story itself being very interesting and engaging, in reading Beowulf, I found many insights into a period that I have previously never studied.

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Grendel, "Finally, something I can sink my teeth in"., 28 Nov 2005

By	B. Chandler "xyzzy" (Arlington, Texas) - See all my reviews

This is not just an early poem; it is an epic. The basic story was also used as a basis of many movies. We have people helping others in what appears to be a no win situation.

There are 200 plus pages with the original text on the left page. The text is numbers to correspond with numbers on the translated right page. On the far right is a synopsis of what you are reading. This synopsis helps keep you from wandering from the text to speculate on what is really being said. It does not hurt to listen to this book but the written word is crucial towards finding the origins of names and the way words are used.

At the end of the book is a diagram of the family trees and this helps visualize how the different clans are related. There is also a large print version so you do have to get out your magnifying glass.

I found it handy to keep a dictionary with me as he uses a wide variety of words as in different context than most novels or texts use them. Still the language is so clear that if you do not mind glossing over these words you will still get the story and enjoy reading the adventure.

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