Rating: 
Summary: I would cast Russell Crowe
Review: Do not be put off by the fact that this is a verse translation of an Anglo-Saxon poem. Beowulf is an epic hero - I would cast Russell Crowe - on a mission to rid the land of monsters more horrid than anything generated by a computer. Bigfoot-lookalike Grendel and his more vicious mother rip the limbs from Beowulf's trusty followers, but our boy does good, going underwater to fight them to the finish. He is rewarded with carousing in the mead-hall, and gold, gold and more gold. In the last half of the poem, after ruling in peace and justice for 50 years,at last Beowulf has a comeback fixture - this time against a dragon. But I won't tell you what happens. You'll have to read the poem which is beautifully and fluently translated by Seamus Heaney into a language as muscular earthy and hauntingly full of the joy and sadness of life as the poem itself.
Rating:
Summary: Reawakening the sense of wonder
Review: "Beowulf" is, first and foremost, a good story clad in well-crafted language. But the distance between that language and modern English is far too great for most readers to bridge, and translators tend to opt for either the all-too-pedestrian literal or the all-too-precious literary. Heaney has created a translation that not only preserves the "feel" of the original as well as its meaning, but is also a "good read" -- it sounds utterly effortless, and that's REALLY hard to achieve (I speak from experience, having spent an entire semester of graduate school translating the original Anglo-Saxon). The poem is a compelling tale of heroism and the marvelous, and Heaney has made it fresh and exciting again.
I was especially struck by how the hero Beowulf "grows up" in the course of the poem: at the beginning he's a young man (albeit with exceptional wisdom and good sense) whose main concern is his heroic reputation; in the final episode, he's a mature, conscientious ruler who takes on the dragon out of a sense of responsibility to use his gifts for his people's benefit, even if the encounter proves fatal to him. Most translations don't convey this progression, but Heaney's language brings it out beautifully.
The introduction is admirable too -- beautifully written, with just enough historical background to clarify the poem's context without overwhelming the reader. Heaney's story of how he chose the "tone" of his translation is charming, and his discussion of the continuity between Anglo-Saxon and English dialects is fascinating: clearly, here's a man who LOVES language and wants to share his delight in it with his readers.
The book is a pleasure to handle, too, attractively printed and formatted. My only quibble is with the cover image: it's striking, but the poem alludes about a zillion times to Beowulf's "helmet," and, given the number of historical "re-enactors" around nowadays, it wouldn't have been impossible for the photographer to come up with a reasonably authentic helmet (that cheesy chain mail wouldn't have stood up to Grendel's dam, let alone a dragon!).
Rating: 
Summary: A trip back in time
Review: I'm no scholar of translations, but I thoroughly enjoyed this version of Beowulf. I had read Beowulf in high school and never got this kind of a thrill. After enjoying Heaney's "North," I decided to take a second look at Beowulf and was rewarded. This epic tale takes the reader back in time to a period when Christianity was new and pagan religions still close in the memory. Treat yourself to this well told tale of the days of old!
Rating:
Summary: Not your Father's Beowulf!
Review: Like many students of the Middle Ages, I was forced to read one of the abominable (substitute "word-for-word") translations of this venerable and noble tale when I was in college. A friend of mine once said, "It is against the law to enjoy Beowulf" and based upon my own experience, I had to agree.Well, not any more. In fact, when I finished this wonderful version (and I read it in only three sittings, it kept me so absorbed) I lent it to my current boss, who just happens to be the person quoted above! I am sure she will enjoy it as much as I did. Go thou and do the same.
Rating:
Summary: A better read than other translations
Review: I am not qualified to say whether this is the best translation of the original words into modern words, but it certainly reads smoothly and feels right to me. Heaney takes us there, with very few breaks in the proper structure, and equally few words that jar the modern ear. This was an ambitious project, and it certainly succeeded for me. I bought a bunch of copies to give to friends in my medieval recreationist group. Most of us already have another translation or two lying around, but this is the one to read for the joy of it.
Rating:
Summary: Excellence From Beginning to End
Review: It is difficult enough to write original poetry, but to effectively translate and update an epic from another age, language and culture is daunting even to contemplate. Seamus Heaney has certainly made Beowulf a joy to read for me. He keeps continuity and flow in the translation so that the reader sees and feels the flashes of insight and historical perspective contained at points throughout the story, with little or no effort. I would strongly recommend this translation to anyone who is interested in finding the underlying and not so obvious components of life in that era and in that place.
Rating:
Summary: Shamelessly Romantic!
Review: Urged to read Seamus Heaney's translation of BEOWULF by the Best Sellers Lists (I felt the need to know why this old warhorse was getting so much popular attention...), I must join the ranks of readers who now feel a resurgence of faith in the reading public! We've all been through the original translations somewhere in our schooling and I never considered this an important poem. But what a wallop it now packs! Heaney's macho way with words and his tossing about of impossible names that challenge even Wagnerites rarely gets in the way of the sheer romanticism of centuries-old tale telling. This is "Fantasia" without needing the music, an epic, bragadocio good guy/bad guy story that leaps off the beautifully constructed and designed pages and just asks to be enjoyed. I doubt I'll ever stuggle through the Old English version provided here page for page, but I'm sure I'll be re-reading this bonanza whenever I feel the need for heroes. And we thought blood & guts & violence was a contemporary problem in the movies....!
Rating:
Summary: Much More Than a Translation, This Is A Transformation
Review: To call Seamus Heaney's achievement a translation is not to do it justice. What he has accomplished here is a transformation of a poem which I admire very much in the original but have to admit is one that has always seemed to just plod along in translation. Not any more! Heaney has made the language vivid in the manner of the Beowulf poet. He has captured beautifully the drama and the artistic unity of the poem which Tolkien spotted in his important essay on Beowulf over 60 years ago. The end result is a literary masterpiece in its own right. I cannot wait to hear the audiotape. I have heard Seamus Heaney read both his own and Yeats's poetry and he is an absolutely masterful reader.
Rating:
Summary: English Lit 101
Review: I read Beowulf originally in prep school where it was required reading. Now, I love history, I am a rabid Anglo-phile, and I enjoy a well spun tale. This however is a saga of epic proportions. This man (God) Beowulf is the Superman of British folklore. He can swim further and better in full armor than a US Navy SEAL, he can defeat any man (or group of men) single handed while reciting poetry (ala Cryano de Bergerac) and please all the women with the simple flexing of his massive biceps. I used to eat this up. But now I write it off to puberty and raging hormones. Reading it again as an over forty adult, it loses much of it's mystique and wonder. It is still an engrossing account of early Anglo (read, pre Norman) adventures and puts Conan and all the other comic book heroes to shame. A good read if you have the time, the imagination, and inkling. Though it is period fiction, not even Hollywood Glitz and special effects could touch this. However, if you enjoy real characters and real heroes making real history, then read about Brian Boru, the Lion of Ireland. He puts Beowulf to shame and was a real King of Ireland who kicked the Vikings off the Emerald Isle in the 10th century. ("The Lion Of Ireland" by Morgan Llewellyn comes to mind.) Either way, you will find it a worthwhile read.
Rating:
Summary: A great translation of a so-so story
Review: As a great fan of the Iliad, the Odyssey, the Aeneid, etc, I had great hopes for Beowulf, which I had never had a chance to read in school. I have to say that the ancients had a much better grasp of suspense, character development and denouement than did the Anglo-Saxons, but despite this Beowulf is a very interesting read. Furthermore, the translation seems to be wonderful. Though I can't speak to its accuracy, it is very evocative of the spirit of the time, and yet is very readable to a modern audience.
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