Beowulf

By J. Lesslie Hall

Set in sixth-century Scandinavia, this epic poem recounts a hero’s battles against horrific monsters.

Hrothgar, the king of the Danes, finds his domain threatened by the beast Grendel. Miraculously, a hero from the Geats seafaring tribe, Beowulf, arrives and slaughters Grendel, saving the Danes. Yet nearly as soon as Grendel is slain, Beowulf must face another foe: Grendel’s mother.
This millennium-old work of literature tells of Beowulf’s fierce fights during his fifty-year rule over his people—as well as his ultimate battle against a fire-breathing dragon who has wreaked chaos and destruction upon the Geats. This famous and powerful scene was the first appearance of a dragon-slayer in English literature.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Media
• Release date: May 5, 2020
• ISBN: 9781504062787

Book preview

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Reviews for Beowulf

[wickenden-285487 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very fun telling.

[janemarieprice · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This translation of Beowulf is excellent. It captures the spirit of the poetry without becoming too dense to read. I had read excerpts of the story for various classes and never enjoyed it. It is definitely something that you have to read the entire thing to find interesting.

[hermit_9_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

McNamara makes no bones about it. He is more interested in an accurate translation than in conveying the poetic feel of Beowulf. The poem offers a glimpse into pre-Christian European life, but it is so infused with Christian commentary (by the monks who transcribed and preserved the oral tradition) that it is difficult for a layman to separate what is real and what is overlay. Because McNamara focuses on pure translation, this version is fairly easy to read, given how and when it was originally written.

[scottcholstad · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Yes, a classic, I know. And not bad. But not my favorite, nor one of the best, I think. Still, recommended.

[scottjpearson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Like many, I have not touched this work since my class on British Literature in high school. I have learned a lot since then, and my capacity for processing great literature has only increased. This book, perhaps the first great work in the English language (Old English, that is), has remained the same. Today, I read it in one afternoon and loved every minute of it. Raffel’s translation brings out the drama of the tale while maintaining the simple, Old-English style.The setting portrays a far different world than modern life. We are taken back to the world of kingdoms – of a mythical people known as the Geats. These ancients, presumably living sometime in the early middle ages, approach life in fear of the unknown, symbolized by monsters. They are motivated by riches and social standing. They are governed by kings. Indeed, according to the storyteller, good kings take care of their people, and good soldiers act in courage. (Some things never change.)The plot is simple enough. An ancient knight ends up preserving civilized kingdoms from attacks by three great monsters. He is rewarded with riches, fame, and power. Interestingly, the country of England was not once mentioned in the telling; The Danes, the Fracks, and the Swedes, however, are. The protagonist Beowulf ends up becoming a king and dying nobly.This lively tale helps readers get in touch with an earlier culture yet preserves an element of humanity that should not be forgotten. Indeed, this poem portrays human nature in an elegant and noble light. No matter our era or station, we all want to be celebrated, and we all want to be known as courageous. In this tale, perhaps unlike most of medieval and modern life, good overcomes evil. In showing the effects of Christianity, reverence towards the Deity is displayed. We do not yet have the nuance of Reformation theology nor of Shakespeare’s (or even Chaucer’s) England.This story helped me get in touch with my inner boy who likes adventure. If Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn does that for American youth, perhaps Beowulf does that in the English (or even European) setting. The afterword makes this book sound utterly foreign to contemporary life. I did not find that to be the case. Perhaps the afterword should have been written by someone who has once been a young male child. Reading it as an adult decades after high school, I can easily see why it achieved the status of a classic. I can only hope my poetry reflects a tinge of the liveliness of this anonymous tale.

[nx74defiant · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I find it easier to listen to than read. That is how these stories were shared originally.

[lorenelambert · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a great translation. I enjoyed every line of it. If you combined this with Tolkien's translation of "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight", you'd have an evening of purely escapist medievel literature. (yeah, I know, Beowulf's not strictly medievel. whatever) Very good stuff.

[harmless_dilettante · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is brilliant translation of a classic tale. It's easy to see why Heaney landed himself a Nobel. Do yourself a favor and get the Audio version of Heaney reading his book. His soft Irish accent perfectly compliments this epic poem.

[jenngauthier · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Heaney's translation is stunning in its beauty. He manages to capture the effortless alliteration of the original, yet the language flows seamlessly. The inclusion of the Old English version is nice for those of us who are interested in such things, but this doubtless isn't the best edition for scholars, as Heaney strays more from the original text than some. If you're only going to own one translation of Beowulf, make it this one.

[pulpexploder · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The first great English (albeit Old English) epic. If you want to know what kinds of things Anglo Saxons concerned themselves with, what they looked up to and what they worried about, this is a book for you.

[joles_3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

If you are able to get past the archaic language used (even in the translations) this book is very riveting. It is well written and the action never ends. There are many interpretations of this work. There is a reason this is a classic.

[magus_manders · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Only so much can be said about Beowulf that hasn't already been heard, and I am not one to do it. Having read this, it's clear to see why this story has lasted so long and been such an influence to so many authors and scholars. It is a richly mythical melange of Christian themes and Nordic paganism in a stirring adventure story. I will say that as far as epic poetry goes, I'm more partial to the Iliad, which to me has much more complex and dynamic characters, but the setting is far less intimate and in a way, less fantastic. The best part of this volume, however would have to be the side-by-side translation Most of the Old English was completely alien, but ever now and then one world, like 'mist' or 'helm' would jump out at you from the jumble and make clear where this language I write comes from.This is a book that anyone interested in myth and story should read at least once. Now, the question is, will I read it again? Probably not. For all its pros, it is sort of a stodgy and dated work. Things are very flat, and at times very uninteresting. The movie that was released just recently (the CGI one, not the live action) probably saved the entire work in giving it an alternative meaning and some characters who, at the very least, lie every now and then.

[metalgoddessamb · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An Excellent translation! It flows very well when reading it, and keeps you engaged.

[legalmove · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Magnificent translation, capturing the strength of the poem without sacrificing its beauty

[elizabeth5michele · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wonderful poem beautifully written, a little bloody but a great story.

[ostrom_2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was the first translation of Beowulf I read, and I still like it.

[woosang_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Very difficult poem to understand in full. I only got a fraction of the way through before I got lost.

[ysar_6 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read this is high school, and I'm not sure I fully appreciated it. I enjoyed it much, in part because I find it fascinating that a story so old still has resonance. In any case, I look forward to reading this one again.

[librarygirl66 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Graphic novel adaptation of the Old English epic poem, Beowulf.

[antiquary_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Adequate but not nearly as good as I expected from his prize and some reviews. Occasionally jarring for informality or anachronism

[dcarchitect_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A trace of the origins of English Literature. Proof that adventure, excitement, and heroes are timeless.

[berthirsch · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This ancient tale written in old english is translated by the famous poet, Seamus Heaney, in a bi-lingual publication. What I imagined would be a difficult text to read was, in fact, a fast suspenceful tale built on character development and action.It is easy to see how this tale became a precursor to later literature of the Middle Ages and the more modern writings such as The Lord of the Rings. I highly recommend this classic to all ages.

[arctic1stranger · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a great way to cash in on the recent movie. Heaney's version is readable, and his translation flows very well. There are not a lot of unneccessary flourishes here, which works well for Beowulf. It, like the hero, is a sturdy translation. The introductory essay is good.

[dilapsor · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is without a doubt my favorite edition of the ancient poem. Aside from the fact that it fits in my back pocket, the Modern English translation contained within lends itself to being read aloud much better (in my opinion) than Seamus Heaney's version. This edition of Beowulf amazingly manages to capture both the language as well as the poetic meter that seemed to be lacking in the Heaney edition. The only real complaint I can offer regarding this edition is something that has plagued Signet Classics for years: Terrible printing. Aside from that, it is a truly spectacular translation.

[fionacat_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The absolute best version of "Beowulf" out there. I love the original Old English (Anglo-Saxon) text on the facing page.

[wordygirl39 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the book that made me want to be an English major back in 1985 Advanced English with Mr. Verlengia. I had so much fun in that class learning about Mead and Grendel. Mr. V. made us read it aloud. Heaney's masterful translation brings it all back again.

[amabel300 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed the story itself, but the actual book bored me to tears. Past its time perhaps.

[nch05 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I would not have understood it or liked it had I read it on my own, but by reading it in class with explanations I thought it was facinating.

[harahel_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Seamus Heaney's translation captures the soul of Old English without belaboring the point. Very enjoyable.

[penwing · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Wasn't actually a fan of this. it has plot, but that's about it. Oh, and faily hisotry. Masses of "blah son of bleh son of blih". Guess it just aint my cup of tea.