Beowulf

Rating:
Summary: A servicable translation, if you think Beowulf was Celtic
Review: The book jacket is one of my favourite covers of all time. Simple and attention-getting, it is the cover that Beowulf has been waiting for.

Unfortunately, the translation isn't. Heaney's translation is ok, but the Irish words and phrasing that pop up every so often were extremely jarring. Beowulf was a Geat. In modern terms, he was a Swede. While I wouldn't care to read a Beowulf that had him talking like the Swedish Chef, he also shouldn't sound like a character from "The Commitments".

Get Chickering's classic dual language edition instead. It catches the poetry of the original (yes, I've read it in Anglo-Saxon, where it truly sings) much better.

Rating:
Summary: Includes Untranslated Original Anglo-Saxon Text
Review: One worthwhile feature of this edition is that it includes the untranslated original Anglo-Saxon text on the left-hand pages and Heaney's translation on right-hand pages.

I enjoy reading over the Anglo-Saxon text and picking out words that I can recognize, for instance "medo" for mead (beer). Seeing the original words provides an additional sense of how ancient and otherworldly the kingdoms of the Geats and Spear-Danes were.

In addition, the original text permits one to understand better the format of the original poem. The verses did not rhyme but they relied heavily on internal alliteration.

The English of the translation is modern and as readable as most others. One aspect which I liked is that the name of the first Beowulf in the book is given as Beow in order to avoid confusing the reader with the hero of the book who only appears later.

Rating:
Summary: A Hero from the Dark Ages...
Review: A role model for today. Beowulf was a simple, forthright, courageous man. How many of today's so-called leaders have those qualities?? I can't help but wonder why, considering the premium that a "real" man of that era put on having a "legitimate" heir, he never got married and passed on those great genes.

I can't judge the translation since Heaney's is the only one I've read.

Rating:
Summary: If you can't sleep, read this book
Review: This book, I swear to God, put me to sleep in the middle of the afternoon. I had heard it was good (despite being written in verse). However, I was sadly mistaken. The plot sounds very interesting, but it is less intelligible and interesting than Shakespeare. Who knows, maybe it's just me.

Rating:
Summary: Contemporary Irish bard captures Anglo-Saxon ambiance
Review: Superb! After decades of writing some of the most muscular and earthy lines in poetry, Heaney has gone digging into our literary roots and made a modernization of Beowulf that should be the definitive rendition for the remainder of our lives.

Rating:
Summary: It's just Heaney being Heaney.
Review: Beowulf, translated by a man afraid of an exclamation point.

Rating:
Summary: Beowulf...a reappraisal
Review: The first time I read Heaney's Beowulf, I was possibly too shocked by what I saw as the translator's hubris. His renaming of characters and abbreviated notes in the margins put me off. I was not impressed by what I saw as the dumbing down of one of the greatest epics. Yet time has given me some clarity and perspective.

The great value I now see to Heaney's Beowulf is that it speaks to the audience of today. More than just a poem, Beowulf has really become a myth of sorts. Its tale of courage in the grimmest of circumstances is timeless--and in some ways extra-literary. It deserves the wide audience Heaney has given it.

Many of the choices that I felt were quirks in Heaney's translation have actually grown on me. When appreciated for its dynamic inventiveness, Heaney's translation becomes a special thing. The side by side text is an extremely valuable bonus to the student of Old English.

Mea Culpa...I was wrong. Forgive me Seamus. I give this Beowulf my heartfelt recommendation.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent translation
Review: I must admit, I've only read two versions of "Beowulf," but I find this one so masterfully translated that I doubt I'll ever take my chances with another. Seamus does a wonderful job of capturing the emotion, the power of the story of Beowulf. The translation couldn't have been better.

Beowulf is a timeless story of a hero among men. In a time when a man's worth was shown by his acheivements and his prowess in battle, Beowulf stood head and shoulders above the rest. This beautiful tale has been the basis for countless legends, stories, books, even movies.

Beowulf is the ideal hero--brave, just, loyal to his king. In life, the accomplishments of Beowulf had no equal, and even in death he proves his nobility. He was more concerned with his legacy than with his own life. As he himself said:

So must a man do
Who intends to attain enduring glory
In a combat. Life doesn't cost him a thought. (1534-36)

Rating:
Summary: Seamus Heaney's Talented Work
Review: Beowulf has become quite a popular book over the ages, and after reading it, the reason can be seen why. Seamus Heaney did a fantastic job of translating it, and the side notes in the margin aid the understanding. Heaney was able to apparently keep many of the same themes throughout the novel, and he did his best to keep many of the elements the same. Of course, he also had enough sense to know when writing elements wouldn't work, so he would at times change some of the structure.
The introduction to the epic is also mighty helpful because readers are able to get a background on what is going on and what went into this book.
This book is assigned to a lot of students, especially at the college level, but it is a very important part of literature that has influenced the culture, so it's an important read. Plus, it keeps you entertained all the way through since the plot almost runs straight from one battel to the next.
And if none of this makes you want to read it, it is a national best seller, so that many people can't possibly be wrong.

Rating:
Summary: Grendel, "Finally, something I can sink my teeth in".
Review: Actually Grendel did not say that. However this translation is something that you can sink your teeth in. There is a 22-page introduction. At first you think it is too long. After reading the introduction you realize it is too short and knowing more about what Seamus Heaney accomplished, you wish half the book were the introduction. In the introduction He covers references to J.R.R. Tolkien's ""Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics", the average readers needed background knowledge and the reason he chose the particular words for this translation.
It is the words he chose to use and method of applying them that makes this translation palatable to the average reader. It may also be this translation that may grate on some people. This is like comparing the King James Version of the Bible to the Good News Bible. (However he is not transliterating or paraphrasing) The main idea is that this would be the translation if you were to verbalize the saga.
There are 213 numbers 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.
At the end of the book is a diagram of the family trees and this helps visualize how the different clans are related.
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.