Thoughts about it, if anyone here actually read it.
Grendel scared me.
I like the way the Pagan past is conciled with the Christian present. The language is brilliant, the poet coining new words in OE as the need arose. Which translation did you guys read? I suggest reading (aloud) the Dick Ringler translation.
>>8208229
Heaney. Was totally doable.
>>8208195
the translation i read must have been absolute shit because i was really disappointed
>>8208229
I've read Raffel, Heaney, and Alexander. Thanks for the suggestion; I'll try Ringler on my next read-through.
The elite socialism the Geats have going is p neat
So much geneology
>>8208195
I haven't read it since AP lit in high schoolwhich was only three years ago
But we read the Heaney trnslation, and we were forced to memorize the first two pages in Old English. Really helps you understand our language's Germanic roots.
I'll never forget it:
HWAT WE GAER DAY NUM
IN GER DAGUM
But, w/r/t Beowulf as a story, it's enjoyable and representative of the traits valued in ENglish society at the time. I'm sure it has more value in terms of poetics/linguistic nuance tho
I wouldn't read anything by Anonymous after that Tundra series disaster and whatever that other one was.
>>8208195
The professor who taught it to me talked a lot about the politics of subversion particularly wrt to Grendel. It's interesting to consider as a work within its particular historical context but if you're trying to take some sort of moral out of it you're looking at the wrong story.
>>8208195
haha the cover looks like the principal dropped in on an elementary school play
Took 2 classes covering it. They covered: The development of literature, and the Scrop/storyteller as a role in societies; the Geats' 'vetting process' of Beowulf, and his success in earning their favor; tribes and representation.
One thing I took was that each sword (hrunting and the giant sword) had some kind of significance in the story. Beowulf's first was given as a gift by a rival, and broke quickly. The one he earned in battle was better. Modern SF/Fantasy tends to focus on special effects and extraneous details of weapons and armor, ignoring the storytelling aspects. Beowulf uses combat as a means to look deeper into the guy's character and the battles he faces.
Happy reading.
Can someone recommend me a good translation that still has the old english in it, separately or something.
Like the Bantam classics edition of Canterbury Tales which has the mid english on one page and the corresponding modern english on the other.
>>8208195
>Hwaet!
Stopped reading right there
I'm attracted to the dynamics between Unferð and Grendel
>>8208195
It's the best book this board ever wrote
>>8208494
i shitposted in that thred
>>8208229
> the way the Pagan past is conciled with the Christian present.
Excellent essay on the subject:
http://producer.csi.edu/cdraney/2011/278/resources/Tolkien%20-%20The%20Monsters%20and%20the%20Critics.pdf
>>8208432
Heaney.
>>8208475
>:3c
>>8208195
Worse than Naruto.
>>8208347
"My dragon is deaaaaaaaad! cried Beowulf"
>>8208475
We need to start bringing back the thorn
>>8208229
Really? When I read it, mind it's been a while, it seemed like those two facets weren't reconciled at all. It seemed like the christian author was determinedly trying to force a pagan story passed down from his pagan ancestors through his own christian lense and it was a little clumsy
