A New Verse Translation (Bilingual Edition)

The hero is defined by and against his enemies. The 1000 year old epic story of Beowulf, Grendel, its mother, and the Dragon is given new life in this wonderfully frank and straightforward translation. Like many others the last time I had visited Beowulf was about 15 years ago via a somewhat archaic and convoluted version in high-school. I was pleased to finally obtain Mr. Heaney's version, which was sold out at numerous places. The age old story moves along briskly as Heaney weaves the plot-line of the courageous hero sailing across the seas to assist a noble king whose hall is being terrorized nightly by the malevolent creature Grendel. Beowulf seems most alive when he's battling the monster, and then the revenge minded mother of Grendel. The lull of 50 years is finally broken by one last conflict for the archetypical hero to steel himself against. Released from its guardian slumber by the a servants theft, an ancient dragon blackens the land in retribution. Beowulf, now an old man resigns that he will go out in a figurative and literal blaze of glory. The two combatants are joined together in death; linked forever in song and poem in the memories of the people. The book utilises small descriptive snippets interspersed w/ the text to give the reader a further clearer idea of what is going on, similar to annotation. I found these to be insightful and helpful in the overall enjoyment of the book. An excellent read, which should always be followed by John Gardner's Grendel. Recommended.

Seamus Heaney's "Beowulf" has been so widely praised and admired, even in the short time period in which it has (as of this writing) been available, that it seems the chorus of approval needs no more amplification.
What is often lost in the cavalcade of positivity that accompanies all mention of this translation is the visceral experience one receives while reading it.
In the introduction Heaney writes about classical works being written on a seeming "official paper", that stands in the way of the work's full enjoyment in the modern era (this could just be my reading of it). With this translation Heaney has done away with said "official paper" and we are left with a rousing adventure that taps into our very real notions of heroism.
It is not terribly unlikely that since Seamus Heaney is an "official poet", his "official translation" might turn a few lay readers off before they've even tried reading it. That is unfortunate. Heaney's Beowulf is as inspiring as any truly great poem, and as exciting and pulse-quickening as any blockbuster.

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.

There are many excellent reasons to buy this book. The translation is beautiful, the book is well made, the introduction is wonderful, the text is clear, and, perhaps most of all, the original old English is on the facing pages.

But if you are not going to benefit from the original Anglo-Saxon text, consider purchasing Heaney's same translation in the Norton Critical Edition instead. You still get his introduction and you also get a wealth of secondary materials at the end of the book, including Tolkien's famous article on Beowulf, "The Monsters and the Critics," along with many others.

Be sure you buy the newer Norton edition, "Beowulf, a Verse Translation," which has Heaney's version, instead of the older Norton Beowulf with a prose translation (also good, but very different!).

Whatever you do, I predict you will enjoy the poem.

Seamus Heaney's Beowulf is the best translation of a classic work into a modern language that I have seen in years, it may yet be my personal favorite translation of all time (best to let the thrill of the reading wear off before that judgement is made, however). I have done a bit of translation work from modern languages other than English, and am fully aware of how difficult it is to translate a line of prose from one living language to another, while acomplishing the two tasks that are the goal of every translator; 1- convey the meaning of the words, 2-convey the aesthetic "feel" of the words. These two goals are very often in serious conflict with one another- and when one adds in the element of the subject being poetry it makes it even harder, because you have to mediate the first two goals, and then add another; fit it all into a lyrical framework.
Much of the time, translators simply drop the poetry, and represent the story as prose (the Rieus version of the Iliad does this)and this is a choice I usually respect. Trying to force a story into an alien rhyme scheme makes them, very often, unbearably cheesy (viz. most versions of the Aeneid); whereas the Rieus' Iliad is a rollicking good time.
Nevertheless, the loss of lyricism is indeed a loss; especially when the sounds of the words when spoken are particularly beautiful, or the lyrical framework particularly appropriate for conveying the mood of a story. Ironically, the better the poet is in the original language the more difficult it becomes for her voice to survive the translator's work.
And this is why (back to the orginal topic) Heaney's work is so jaw-dropping. The story works as faithful translation, beautiful writing, and poetry as well. It is entirely comprehensible, faithful to the original text, and yet has the distinct ring of an authentic saxon "voice." I would give my right arm to have half the ability with translating modern languages that Heaney has brought to bear on this translation of the classic saxon epic.

For those who have heard the names of Grendel and Beowulf and seen the epic alluded to in comic books, movies and Michael Crichton's Eaters of the Dead, this version of the tale should serve as a good introduction.

The only other translation of Beowulf I'm familiar with is the Burton Raffel one which I've read three times and still prefer to Heaney's. However, not knowing Old English, I can't say which is more accurate. Raffel does try to preserve the structure of Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse while Heaney, as he notes in his introduction, never feels compelled to strictly follow that form though he does quite a bit.

However, I suspect many readers may find that old verse form strange, awkward, and a bit offputting, and, for them, this version of the old epic is probably the best. I always found the last third of the epic the most moving and melancholy, and, there, Heaney's translation is as powerful as Raffel's.

So spoke Beowulf, legendary warrior/prince of the Geats (a Germanic people who inhabited southern Sweden around 500 CE) and hero of the poem of the same name, a poem in Old English that is arguably the cornerstone of English poetry. I had never read this classic, but with my youngest son now reading it as part of his ninth-grade course in world history, I decided to unshelve my hardback copy of the Seamus Heaney translation and fill that particular gap in my education. My conclusion is that BEOWULF is not an essential component of a minimally well-rounded education - as, say, "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" are - but it is interesting and well-worth the several hours required to read it.

As I understand it, BEOWULF in near the form that has come down to us (i.e., as it exists in a manuscript in the British Library) was composed between 650 and 1000. It is a heroic epic narrative, in verse, of the tale of a great warrior/prince, Beowulf, that is set in Scandinavia and references battles and shifting alliances between various Germanic/Scandinavian peoples, including the Geats, the Swedes, the Danes, the Jutes, and the Frisians. Some of these events - indeed, some of the personages from the poem - correspond to historical events and figures, and thus the time period for the tale can be set at roughly the middle of the 6th Century.

So one of the interesting aspects of the tale, for me, is that it was transported from Scandinavia to the British Isles - a strong indication of just how thoroughly Anglo-Saxon were at least some areas of Britain circa 700-800. Another interesting aspect of the tale is how it inhabits an intermediate zone between paganism and Christianity, as if obligatory homage to the Christian God has been superimposed on an essentially pre-Christian or pagan tale. (Furthermore, such references as there are to a Christian tradition are almost exclusively Old Testament references.) But what is most interesting to me is how BEOWULF seems to intersperse an epic narrative with hortatory prescriptions or guides to exemplary conduct for the thanes, retainers, and warriors of the period. Among the poem's homilies or prescriptions for living is the one quoted in part as the title to this review, which is part of what Beowulf tells Hrothgar, king of the Danes, after Grendel's mother has abducted and killed Hrothgar's mentor and "soul-mate": "Wise sir, do not grieve. It is always better / to avenge dear ones than to indulge in mourning. / For every one of us, living in this world / means waiting for our end. Let whoever can / win glory before death. When a warrior is gone, / that will be his best and only bulwark."

Thus, besides being a landmark of English literature, BEOWULF tells us a lot about what life was like in the Scandinavian and Anglo-Saxon parts of Europe during the Dark Ages. (And thus it is an inspired choice as assigned reading for my son's 9th grade class in world history.)

This edition of BEOWULF is a handsome one, at least in the hard-cover form that I have, which I presume is laid out the same as the paperback. There is an informative but not overly academic 20-page introduction by Seamus Heaney. Then the 3182 lines of the poem are set out, about thirty lines to a page, with the Old English and Heaney's modern English translation on facing pages, in an appealing and easily readable format. I don't have the background to comment on the merits of Heaney's translation vis-à-vis others, but I will say that Heaney's seems appropriately blunt and forthright, yet it also flows and is readily understood by a contemporary reader.

I'm not a scholar of English, so a lot of the fascination with Heaney's translation is more or less lost on me. However, as a fan of Tolkien's works, I found Beowulf a beautifully written and flawlessly progressing story that just about anyone can appreciate. An added advantage of this edition is the side-by-side presence of the original Old English version of the poem on every page.
If you like Tolkien's works, you will enjoy Beowulf -- while the story is much more brief than either the Lord of the Rings series or The Silmarillion, it is no less beautiful or meaningful. The protagonist of the story is a great Geat warrior who slays the monster that is haunting the Danes, as well as the monster's mother. After returning to his home, and ruling the lands for over 50 years, he is fatally wounded in a fight against a dragon, and dies.
If you are familiar with Lord of the Rings (the Rohirrim in particular), try sometimes glossing over the original Old English text. You will notice definite similarities in the way names and words are formed in Old English and the language of Rohan. For example, the "Shieldings" (Danes, descendants of Shield Sheafson) in Old English is written as "Scyldingas" -- this may look familiar if you recall that the warriors of Rohan were often called "Eorlingas" in The LOTR. Additionally, both stories have mention of a warrior named Eomer (they're different characters).
Of course, this is hardly a coincidence -- it's well known that the Rohirrim are based on the Anglo-Saxons, with the language of Rohan being none other than Old English. Tolkien has long studied Beowulf, even before he began work on his Middle Earth epics and reading the poem will enable you to see how it's influenced his works. The main difference you will notice between the two authors is religion - Tolkien's epics had their own gods, while Beowulf is a Christian epic -- Grendel himself being a spawn of blood spilled by Cain in killing of his brother Abel.

In my opinion, Beowulf's reputation as "a horribly boring book that you have to read for English literature class" is completely undeserved...as long as you read the right translation. This epic poem (written in Anglo-Saxon ca. AD 1000) has all the ingredients of sword-swinging barbarian fantasy novel: chillingly described monsters, bloody battle sequences, and a hero impelled by his warrior code to be a generous leader and glorious warrior even in the face of death.

I have read two different translations of this work: the Barnes and Noble edition translated by John McNamara, and this translation by Seamus Heaney. Since I do not know Anglo-Saxon, I cannot vouch for translation accuracy, but in matters of meter, alliteration, and readability I found Heaney's edition to be far superior.

Vocabulary:
Heaney did not use such modern English that the poem felt like it no longer belonged to its historical setting. Neither did he use such archaic English that you are constantly having to look up words in a glossary. He did use a few words that are probably unfamiliar to anyone who did not grow up where he did in Northern Ireland, but he explains these words in his introduction.

Meter & Alliteration:
Heaney's translation follows the original meter and alliteration quite closely (though he allows the alliteration in the second half-line to fall on either stress). It was easy to get into and enjoy the flow of the poetry.

Explanatory Notes:
If you are interested in just reading, understanding, and enjoying the story and flow of the poem, Heaney's short, simple explanatory glosses in the margin and the three family trees in the back are sufficient (and less distracting). However, if you want an in-depth analysis of Norse culture, character motivation, etc. you will have to pick up a different book (e.g. the Barnes & Noble edition).

For anyone wanting to appreciate the beauty and power of this masterpiece without analyzing it to death, Heaney's translation is the way to go!

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)

I first encountered Beowulf in about the tenth grade at a gathering of students and teachers as I was corrected in modern English usage by an English teacher but by fortuitous accident was correct in it's more ancient Anglo-Saxon form as pointed out by my Latin professor (fresh from Emmanuel College, Cambridge University) who concluded his comment with a stirring example of the eald cwide:
" Hwaet we Garrrr-Dena on gearr-dagum
theod cyninga thrrym gefrrunon,
hu the aethelingas ellen frremedon."
Later discussions and explanations got me hooked on both the poetry and stories of the Ancients. A near thirty year lapse had occurred when I picked up a very worn copy of Rafel Burton's verse translation of Beowulf at a used bookstore in San Antonio, Texas. This sparked a renewed interest in such buried treasures and in the years since I have read both prose and verse translations including the excellent scholarly bilingual work by Chickering. The latter work inspired an interest in the language itself and the gift by a friend and fellow poet of Bright's ANGLO-SAXON READER (printed in August 1948 only a few months after I was born) sealed my fate. Somewhere between the purchase of A CONCISE ANGLO-SAXON DICTIONARY by J.D.Clark Hall and WORDCRAFT by Stephen Pollington, I found Seamus Heaney's book and recordings of BEOWULF: "Direct...Poetic... Earthy" Not something to listen to in somber recital but enjoyed in roudy mead-halls amidst the clacking of drinking horns and kissing of maidens and blushings of clerics secretly scribing stories. Heaney's BEOWULF is a must for heros and true believers. The heart of a poet strides amid the horror of war and the honor (and lack of honor) of warriors and the wyrd that follows the consequence of choices. The only thing better would be a rendering in the original before a fluent audience.

Seamus Heaney takes the classic tale of Beowulf - the courageous, glory-hungry Geat prince - and translates it into powerful (and accessible) English verse. Heaney has a solid grasp on the original text's rhythms and meter, its use of alliteration, the stresses in the lines... he also has a sensitive ear to language. He weaves really visceral, vivid images - Grendel's thick, disgusting sliminess, and at the end, the dragon "rippling down the rock" - the language is marvelous.

Before you embark on the epic, read Heaney's introduction. It is especially helpful to anyone unacquainted with Beowulf or with Anglo-Saxon poetry. And in addition to giving you background info, the poet also relates his own personal association with the text and how he came to translate it. Beowulf is a must-read for everyone, and Tolkien fans especially will find it delightful. Not only did Tolkien write an important treatise on Beowulf, there are strong elements of Beowulf's world in the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings (barrows with treasure, fearsome dragons, the names of characters and the cadence of their speech).

Years ago I read this wonderful epic for the first time and was enthralled with its terrific characters. Unfortunately the translation I read was very difficult to understand and I had problems trying to match characters with pronouns among other things. This translation has no such problems. It is very readable. The readability of the text obviously enhances the experience since one can concentrate on the content and not on the difficult language. Another nice feature is the inclusion of the original text. While I can not read it, it is certainly very interesting to compare.
The actually epic of Beowulf is a great knights tale that has been revived as a result of Tolkein's interest in the work. In my opinion it is the greatest epic ever written. While it is much shorter than say the Iliad, I certainly found it more entertaining. Beowulf's adventure's with Grendal and his mother(thank goodness none of our mother-in-laws were like this) can not be beat. Don't miss this enchanting tell.
I also highly recommend this book on tape read by Heaney. His Irish accent gives the story a dark ages feeling that really enhances the experience.

I read the book Beowulf: A New Verse Translaion (Bilingual Edition). this book is about the epic battles of our hero, Beowulf. He fights three major battles, one against the contorted Grendel, another against Grendel's demented mother, and finally he fights this dragon that "is guarding the night".

I love the fact that the book gives two translations, English and Old English. This translation is good because it is easier to understand than some. Seamus Heaney does a terrific job of recapturing this poem. He also puts little foot notes on the side to further explain the text. I really like this because I get distracted sometimes and they help me get back on track. I think that if you love epic battles then you will love this book. I think that you should be about 14 or 15 to read this book and better understand it with no questions asked.

I'm not sure how well Seamus Heaney translated Beowulf into English, but he sure made it easy to read. I've tried to read Beowulf many times in my life, and each time I hit a brick wall because the dumb author throws some archaic word at me. You shouldn't have to be an Anglo-Saxon language student to enjoy literature. The English poem is done in the alliterative style, which is okay, although I prefer rhyming poems. But I guess Beowulf wasn't meant to rhyme and neither are translated works. It's nice to have the brief synopsis footnotes at the side of the pages because it quickly tells you what happened, sparing you from reading the passage umpteen dozen times to understand it. You'll get the basic idea pretty easily, but you won't understand all aspects of the storyline the first time around. I wish there were more breaks in the text. I had a heck of a time finding a place to stop, so as a result I finished this book very fast. Professors, complain all you want, I like this book because you can READ it without running to a dictionary or calling your professor on the phone every other line. Highly recommended.

I am no scholar of Beowulf, but Seamus Heaney's version is the fourth or fifth version I've read, and in comparison to those it is by far the most superior. Any prose translations should be discredited by that account alone, but Seamus Heaney doesn't just make it poetic, as it should be, he uses his personal experiences, as indicated in the Introduction, when choosing the best word for the meter. When he uses these Irish local coloquialisms, it's not out of sheer desperation but of sheer love for the music of poetry, and when no other words sounds right, he chooses these words to emphasize the poetry and the plot.
I have read other reviewers at this site discrediting Seamus Heaney due to this very reason, but in my view if a translator doesn't add passion to his translation then it is a waste of time to translate at all. It may not be exactly true to the text, but true enough. One thing I love most about his translation is the fact that he stays true to the meter. With four alliterations per line, he provides the feel of the original text upon the reading.
Another thing I loved about this translation is the very first line. He makes (a true) comment that while previous versions begin the entire text with a "Lo!" or a "Hark!" or a "Behold!", Seamus Heaney starts off with the simple yet modern "So." -- with a period -- not even an overused and ecstatic exclamation mark.
Finally, for those who don't dabble in the egoism of stuffy "scholarly" expectations will also enjoy glancing at the original text that displays directly next to the translation. Here you get the feel of Seamus Heaney's decision to translate the way he did. You won't understand the original text, yet with the translation sitting next to it, you will.

There are many things to like in Heaney's Beowulf, not least the format of the book itself - the original text and Heaney's translation are printed on facing pages. Heaney's translation is mostly accurate, clear and readable, except for a few "Irishisms" that may baffle the American reader.
Oddly enough, since Heaney is himself a major poet, I find this translation a bit lacking in poetry, a bit - dare I say it - flat. Heaney keeps the sense and muscular line of the original, but - and here is where I think he goes wrong - he forces the alliteration. In the original, alliteration stirs the blood and slaps you in the face. In translation, Heaney's alliteration is too often weak, and - a far worse sin - too often lowers his diction to the level of the commonplace.
Poetry is, of course, impossible to translate. Heaney has made, if not the best, at least a creditable effort, of an impossible job. As such, he deserves our respect and our thanks.

This is a review of the CD Audio edition of Seamus Heaney's translation of Beowulf.

Beowulf is, of course, the first great classic of English literature. It is an epic poem written in Old English, which is so different from contemporary English that it satisfies the foreign language requirement at many schools. Composed some time before 1000 A.D., Beowulf tells the story of its eponymous hero, who comes from Geatland (part of what is now Sweden) to help King Hrothgar (of what is now Denmark). The plot is largely fictional, but makes reference to some historical individuals and events. Hrothgar's "thanes" (retainers) are being killed by the monster Grendel, which comes to his great hall every night. Grendel is described as being a descendant of Cain, and none of Hrothgar's thanes can kill him. (Whether Christianity is central to the poem, or was merely inserted by later redactors, is an issue among scholars.)

Some spoilers follow in the next paragraph.

Beowulf mortally wounds Grendel, who slinks off to die. However, the next night Grendel's mother comes to avenge his death. She succeeds in killing one of Hrothgar's most trusted retainers before escaping. Beowulf tracks her to a lake, and swims down to her underwater lair, where he kills her, using a sword taken from her own armory. After being richly rewarded by Hrothgar, Beowulf returns to Geatland, his reputation as a warrior greatly increased. Eventually succeeding to the kingship, Beowulf rules in peace for many years. In his old age, someone discovers a dragon's lair and disturbs it by taking one of the treasures hidden there. The dragon begins to ravage the countryside, so Beowulf goes to kill it. He does so, but is mortally wounded. (This CD version is abridged, but it seems that the only section left out is the raid on the Franks by Beowulf and his king, Hygelac, and this seems incidental to the main story.)

I am not an expert on Beowulf, and cannot read Old English, but Heaney's translation "reads" well. (This is not surprising, since Heaney was the 1995 Nobel Laureate in English.) The CD version is read by Heaney himself, and his Irish brogue is pleasant and soothing to listen to. All that being said, I must admit to being a bit disappointed with the original poem itself. There *were* a few turns of phrase that really captured my imagination. (One was the description of the Sun as "the candle of Heaven.") However, Beowulf compares poorly with other epic poems like the Odyssey, which is so rich in characterization, plot and details. I listened to several parts of it repeatedly, hoping to find myself engaged and challenged, but never was. Apparently J.R.R. Tolkien's article "Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics" (1936) was a major turning point in convincing people of the poem's literary value. I plan to read it in hopes that it will educate me into liking Beowulf.

If you know you want an audio version of Beowulf, this is a great choice. But if you're not sure you're interested, I can't recommend it.

"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!).

Beowulf has been admirably translated before, notably by Burton Raffel. But in Heaney the crusty old warrior has finally found a poet capable of making his heroic exploits shine via a deft, complex translation.
Heaney combines gleaming clarity with a rich, dark earthiness that fully captures the saga's strange antiquity, without in any way seeming antiquated. Reading this translation, you are transported not so much to the distant past as simply to another time and place totally foreign to our own. This is no simple "swords and sorcery" children's story, but an astonishingly modern evocation of how we confront our darkest terrors -- and triumph over them.
Forget the Beowulf you struggled with in school. Here lurks the real barbarian, wrapped in stinking animal hides, runes carved into his arms and wielding a well-worn, heavily nicked broadsword, standing just outside the gates and waiting for you to join him ... if you dare.
Highly recommended, both as poetry and a great story.

I had reached the late verses in "Beowulf" where the hero prepares to fight the dragon when the penny dropped: This isn't about some roisterer two thousand years ago, it's about Goldman Sachs, and Drexel Burnham Lambert, JPMorgan Chase and Bear Stearns, Countrywide Financial and Washington Mutual.

The same swagger, same thirst for gold, same ruthlessness, same greasing of palms. Well, perhaps I shouldn't press it too far. Beowulf, after all, had the good of his kinsmen at heart, or so he thought, and was loyal.

However, he did misunderestimate risk, with the result that after he crashed, everybody else was in for a bad time, whether they had had any part in the gold-hunting or not.

"They let the ground keep that ancestral treasure/gold under gravel, gone to earth/as useless to men now as it ever was." Somehow I doubt those lines were part of the original.

The descriptions of the young men in the mead-hall really do sound modern, though, not unlike the acerbic Wall Street critic Janet Tavakoli`s descriptions of financial analysts as 27-year-old men with Maseratis.

As for Seamus Heaney's translation, it reads easily. At times it sings. This appeals to modern -- or at least to early modern -- poetical tastes in English. Only occasionally does the jog-trot rhythm of the original intrude.

The original text is printed alongside, and though it has been decades since I studied Anglo-Saxon, with Heaney as a crib, it is possible to hear the scop. He sounds like Yoda.

The W.W. Norton company did itself, and us, a favor when it comissioned Seamus Heaney to translate the English epic "Beowulf". Heaney provides the reader with a clear translation that I imagine would make many forget about any unpleasant experiences they might have had with the poem years ago. Heaney's translation is, perhaps, not the most literal or "Anglo-Saxon" translation on the market but that is more a product of his targeting the general public as his readership rather than those in academia.
This dual-language edition proves useful to those amateur (or professional) medievalists who want to try their hand at improving upon Heaney's work here. I for one have marked up my copy with numerous notes and possible alternate translations for sections. It makes for an exciting and different read each time and challenges the reader to engage with the poem in ways they might not otherwise.

[note: this is a review of the poem generally, not this particular translation]

Beowulf is one of those Medieval works of literature that many have heard about but few have read. However, it's worth reading, if only to experience a story so different from modern sensibilities. The poem extols Beowulf's physical courage and bravery against monsters and dragons. It's an odd mix of early Christian and warrior ethos. Beowulf is not a modern hero. There's not much to recommend him to modern readers - he's boastful, relies on brawn not brains, and his search for glory ends up putting his kingdom at risk. Still, it's fascinating to read this type of story and realize how far away it is from our own times.

Because this is a translation of an Anglo-Saxon poem, it's worth saying a word about the text itself. It's readable, but isn't smooth reading for the uninitiated. I'd say this - if you don't like reading English-language poetry, you probably won't enjoy reading this poem. If you do make the effort, I'd recommend really making the effort. Go slow and make sure you understand the story. Don't skip over a few lines thinking they're not as relevant.

Great book. Good translation. The "bilingual" facing pages are interesting.

Both Beowulf and Gilgamesh are fascinating windows into bygone civilizations, and their stories are as involving now as the were centuries (or millennia, for Gilgamesh) ago. Everyone should read them.

The sample audio is NOT of Seamus Heaney's wonderfully mellifluous voice. The base text for the audio sample is an old translation by Francis B. Gummere (1855--1919). That text can be downloaded free at Project Gutenberg as EBook 981.

Seamus Heaney's translation and his reading of it are both delightful gems.

For more information on available versions, see ISBN-13: 978-0571201136. I was unable to find an unabridged and complete reading by Heaney.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I don't know what translation is actually on this audio, nor do I know who is actually reading it, as I do not knowingly purchase products that are misrepresented or inaccurately described.

Reading through the notes on the store, it appears that this might actually be a recording of Seamus Heaney reading selections from his translation. I have "awarded" this work only one star in order to call attention to the ambiguities related to it. If the recording does indeed feature Seamus Heaney, you are in for a treat.

I dithered and dickered about writing a review for Beowulf and in the end I rating I gave it was not so much for the book, but more of a level of my interest in it. It really is a grand story and translated in the full heroic style. Seamus Heaney does a phenomenal job in making it come alive, but for me well I just couldn't rouse as much interest as I thought I should have for such a fine effort, perhaps I am too steeped in modern writing style where prose feels much more comfortable. I tried both listening to Beowulf on tape and reading it myself, and in the end I think I prefered to read it myself. The emphasis on certain words and passages could then be mine. The poem is restricted by the metre which at times made it feel almost like a child's story, not that I minded this - it kept the poem strangely beautiful.
For those that don't know it is the story of a Scandanavian hero, Beowulf, who performs three heroic deeds in his life - killing the monster Grendel, killing Grendel's mother and then much later killing a dragon, and while I hope I am not spoiling anyone's pleasure here by revealing the plot - Beowulf does die in the end and there is a large funeral. I really enjoyed Heaney's succinct but good introduction to the poem's history and the structure at the beginning of the book and that was helpful in reading the poem itself. There are even family trees to follow who begat whom.
Definitely worth reading.

Beowulf is a wonderful epic story, but if you've read a poor translation you won't appreciate that fact. Mr. Heaney has created a terrific translation that reads smoothly and coherently. As a result of reading this version, I developed a new appreciation for the story on account of being able to understand nuances that I had missed before. Beowulf's journey from his struggle with Grendel to his final battle with the Dragon can be viewed as a metaphor for almost any life, and this translation allows the reader to appreciate what the story says about how life should be lived and about how one should approach death. The fact that the book is split with the original text on the left and the translation on the right, illustrates how much our language has changed in a thousand years. I enjoyed the diversion of trying to interpret the orignal text on my own.

I have read many versions of Beowulf as it is my favourite work of literature. This is my least favourite “translation”. I put quotes around that because I don’t even like calling it a translation because I don’t feel it is true to the Old English words or the Anglo-Saxon poetic style.

Let’s start before the poem even begins, in the foreward Mr. Heaney wrote. Yes, I know he won a Nobel Prize, but good grief is this guy arrogant! The foreward just oozed a haughty and condescending attitude towards the reader. I was angry before even beginning to read my favourite poem.

And then I got even angrier. The poem loses its grandeur under his willy-nilly “translation”. The poem should carry the reader into a distant time of ring-giving kings, honourable heroes, and malevolent monsters. Instead, the reader encounters odd word choices, an Irishman’s dislike for anything English, and a complete disregard for Anglo-Saxon language and poetic tradition. I give the book two stars because it is good poetry. The problem is, it is not really Beowulf. This should have been sold as an “interpretation” because it is most definitely not a translation.

Mr. Heany has taken a timeless classic written in an ancient tongue and created a modern work equally as beautiful as the original.
The subject matter can be somewhat challenging--a long tale of a great hero, Beowulf, who comes to the aid of a Danish king besieged by the ravenous and brutal monster Grendel. Its themes of duty, honor, man against nature and the glory of combat in the service of God are ancient but, despite the passage of 1300 years since its creation, the words of the poem still exert a powerful influence today.
While the text of some previous translations has been awkward and stiff, this edition is smooth and polished. It transmits the power and emotion of the poem without resorting to overly passionate passages.
This is the very best way to enjoy an ancient masterpiece which should never be forgotten.

I remember reading Beowulf for the first time in seventh grade. It was mandatory reading, and the translation we had was horrid. Those two factors made pretty much all the children in the class (including me) dislike the book immediately. A few years later, as I was browsing through books at the local Borders, I found Seamus Heaney's translation of Beowulf. I am glad that I decided to give the book one more try. Seamus Heaney's translation is wonderful, and I was able to enjoy the story of Beowulf for the first time. I also enjoyed looking at the original Anglo-Saxon text as well, while I was reading. Heaney's translation is fresh, clear, and most of all epic, just like a story of this caliber is supposed to be. Great translation. Beowulf is redeemed.

It gives great satisfaction to see that this Norse epic has found so many enthusiastic readers. They are right, of course, because it is a most wonderful story. I would not place it in the darkest of Dark Ages - it was written when life was rather civilized already. The Merovingian kings are mentioned, and that puts a time stamp on it. But whoever wrote it made up a magnificent story of murder and mayhem, of chivalry and cowardice, of ruling and serving. It seems to contain faint traces of other epics: Siegemund the dragon slayer, and the dragon guarding the gold treasure in the mountain. Maybe they were standard props at the time.
Mr. Heaney's translation is a thing of pure joy. He writes in earthy, to the point language. That makes the book such a great pleasure.

Beowulf is an Anglo-Saxon epic poem that has captured the attention of many poets, scholars, and everyday readers alike. Whoever wrote the poem has indeed mastered the ability to tell a story of adventure and struggle while keeping the writing style visually impressive. Beowulf is the perfect example of what an epic poem should look like. The character Beowulf is a very powerful and attention-catching hero that the reader will fall in love with once they start reading about him. Though every version of Beowulf isn't written the same, every reader will love the story no matter what version they read.
Zachary B. Medina
Author of Decador

As someone who majored in English and who has studied and enjoyed much of the "good old stuff" (pre-19th century literature), this is one of the best translations of the classic Anglo-Saxon poem BEOWULF I have ever read. Seamus Heaney is one of the greatest living poets of the English language and his remarkable skills bring this ancient text to life for many who would otherwise cast it off as "something boring we have/had to read for English." The parrallel paging of the original text next to Heaney's translation is an added bonus that allows the reader to appreciate the development of the English language, display the powerful craft of Heaney, and illustrate the powerful, action-adventure character of Beowulf.
BEOWULF is a classic story told in three acts about a great warrior who competes against unbelievable odds to conquer monsters, becoming one of the first superheroes in recorded. It is a story that ages well and with Heaney's translation it is sure to become familiar with an even larger audience. If you've ever read BEOWULF or are going to be reading it in the future, this is the version to have.

My career is as far removed from classical literature as you can get, but boy do I love epic poems. I've read multiple versions of Beowulf (including 2 comic adaptations), and Heaney's version is by far the most accessible. The man has a true command of English, and he manages to present the poem in more straightforward language without a feeling of talking down to the reader.
That said, if you want a real treat, check out the audio version of Beowulf. Heaney's translation is good enough on page, but to hear him read it is marvelous. It makes you feel like you're sitting around a campfire, listening to an elder spin some wild yarn. Be warned, however: even though this the store page says "UNABRIDGED", the audio versions are really unabridged SELECTIONS. You don't get the full text of the poem, but you get the necessary parts - enough to make it enjoyable.

I bought this to help me get through Beowulf in my college lit class. I had tried to read it last year in high school, but ultimately got bored because I felt like it needed to be heard not read. At any rate, I was very happy to see that the version my college class required had an audio book to accompany it. I quickly snatched up a copy of this audio book to help me get through Beowulf once again. However, I was quickly disappointed. This audio book is not at all unabridged. While listening to it I had the text right out in front of me and was surprised that it skipped anywhere from several words to 15 lines several times. Fortunately, this didn't affect me because I was able to pause it and read what the book missed, but this is very faulty advertising to say that it is unabridged when it clearly is not. I give it one star as it is not what the packaging says that it is. Anyone who is buying this audio book to accompany the actual text (or to avoid reading the actual text for school) should be warned that this audio book is missing huge sections and it IS NOT a reading of THE ENTIRE TEXT.

I love this book. The writer uses words with Anglo-Saxon roots to give it a real Folkish feeling.
There is, also, a tape recording of this book that is great.
He takes a 1500 year old poem and brings it to life.
I wish Heaney would translate the Icelandic Sagas. Some of the translations are really flat.
Heaney is a damn good poet in his own right. It is great to have poets translating poems. Most dry translations miss the fact that Beowulf is meant to be read a loud as a poem.
This is a must for any modern day heathen, student of English literature, or any one that just likes a good adventure story.
I think all followers of the Asatru Faith should own a copy of this book.

This is a great book that will help you to understand Beowulf 100 percent better. If you are taking a English literature course and would like to have a better understand of the novel in Modern English versus Old English, this is the book to purchase. This novel was written by an unknown christian poet that wrote about his characters that were Pagans. This novel was written between the 8th and 10th century. This epic is about a man named Beowulf who has a lot of pride in himself because of his physical strength. He is known to be a grand hero as he takes on numerous battles for glory.The theme of the novel is death, revenge, and pride. The tone of the epic is elegiac (mournful). Its a great read! I don't want to spill all the juicy details, but as you read the novel for yourself, you will enjoy it.

I've been reading this for my Literature class as a Creative Writing major, and this is such a cool book! I like that it has the original Old English on one side and Modern English on the other. Though I can't read the Old English personally, it's still fascinating to look at since it's the language this poem was first composed in, and the Modern English flows right off the tongue, making it a smooth and easy read. I really enjoy this book.

I first read Beowulf in University and used the standard Penguin edition as my source. I did not think much of it at the time and could not really draw a comparison between it and the Epic Poem's of ancient Greece and Rome (The Iliad, Odyssey, Aeniad). This translation has chaned my view of this Epic Poem forever. It really moved me. Mr Heaney mentioned in the introduction that the Epic deals with different themes such as the battling of the monstrous. I clearly saw this but another thing that Mr Heaney's translation brought to light (for me personally) was each character's (esp. Beowulf's) sense of duty and through their duty, their unavoidable fate. I could go on like this forever. In any case - this is the edition to pick up if you are interested in Norse Epic.

This 3182-line-long Anglo-Saxon poem tells the story of Beowulf, a mighty Geat hero warrior, who comes to the rescue of the Danish king, Hrothgar, when the latter's mead hall Heorot is attacked by the monster Grendel. Beowulf kills the beast bare-handed and gains great renown, and later sets off to slay Grendel's mother as well. After going back to Sweden and reigning for over fifty years, he'll die wresting with yet another creature, a dragon.

The poem has a nice cadence, which pushes you forward, and Seamus Heaney's modern English translation is very enjoyable to read. I regret not having been able to concentrate on the poem all the time (I was sometimes distracted by personal concerns and my mind started wandering off), and I think this is something I'll definitely read again.

Beowulf has long dazzled modern readers with the mystic world it paints with heavy strokes of action and emotion. But rising above the rest of translations that have at least enabled us to read through the story, Irish poet Seamus Heaney further extends the power of words to allow readers to reach out into the heart of this Anglo-Saxon epic. The known tale of a Geat noble begins with Beowulf's first fight against the man-eating brute Grendel whose hatred for mankind reflects the Anglo-Saxon society's call for companionship. After our hero Beowulf is decorated with praises and gold for his triumph over Grendel in the famous Heroet Hall of Denmark, he is confronted by Grendel's vindictive mother who is to fumble again at Beowulf's feet. Fifty years hence, Beowulf, now the ruler of Geats, fights his last battle against an aroused fire dragon to save his people. The sacrifice he makes with his own life captures the essence of his supreme heroism and sets him apart from the ordinary men.
As the first English speaking hero, Beowulf is suggested to be a "man alien in a hostile world, engaged in a struggle which he cannot win..." by the novelists and critic J.R.R. Tolkien. Thus, through the analysis of Heaney, readers are able to catch a refreshed sense of danger and excitement of a forgotten world between the lines of an epic whose fame has daunted students who therefore overlook the "mythic potency" of the original poetry (as suggested by Heaney himself). The bilingual edition itself offers a shortcut for readers between two worlds whose connection is established by Heaney's overpowering pen. Thanks to Heaney's masterful technique to weave the beauty of language with the phenomenon of storytelling, Beowulf's individuality is further stressed as he is to be better understood in the "hostile" world that has abused the wonders of his story with other sketchy translations.
Do recommend the poetry section before the prose. It only enhances the pleasure.

I gave the poem four stars and not five stars because I do not like that the poem is long and a hard read. I do like the plot and characterization in the poem. I find Beowulf's character relatable to men in the 21st century. I see a lot of men to be prideful and trying to live out the glory days. I like how the poet relates to the city of man and to the city of God. The poet does a great job at recalling what the 6th century would be like even though he did not live in that time period. If I was given the choice to reread this book I would most definitely read it.

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.

Please forget that you are supposed to read this book. Please forget that you were probably forced to read BEOWULF and don't remember liking it. Just pick it up. Beowulf isn't some cartoon he-man lurching around in front of a cardboard background, surrounded by identical-sounding "yes men," chopping the heads off a desultory collection of monsters. Beowulf sounds like someone you looked up to in childhood; like the kind of person you always hoped you'd become: talented, compassionate, dedicated. His colleagues sound like people you know: young idealists who turn wary with age, not quite as talented, most willing to join in but unwilling to go first. Even the minor characters and, perhaps most astonishingly, the dragons are given individual voices, each surprisingly real, believable, and oddly familiar.
I could not put this book down. After I finished, I began to see the eerie doppelgangers of the characters in my boss, my coworkers, my friends. I've known a few Grendels, a few Grendel's mothers, and plenty of people facing that last, ominous dragon.

Though not a scholar, I enjoyed this work immensely. The translation is lyrical, clear and immediate in recreating a time and place. The side by side text brings home what a scholarly challenge it must have been to translate this work so beautifully--one fact not mentioned in the introduction is that there are over 200 words in the original poem that appear nowhere else in the fragments of literature that remain from the period. Much later works--Eliot, Gerard Manley Hopkins--echo in these lines--or rather it's the reverse, as I now realize. I hope this is the version that now becomes standard in schools--the author is a poet in his own right, and that sensibility pervades this work.

Seamus Heaney has done for Beowulf what Baz Luhrmann did for Romeo and Juliet, he has delivered up a translation for the MTV generation. That may not be a bad thing; he certainly has made the poem accessible to the modern reader. But I find the translation, while pleasant, does not soar. Consider the challenge the coast guard offers to Beowulf and his men upon their arrival in Denmark: ". . . I have to be informed about who you are and where you hail from. Outsiders from across the water, I say it again: the sooner you tell Where you came from and why, the better."
Or a bit later when Bewulf responds to Unferth's taunts"
"The fact is, Unferth, if you were truly As keen or courageous as you claim to be Grendel would never have got away with Such unchecked atrocity, attacks on your king, havoc in Herorot and horrors everywhere."
A little alliteration is a fine thing but is it Beowulf? I do not read old English and like many who work with the poem rely on translations with my favorite being done by Charles Kennedy. Kennedy's coast guard uses language that for me better fits the idea of epic:
"But now I must know Your birth and breeding, nor may you come In cunning stealth upon Danish soil; You distant-dwellers, you far seafarers, Hearken, and ponder words that are plain: `Tis best you hasten to have me know Who your kindred and whence you come."
I imagine that Heaney's translation will be embraced by schools for its use of modern vernacular; but as it comes closer to colloquial speech, majesty is missing and in style the translation bears a striking similarity to J. K. Rowling and the Harry Potter book it edged out.

I am preparing to take the GRE in literature, and there are always questions on Beowulf. I hadn't read it since high school, so I picked up this new translation by the Nobel prize winning poet Seamus Heaney. All I remember from my high school days is the underwater battle between Beowulf and Grendel's mom because that's the only part that made sense to me. With this new translation the story came alive for me. Those Anglo-Saxon spellings of names in previous translations really lost me. But Mr. Heaney spells the names so they sound like modern day names, and it makes the reading flow. And I love how the Anglo-Saxon is on the left page with the translation on the right page, so you can go back and forth to see which words haven't changed much in over a thousand years like gold, god, and world. Pretty cool. My husband read the poem, and he isn't even an English major! It is a wonderful translation of an epic poem, and I recommend it highly.

Beowulf is a classic, a story of heroic wanderlust. It is no surprise that Heaney took this piece of loric lit under his wing. Heaney's version is very easy to read compared to similar texts and has the old english on alternating pages for a nice juxtaposition of archaic v nuevo. Heaney adds his signature on this work and at the same time diminishes nothing of the original story, but broadens its audience. The beauty of Heaney cannot be ignored, and as we live in a world that Hemmingway said describes the sea as 'El mar,'the combination of old and new makes for a bridge connecting what is and what was into a spectacular version that emboldens heroism.

'Beowulf: A New Verse Translation' by Seamus Heaney is a side-by-side Old English / English presentation of the great energetic hero poem. But before you jump into splitting sinews and bursting bones, please take time to visit Heaney's introduction!

Heaney's introduction is beautiful in itself and gives insight into how his translation should be read as verse. Heaney also reminds us it is because of J.R.R. Tolkien, popularly known due to 'The Lord of the Rings', that we read Beowulf today. Tolkien's paper The Monsters and the Critics was the catalyst for the academic world to take Beowulf seriously as literature; it is because of Tolkien that so many students are introduced to Beowulf in high school and college.

But just because the academics consider Beowulf to be "serious literature" is no reason for us to ignore it as stuffy or inaccessible. We can thank the academics for bringing the story to our attention, but it is for us to enjoy. It is an epic tale of constantly warring nations, of a people near despair, of great (even supernatural) virtue and strength, of Cain's monstrous descendants, and even of the dragon.

The poem does not end on an uplifting note; but today's reader must know, as those who first heard the tale knew, that what came next in the story was salvation through Christ. This is the uplifting note, the unwritten but understood ending to Beowulf.

"Beowulf", or at least parts of it, was required reading in my high school English class. I don't remember much about that translation (after all, it was almost 40 years ago), but I've always had good thoughts about it, particularly after reading John Gardner's wonderful "Grendel". When I heard that Seamus Heaney had a new translation of the work, I purchased it almost immediately, and I was not disappointed. It's absolutely wonderful! I agree with a lot of the other reviewers that this is tailor-made to be read aloud, and I did that a lot. Now this treasured book will be passed on to my son, whose background as an English major in college and an avid reader like his father, will enable him to enjoy it as much as I have.

Contemporary American culture is in severe denial of mortality (a condition which Freud identified in "Civilization and Its Discontents" as a major barrier to psychological well-being). We worship youth and beauty not so much for themselves but because they make us forget that we will grow old and die--or at least the latter. Technology and modern medicine have overcome much of the troubles which haunted humankind for millenia; but they have also given us a sense of arrogance toward the forces of nature, and particularly toward death. Death can't touch us, or so we believe.

But a monster is always lurking in the darkness.

"Beowulf" is a shot in the arm against our contemporary denial of mortality. To enter the world of the Beowulf-poet is to remember how formidable Death and Nature truly are (a point tragically reminded to us by the recent Tsunami disaster). Great warriors can be snuffed out in a moment, and sickness & old age defeat even the greatest kings. But it is in the face of death that the true value of life can be appreciated, and an awareness of death is also the precondition for valor--a concept very absent from a sedentary American, TV-and Internet-addicted, Wal-Mart-shopping culture (though you could criticize me as well; after all I'm sitting on a computer, so where's MY valor?).

There are enough other reviews to get an idea of how successfully Heaney adapts the poem's language (I think he does wonderfully), but one common criticism is that the story is not so hot.

Well Anglo-Saxon understandings of human psychology were rather elementary compared to today, so you can't expect a Shakespearean presentation of human nature. But that's not the point: "Beowulf"'s aesthetic is rougher and more raw, more mercurial (though as Tolkien noted in his Beowulf essay "The Monsters and the Critics," wrought to a fine finish). It hits you in the gut, but still there are moments which are beautiful and glorious. And there are excellent battle scenes which are described quite vividly and that I found as exciting as any modern-day action movie. The plot is simple, but to consider this bad is again a judgment based on modern tastes. Think of the ancient Greeks, the founders of Western drama: many of their plots were quite simple, too. But simplicity can be a virtue, allowing you to go more deeply into a few things rather than skip around over vast quantities of material. "Less is more."

So (a word I appreciate much more after reading this poem), if you want to reacquaint yourself with darkness, mortality and valor before Life does, give this poem--and this translation in particular--a shot.

The audiobook, read by Heaney himself, is also highly recommended, though note that the 2 CD's are unabridged SELECTIONS and not every word in the book. Almost all of it is in there, though.

This classic Anglo-Saxon poem was created by an unknown poet sometime between 700 and 1000 A.D. It was reduced to writing much later than that and has been turned into modern English prose by numerous translators. Since the nineteenth century, Beowulf has been a staple in college prep English classes throughout the English-speaking world.
Nobel laureate in poetry, Seamus Heaney has created a glistening translation of Beowulf. It shines in part because it is a translation in poetic form and in part because Heaney is an Ulster-born Irishman whose native tongue emphasizes the harsh consonants that drive the mood and meter of Beowulf. This book won England's prestigious Whitbread Award.
We meet Beowulf as a young warrior from Southern Sweden who travels to Denmark to slay the Dragon Grendel. After defeating Grendel, he has little time to boast because Grendel's mother seeks revenge for the death of her son. Here is Heaney describing the place where Grendel's mother lives (note that a mere is a lake or pond):
"A few miles from here
a frost-stiffened wood waits and keeps watch
above a mere; the overhanging bank
is a maze of tree-roots mirrored in its surface.
At night there, something uncanny happens:
the water burns. And the mere bottom
has never been sounded by the sons of men.
On its banks, the heather-stepper halts:
the hart in flight from pursuing hounds
will turn to face them with firm set horns
and die in the wood rather than dive
beneath its surface. That is no good place."
Beowulf defeats her, in her underwater lair, although it is a close call. From these victories his legend grows. He becomes the King of his land and rules wisely for fifty years. Near the end, yet another dragon marauds the land and Beowulf, even as an old man, is asked to take up the sword again . Once again he slays a dragon, but, this time, the price of victory is his life. The funeral pyre that cradles him also provides lasting glory to his name. The background of this poem is the teutonic warrior tradition of courage, loyalty, honor, generosity and glory. Warriors boast in the mead halls at night and deliver against those boasts by day .... or die trying.
This poem is at the very core of Western Civilization and Heaney's translation makes English-speaking readers proud to be the inheritors of that tradition. Here are 200 pages of poetry, with the original Old English poem on the verso and Heaney's contemporary English poem on the recto. Read this book! Everything virtuous about our heritage is on display for your delectation, delight and awe.

The presentation of the audiobook itself is seamless: Heaney is a great narrator and more important the *right* narrator for this work. His voice echoes the grain of Beowulf: ancient, lordly, mythic. However, I can't help but state my irritation at the abridgement of the poem. Yes, Beowulf is repetitive, but that's part of how epic poetry operates. Cutting out pieces of the story to make it a strict narrative lends a modern, neutered character to something very ancient and very non-modern. Abridging an epic is silly, and this audiobook reads more like 'Beowulf' the feature film than Beowulf the ancient poem.

_Beowulf_ is a fairly simple story, but still an interesting read. The battle scenes are exciting, especially the fight with the dragon in the end. Even as Beowulf conquers his enemies, there's a dark sense of foreboding throughout, which makes for a very somber tone. In between action sequences, _Beowulf_ has much to say about honorable conduct and the Warrior's Code--enough where I wonder if the story wasn't intended to be instructional. As far as the classics go, it's a pretty quick read (about 100 pages of text--you can read it in one or two sittings).

When dealing with older works like this, your reading experience can be a dream or a nighmare depending the quality of the translation. Seamus Heaney makes this work clear and accessible to everyone. Also, he includes a pretty good introduction dealing with the history of _Beowulf_, as well as some things to look out for while reading it.

It's good that virtually all libraries now have a version of English literature's great old epic poem, not so in the past. Unfortunately, this version just isn't very good even compared to the clunky prose translation in the 1968 Norton Anthology. Heaney's verse seems bland and colloquially cute in comparison. Except for its verse form, his Beowulf certainly doesn't have much relation to the original Anglo Saxon version that I studied-- albeit in no great depth-- in graduate school. I don't find Heaney's lofty multicultural explanation of why he wrote it in the introduction entirely candid either. As Eire's exalted post-modern poet, shouldn't he have been translating the old Irish epics instead of the old Anglo-Saxon one? Come to think of it, shouldn't he have been writing his own poems in Irish? Of course, an Irish language poet probably wouldn't have been teaching at Harvard or publishing a best-selling English version of Beowulf. Or getting the Nobel Prize.
If an Irish translation of Beowulf was offered to a big New York or London publisher, it wouldn't get past the interns. Interesting idea, though. Wonder if someone has written one-- there's a hobby for you.

I have tried reading "Beowulf" four times before, each time with a different translation, but couldn't get past 40 pages on account of boredom. The sentenses dragged on and on, causing the story to appear monotonous and tedious, and the slowly-unfolding events in it - even slower. When the new verse translation by Seamus Heaney came out, I decided to give the book one last chance... and I was not disappointed! Compared with previous editions of "Beowulf", this one was a breath of fresh wind. Not only was Heaney's verse clear, smooth, and flowing, but it redeemed the story from the dull and the obvious and returned it its epic form. The preachy "beholds", "yeas", and "los", that the previous translators seemed to favor, are gone at last, yielding their places to the modern, dynamic words. This edition is bi-lingual, with the original Anglo-Saxon verse of the text printed opposite of Heaney's. This added to my enjoyment of the epic, and served as a constant reminder of its antiquity - for it is almost 1200 years old.
But despite of its age, "Beowulf" looks surprisingly modern. Even though there are no dragons to battle with nowadays, there are even more terrible phantoms lurking inside of us, needing to be fought and defeated.

Beowulf is a classic for a reason. Heaney has done a masterful job with his translation of the anonymous work. If you are lookng for a very readable work of classic epic poetry, this is the one. Instead of a dry, stuffy, college-level poem, this is written in modern language easily understood. The beauty of this translation is that, while written in modern language, Heaney had managed to retain the original flavor of the poem. If read aloud, one gets the feeling of sitting wide-eyed around a fire on a mead bench in a great, dark hall while the poet recites the epic tale. One particularly fun addition is the inclusion of the original language text on the left side of the page. This is a great primer of classic literature for Jr. High and above.

I'll be brief. This is an awkward translation, brought about I believe because the translator tried to be more cryptic than necessary, more brutal than desirable, and more enigmatic than the story already is. For those wanting a more accessible, readable Beowulf, I heartily recommend Kevin Crossley-Holland's wonderful translation and introductory notes, published by Phoebe Phillips Editions (London). Crossley-Holland's book also has the advantages of being a well-crafted book, expansively bringing to life the poetry of a legend from the classics of the medieval world. Finally, while I cannot endorse Seamus Heaney's translation, at least his efforts revive an interest in this anonymous medieval work, which deserves much wider readership, and although not included among the "great books of western civilization" canon, seems indespensible to understanding that tradition.

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.

The hardcover edition gives ample margin space for notes, a classy layout (the title and page number run along the bottom margin, ghosted enough to write over, in a bold, simple font), and parallel texts of the Old English and Heaney's translation. Heaney's English is unadorned; he preserves the half-measure of the original, where each line is composed of two half-lines. Heaney achieves this without obscuring the meanings or creating a choppy tone. At times the translation may seem too plain and straightforward, but it serves as an excellent translation for students and readers wishing to add Beowulf to their canon. Grove City College currently uses this translation in its British Literature class.

the store! You have got to stop behaving as if one translation of the same literary work is the same as another. The practice is deceitful. The Kindle edition you offer for this book is NOT the Heaney translation. Consequently, it is NOT the same work.

I really disliked Heaney's book- all the way from the Introduction .His attitude toward his task of translation can be gleaned from the way he treated the background of the poem, with an arrogant certitude that he as no business adopting. Generations of scholarship his not determined with any surety the age or provenance of the poem - its ultimate origins are shrouded in mystery. Heaney assumes the poem is early medieval (11th century) and of Christian, Anglo - Saxon composition. Its known that the scribe (probably a Saxon monk) who scribed the existing manuscript did so in about 1010. There is no agreement at all that this scribe was the author and in fact, the preponderance of scholarship (including that of Tolkien) insists that he almost certainly was not . Heaney's task here was to translate Beowulf, so that the modern reader can understand the poem , and experience it as its written. He has instead transmuted the poem of Beowulf here into a dull, dense (post)modern bore. He has "defused" the poem and left it completely without its original, powerful, largely pagan energy. Add to that that his seeming, relative disinterest for his subject and his task..Why would he, for instance, insist on a literal modern rendering of the name "Scyld Scefing" into "Shield Scheafing", but call the poem "Beowulf" instead of Beo wolf or "Bee wolf"?

To be brief: I taught the opening verses of Beowulf in Anglo Saxon, offering the students (undergrads, senior level) 4 translations, including Heaney and E. T. Donaldson. The prose trans. of Donaldson, in both sound and sense, is far superior to that of Heaney, which is often too discursive, making logical, even "talky" sentences out of the stately, rigid AS half-lines. His vocabulary and idiom are often from left field, totally unrelated to the actual text of the poem. It reads fluidly and logically and should not be dismissed, but it is not the best version for those reading the poem for the first, dare I say only, time. The lesson here? E. Talbot Donaldson was nobody's fool. The scholar defeats the poet in the game of translation.

J.R.R. Tolkien once stated that he was sorry that so many children read 'The Lord of the Rings'. This is because at such a young age they couldn't possibly get out of it what was truly meant by the author. Attempting to read a great work of literature before you are ready can spoil that unique pleasure you get from a first time read. This holds true for Beowulf. If you are not a serious reader that really wants to delve in, wait awhile until you are. I would not recommend this to younger audiences, unless you believe you are as mature a reader as possible, you will be spoiling one of the greatest reads you will ever have. But of course, the only one who knows if you are ready is you.

I purchased this recording not realizing what "unabridged selections" meant. Now I know that it is just a tricky way to say "abridged". I am not pleased with this deception. The description on the back of the cd case mentioned that Beowulf was originally meant to be heard, not read. I would have liked to have heard the whole narration. Some of the parts I enjoyed reading are sadly missing. Sometimes whole parts of the plot are omitted. For instance, the beheading of Grendel is skipped, but the part where his head is carried in triumph by Beowulf's men is kept in. The abridgement loses some of the complexity of the tale. On the bright side, Seamus Heaney reads the tale (what there is of it) beautifully. Listening to the reading does help with pronounciation and helps clarify the tale. It is a shame that the entire tale was not read! I reccomend Seamus Heaney's translation in book form. Though it may not be the same as listening to a mideval scop tell his tale, it is very well done. I would have given this recording five stars had it been complete. I hope a truely unabridged recording of Heaney's translation is released later.

This is the first audiobook that I've ever enjoyed. Seamus Heaney, reading from his own translation of Beowulf (an excellent read, by the way), evokes the past in such a way that, listening, I almost felt that I was in a meadhall listening to an Anglo-Saxon poet.

Oddly, the CD features "unabridged selections" from the poem, which makes as much sense as calling it a "complete abridgement." This reading IS an abridgement--don't be fooled by the packaging--but it is still worth buying and listening to.

By turns melancholy and exciting, this was a great way to spend two hours. Highly recommended.

Heaney's translation of the Anglo-Saxon "Beowulf" is a beautiful book both inside and out. The poetry is stirring, and feels as if it is drawn straight out of the dark ages to be placed before you in this wonderful book. Some have complained of Heaney's failure to follow the original in a line-by-line literalness, but to me this does not matter. This is the same story I read in other translations long ago, but finally presented in a way worthy of such an ancient and classic work. This is great book which anyone should be proud to place upon their bookshelf.

I used the original BEOWULF myth as research while writing my first novel, and I used Seamus Heaney's translation because, quite frankly, it's without a doubt the most detailed. I researched a number of translations and found that most who attempt to decipher this ancient legend oftentimes were unable to grasp the poetic nature of the original story, resulting in something far more bland than this tale deserves. Heaney's translation incorporates all of what the legend should be: poetic, rhythmic, flowing, tense, and accurate.

This is the classic hero vs. monster tale, and yet the devil, ironically, hides within the details.

If you have ever suffered through one of the millions of literature survey courses that touch on this ancient poem, you understand. The story's okay, but the translations -- from Old English -- have been, at best, boring. Dry.
No more. Heaney makes the mead hall sound as wild as it should. The rattle of chain mail becomes spooky. And the beast and his mother are no longer laughable Saturday-morning-cartoon bad guys. You'll want to read it aloud, as the alliteration and Anglo-Saxon language chops around like a full-suited warrior.

Although this poem may seem hard to understand at some points, it is worth a read. I enjoyed how the main character, Beowulf, related to modern day men. It is a story of pride leading the mind. Beowulf is very prideful and allows his yearn for his youthfulness to lead him to his death. Although this is an epic poem, I found that the exaggerations of dragons was a little much. Overall this a a good poem about the City of Man versus the City of God.

I have tried to read Beowulf a few times in a few different translations. Since 11th grade (I won't say how long ago that was), I had been looking for someone to give it the oomph that my English teacher had in reading it to us and helping us to understand it. Mr. Heaney has done just that.
I'm not a scholar of the poem, so I don't know how closely it resembles the original, but I can tell you that I understood it and enjoyed it more than I have in years. To ... a tired old quote "If you read only one translation of Beowulf this year, this is it!"

I hadn't read Beowulf since college, and while I remembered the epic to be a magnificent piece of art, I had forgotten (or maybe just discovered through Heaney's translation) how beautiful it really is. The translation is superbly written--the alliteration is exquisite. I enjoyed the foreword almost as much as the poem itself! For more fun, or if you're studying Old English, compare the translation (on the right) with the original (on the left)--Great read no matter what your gender or age!

This book is magnificent in it scope and depth of scholarship. I use this translation, with the Anglo Saxon English present in order to make the link from then to now. The narrative is easy to follow, and the antecedent words make sense. I think this book would be a linguists dream.

The translation is smooth, and Mr. Heaney has done a fine job showing us our link to our ancestors.

I don't have the academic background to compare Heaney's translation with the many that have come before; the only time I had read the poem previously was back in college, and all I remembered was Beowulf tearing Grendel's arm off. So, as someone coming to the poem blissfully ignorant, I'm happy to report that Heaney does a spectacular job. Someone smart once said that the only way to judge a translation is on the translation's own merits; that's lucky for me as I'm a dunce with Old English. I looked over the facing pages (the Old English pages, in my edition), and sometimes read them aloud to get a feel for their cadence and sound, but I trusted in Heaney to tell me the story, and what a story he tells.
I've always admired the tough beauty of his poetry; his lines tend to stomp about, a brawl of consonants, irredeemably masucline. What better interpreter, than, for the hypermacho world of Beowulf, where the men gnaw on bones and gulp down their mead and stagger off to fight monsters and get eviscerated. I'm not mocking the saga-- it's awfully good fun, and I'm pleased to see it's selling so well. Heaney's favorite themes, violence and memory, lurk in the heart of Beowulf.
Very nice to see a Nobel laureate refusing to rest on his laurels.

Beowulf was assigned to me as a book for my summer reading. As all of you know summer reading is not a high priority on any students list. Most of us wait until the last week to do it. So I started this book planning to struggle through it. Oddly enough, I became more and more interested as I progressed in the story. I read most of Beowulf when I was on my vacation at the beach. I couldn't put it down. Every time I decided to go down to the beach I got into a new chapter and it was like the book was sucking me in. After a while it was as though I was in the story myself. Beowulf is a very brave, courageous man. He is trying to gain fame throughout the entire story, this was the only way to gain "immortality" in the Anglo-Saxon society. But unlike so many others he became widely known and finally became king of Denmark. The are three major confrontaions with demons or monsters in the story and they are spread out evenly. From reading this book I gained knowledge fo the Anglo-Saxon society. The way Beowulf was written is in Anglo-Saxon verse. The main qualities are alliteration, which is the repetition of similiar sounds in a line of verse, and kennings which are riddling metaphors. Beowulf is one of the best books I have ever read and I would strongly advise you to read it. You will gain knowledge of history which you may not already be aware of but you will go away having read a great book.

This epic poem tells the story of a Geat warrior named Beowulf. Usually I hate books of this sort that I am forced to read for class, but this one was not so bad. The translation from Old English (written on the left side of every page) to modern English (written on the right) was done quite well, and the translator did a good job of keeping the essence and rhythm of the original poem intact. The story deals with three main battles in Beowulf's life: with the monster Grendel, Grendel's mother, and a dragon. However, you will probably come away having learned a lot about how life was like in the Dark Ages as well.

Ok, as an English Lit. major in school, I've had my share of Beowulf, most of which are horridly translated drivel. The fine line with Anglo-Saxon poetry (and any translated poetry for that matter) is there requires a balance between fidelity to the text, and fidelity to the ideas of the text; that is to say, where literal translation may be more "accurate" in a completely logical and scientific sense, the poetic beauty and proper notions behind the text must also be upheld.

Heaney finds the middle ground so commonly lost in modern translations. The Anglo-Saxon poetry of Beowulf is so beautiful and easy on the ears when read in the original Anglo-Saxon--a sense of bold and strong verse, but with the grace and beauty--reflected in Beowulf and especially in the Wurm. This is frequently translated into modern english as grossly (what I would call) "harsh" and "grating" verse, with all the punch that it requires, but without the languid fluiditiy required to fully appreciate the epic. Seamus Heaney finds the perfect balance between the two, not addressing the "bone-crunching Beowulf" as a solely heartless character, but finding the section of the modern english language (that lost area right in the middle of form and function) and giving us this gift.

A MUST have for anyone wishing to appreicate the beauty of Germanic poetry. My recomendation: have someone read it aloud to you; it adds SO much to the experience!

I have to be honest that my first encounter with "Beowulf" was not an enjoyable one. Lacking a translation by a master poet like Seamus Heaney, I read the old Burton Raffel translation which, though venerable, lacked a sense of the poem that Beowulf is.
When I found that Heaney was developing a new translation of Beowulf, I became eager to revisit the poem a second time. What he has produced is no less than a treasure, not only for its poetry, but for the strong sense of history that permeates the book.
Heaney has been well-recognized for his own poetry and has produced here a dynamic translation of an ancient poem that still has relevance for crusaders and defenders today. To be sure, the Anglo-Saxon world he and the un-named ancient poet portray is vastly different from the one we know. There are very few women; the brave men who populate the story are slain bloodily by dark monsters and dragons. Gold and chain mail glisten and clank. Heaney brings all of these sights and sounds to life in the cadence of the poem; guttural, with two sub-lines per line. I found myself trying to make sense of the Anglo-Saxon just as much as I read the modern English translation. This was initially frustrating owing to the lack of a pronounciation guide, but I actually found understanding the Saxon alphabet and figuring out what I could of the grammar to be a challenge.
This leads me to the second joy of this translation, which is the sense of history that it is filled with. Heany writes of his own Irish-Gaelic background and how it informed his use of language in translating the poem. Beowulf is an ancient text that survived for hundreds of years in the oral bardic tradition, then in a single copy at the British Museum. What we have left to us is a living relic of language and sound. That the English language itself has changed so much since Beowulf was written is at once amazing and frightening. What will our heirs be reading in a thousand years? What will they sound like? What can we offer to them?
In any case, Seamus Heaney has given us a treasure.

I had to read Beowulf for class, at first I wasn't interested in reading it but I eventually started to like the poem. Beowulf was a very interesting epic poem to read. The main character Beowulf was prideful in his capability and power of defeating enemies. Even though his pride-fullness overcame him and eventually lead to his death, he was an great warrior/king. I really love how the story can be related to Christianity, other religions, and the modern world. This was a powerful poem with a lot of significance in it.

What is remarkable in this Poem, which, in accord with English lore circa 8th Century, intends to narrate true events with stylish language, is what it narrates. Scholars note that Grendel's description causes difficulty unless one concedes dinosaurs or "dragons" were contemporaries with man at the time. According to this translation "the other, warped in the shape of a man, moves beyond the pale bigger than any man, an unnatural birth called Grendel by the country people in former days" and "Every nail, claw-scale and spur, every spike
and welt on the hand of that heathen brute was like barbed steel. Everybody said there was no honed iron hard enough to pierce him through, no time proofed blade
that could cut his brutal blood caked claw." The tiny arms are described as covered with scales and as like a serpent. The head is described as large and requiring four men to carry it. It is vaguely human in shape since it is bipedal and Peter Dickenson describes it as a bipedal dragon or dinosaur. Dickinson, Peter. The Flight of Dragons ch.10 "Beowulf" New English Library, 1979. Because of the myth of evolution, readers have been "blinded" and unable to see Grendel for what it is, a T-Rex. More evidence that dragons or "dinosaurs" coexisted with mankind recently and may still exist in remote parts of the world but for the extinction by men who encountered them as a menace to man and mammal and alike.

I was introduced to Beowulf by my older sister, who had it in English lit at her college. It was the Seamus Heaney translation, buried in a thick, chunky Norton's Anthology. Not the kind of book that lends itself to easy reading, but she said that Beowulf was great.

Wow. I now have my own copy of that marvelous translation. At the bookstore, I picked up a few other translations. Ugh. The beginnings seemed dull, and obtuse. NOT reader friendly.

This, however, is wonderful. Right from the start, you are excited. Most of the beginnings tend to make me feel VERY stubborn. When I'm told to "Listen!" or "Hark!' I want to hurl the book across the room and say HAHAHA! I DON'T HAVE TO!

Instead, Seamus simply begins "So."

There's no hysterical exclamation point to tell you "Hey, man this is going to be a GOOD poem, like your English teacher said!! Read me NOW, because I am REALLY EXCITING!!:).

The simple directness of his translation helps keep you grounded while reading a 3,182 line poem. The storyline moves smoothly, and never once do you feel like someone hit your over the head, and screeched "Look at this! This is poetry! I'm a poem!"

What Beowulf does do is enthrall. The tragic tone of much of the poem, is broken by wry, very realistic observation of human nature, some occassionally made by the characters ( Anyone with gumption/and a sharp mind will take the measure/of two things: what's said and what's done)

Another mood lightener is the tone of excitement in various passages. Beowulf setting out from Geatland, after he kills Grendel, when Hrothgar builds the hall in the beginning.

The shorter passages are worth memorizing, as well as many of the longer ones. If you chose to read this Beowulf, you will find yourself doing so over and over, the sentences echoing in your mind.

All in all, a wonderful read.

Seamus Heaney has masterfully rendered this classic tale of an epic struggle between good and evil. The language is beautiful and artfully managed. The story itself is intact and as it was meant to be told.

Heaney takes great care not to destroy this book through the weakness inherent in the translation process itself. Through Heaney's handling of this text, I found a new appreciation for a story I have loved since college.

I was assigned this book for summer reading. I am in ninth grade and as most of you reading this know all students fear summer reading and tend to wait until the last minute to complete it. Well, I started this book planning to struggle through it but I became more and more interested in it as I went on. After a while I felt like I was even involved in the events that took place in the story. The anglo saxon verse was abnormal for me but I picked up on it. The main qualities that i picked up on and we studied in our class were alleteration, which is a strong beat. There were also kennings which are riddling metaphors. The story kept me interested with action as well as taking me through anglo saxon history. I read most of this book when I went to the beach, I started reading and I couldn't put it down. There are three main battles which take place in the story and they are spaced out evenly within the story. Beowulf was a brave courageous man who eventually with a lot of hard work made his way to king. He like many others in the anglo saxon community realized that fame was the only way to be remembered forever in their society. The only thing that separated him from most of the others is that he suceeded and became king of Denmark. After ruling his country for many years, he finally ends the story with one last major battle. I dont want to ruin the story for you so I wont tell you. If you came up to me on the street and asked me should you read this book I would do my best to convince you to read it. You will take away a lot more knowledge of the old cultures in our world as well as having read a great story

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!

Heaney is a master poet as well as a master storyteller. His translation is by far the best I've ever read. I remembered the dry version in a college anthology, and wasn't too excited to buy the book, but my husband wanted it and I liked the idea of the side-by-side original and translation. Then I gave him the CD for Christmas. The entire story came alive, in all its ancient glory. Heaney's flair for alliteration is a pleasure to listen to, and the pictures he paints with his choice of words are both accessible and haunting. It is a wonderful look into a society that so valued warfare and the glory of a good fight. Even those who normally have little interest in literature will love this.

The heroic tale of the warrior Beowulf and his fights against three monters. A "modern" translation of the Old English poem, it was very easy to understand. The translation flowed smoothly for the most part, and was easy to follow and really get into the story. The only complaint I have, is that there were times the rhythm seemed a bit off and it pulled me out of the story.

4/5

I love Beowulf and now that Heaney's translation of this great epic is out, I am overjoyed. Seamus Heaney is an extraordinary poet; he has unusual word choices and his Irish background is wonderful fodder for Old English. I have read other translations of Beowulf before but they are always a little flowery, stiff or dated. It is hard to translate the Old English guttural tones but Heaney uses consonants freely and you can almost hear Grendel's footsteps stalking the men in the mead hall! Thank you Mr heaney!

When eager warriors aren't fighting a blood-feud or otherwise pursuing treasure, glory and fame, life in the Scandinavia of long ago is one of beer-fuelled revelry. At daily banquets in the king's wine hall, as the court minstrel sings and plucks his harp, the shield-bearing thanes line the benches to drink goblets of mead. For the legendary Beowulf, however, whose many gifts include a prodigious athleticism on land and in water, festivities come to a temporary halt when he learns of the 'greedy and grim God-cursed brute' wreaking havoc across the sea in the land of the Danes.
The action of the 3000-line Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf, the only Germanic epic to survive complete, centres on the young hero's bloody battles with not only the murderous, swamp-inhabiting Grendel, but also the unearthly creature's equally terrifying mother and, decades later back in the warrior's Geatland, in southern Sweden, an enraged treasure-hoarding dragon. Amid gruesome scenes of tearing flesh, ripping sinews and a posthumous decapitation a day's swim downwards to the monsters' lake-bottom abode, the poem depicts heroism and envy, imparts wisdom on fate and the exercise of individual will, and warns of the brittleness of life and the dangers of pride, of ignoring eternal rewards.
Seamus Heaney's rich and evenly poised translation is a thrilling trove of vocabulary, alliteration, metre, cadence and melody to be savoured in their own right. When the giant Grendel - variously described as corpse-maker, terror-monger, hell-brute from the demon's mere, guilt-fouled fiend, one of Cain's clan, a fatherless creature, impervious to the blade - is horrifically injured by Beowulf's vice-like grip:
'He is hasped and hooped and hirpling in pain,
limping and looped in it. Like a man outlawed
for wickedness, he must await
the mighty judgement of God in majesty.'
Written some time in the closing centuries of the first millennium, the original poem was the first in a European vernacular language. A glance at the all but indecipherable Old English, reproduced as parallel text beside just the first page of the translation, confirms that Heaney's is indeed a translation from another language. And a flick through other modern English renderings shows just how much he has made the poem his own. With glosses in the margins and family trees at the back of the book to guide the newcomer through the story and its dynasties, this eminently readable version is accessible to the uninitiated reader of poetry.
As Heaney relates in the introduction, it was the grand, measured speech of his father's male relatives in his native Derry which suggested the translated poem's tune. But it was the young poet-translator's discovery of words common to both Beowulf and the everyday language of his forebears, and especially that of his aunts when he was a child, that was his first step towards reconciling the Irish his family once spoke with the English tongue brought to his homeland during the Ulster plantations. Heaney acts on the same universalizing impulse as his compatriot Joyce, whose Finnegans Wake strives to transcend the boundaries drawn by any single language. In translating Beowulf, he not only celebrates his own linguistic heritage, but takes another step across fading frontiers into the unbounded polyglot world of all language.

During my college years, I read the Cantebury Tales in Middle English. While i could make my way through the verse, I never felt I could completely grasp the story. The new translation of Beowulf brings the flavor and verse in to clarity for the dawn of a new century.
I really appreciated Mr. Heaney's attention to detail, and I had a sense of awe and wonder in reading an epic poem over 3000 lines in length written over a 1000 years ago. Bravo!

This book was a great disappointment. It is far inferior to other less known publications (e.g. Sarah Condor's). While it attempts to preserve the old English caesura, it completely loses rhyme and verse. It also comes deafly short of the actuality of the original. It is literally boring and unreadable. If Heaney's name were not attached to it, it would have been a total flop!

I won't comment on the text, the translation, nor the authors reading of the epic. My only comment is that I purchased this on CD, and hind-sight is 20/20 - I would have been better off purchasing an audio cassette version.
There are two CD's to this edition, and each CD is *ONE SINGLE TRACK*. This means you have two tracks, each of which are over an hour long. Needless to say, this does not make it easy to "pick it up later". I wish the producers has split it into 5 or 10 minute tracks, even if the track division was meaningless in itself. At least with an audio cassette, I could press stop, and come back later and press play.
*shrug*

This is a wonderful tale and a fantastic translation.

If you've never read Beowulf before, I suggest approaching it with some kind of study guide (even if it's just the explanation at Wikipedia). It's a great work as much for the history lessons that go with it as for the story it contains.

Ultimately, the story provides intriguing glimpses into three fascinating cultures: the culture of the story world, the culture of the (later) storyteller's society, and the culture of the monks (even later) who worked so hard to Christianize the story's message.

I have been laboriously teaching myself Anglo-Saxon in order to read the "real" Beowulf. I also have a tape of parts of Beowulf read aloud in Anglo-Saxon. It was with some trepidation that I ordered the CDS. Heaney has kept much of the masculine sound of Beowulf -- the alliteration, the beats, the broken measures. I am happy.

One criticism: there are no "tracks" so that if you begin listening in the car as I did, when you start to drive home, you're back at the beginning. I would have liked a way to return to the approximate place where I left off listening.

If you're still struggling with Anglo-Saxon, this is a great way to experience the sounds of Beowulf.

I had to read this for a class, and thought the dramatic arc and action were good. It impresses me to read something that is so old, and whom many generations in between also read. But I did get the feeling I was being assigned BEOWULF largely because it was "good for me" more than actually "good." It is tedious in spots. And I'm sure this edition of it will largely fit the category of "the unread bestseller." A lot of volumes will look great on a bookshelf, but won't have been read past page 20.

This is an excellent epic poem and an adventure you don't want to miss. This is a poem set in the midevil times. It is about an area that is being ravaged by dragons. The cities army cannot hold it's ground and thus a conqurer from another area must come to save the day. It is none other than beowulf that comes to the rescue. It is really a poem that needs no description from me for I cannot do it justice. I strongly recommend this for a relaxing yet adventuresome read.

I was really looking forward to listening to this, and found myself very disappointed. Anglo-Saxon is a language of concrete nouns, active verbs, things happening and things being shown. Instead we have Heaney using such extremely trite phrases as, "Without further ado." Can you see Beowulf doing something without further ado? Of course not; Beowulf just does. Then there was the use of the phrase, "Desperate affair," to describe Beowulf's fight with Grendel. Desperate affair? This does not sound like the way to describe the process of tearing off a Neanderthaloid monster's arm with your bare hands.
Heaney's reading voice is frankly not very impressive, and coupled with the translation, made for a disappointing experience.

The one thing that stopped me from rating "Beowulf" 5 stars is that I think its equivalent form to be audio. Seamus Heaney marvellously translated the old epic into modern English, but the real majesty of his work remains hidden as long as there is no audio-edition available - an edition that should be spoken by Heaney himself, whose superb feeling for the relationship between a near forgotten Northern myth and our modern (TV-induced, OK) fascination with plot is already hinted at in the book. "Beowulf" spoken by Heaney would surely help to make people "hear" that there is a difference between prose and poetry (even in our age of prose-poetry). And it would probably say: "Shame on you for banning poetry from the mass-market of modern literature. So much more could be said by using words more seriously"

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.

I originally read Beowulf in an English class in 1975, and while I forget the name of the translator, I remember the magic of the language as much as the magic of the story. In the current translation, I found myself often bored and often impatient with what seemed to me to be Heaney's ostentatious and clumsy attempts to revive the sound of Anglo-Saxon poetry. It probably didn't help that he includes the original on facing pages, and while I don't know Anglo-Saxon, I at least know how to pronounce it, so the magic of the original sound was there for comparison. In any case, expecting a revival of the magic, instead I had to drag myself from page to page. Heaney is a fine poet in his own right, but in my opinion he doesn't have the sound of Beowulf right at all.

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.

I have spent my life reading and re-reading; teaching; interpreting, walking through even re-living, the Beowulf Epic. I can say, with confidence, that at no time has a translation captured the reality of the Poem as Heaney has done with this crown-point gem. The introduction, and dealing with the story as myth in particular, is the only part for which I have any real criticism. An educator, a true educator can enrich and inspire the tritest translation of the Epic. Examining the Epic as Myth, Song Cycle, Bardic Song have fallen by the wayside it's true, but a remnant are we who live for the study of the Ancient Epic. Working in conjunction with our Arts Faculty, we enliven the discussion with paintings, sculpture, performance art, and original musical compositions at a week-long celebration that has come to be known as "Vulffest". During this time of unbrideled revelry and serious study the Epic has been examined scrupulously, over the years, under paradigmatic variations that would make philosophers from Descartes to Royce spin like gyroscopes in their respective resting-places. (Particularly inspiring was a Lesbian Marxist-Leninist Feminist deconstruction of the poem.) Indeed I have made my work nothing less than transforming Beowulf into a curriculum in and of itself, and in doing so, put it on a par with Joyce's "Ulysses". Nearing the ending of a proud career I can say Heaney understands the Saga as I have come to understand it, examines it as I do, gives life to the word play as I love to do, and has sat, hushed in the profound silences, as I have.
Seamus Heaney should be beatified along with his hero: Warrior, King and Sage. Not since John Gardner's "Grendel" (1971), (a retelling of the epic from the monster-child's point of view: with Gardner's classic internal conflict examination), have I found such refreshing work in the field.
Through the years, I have heard Beowulf called, "The Dark Tome of Perfidious Albion"; "The scourge and bane of Senior English"; and seen students bowing toward Copenhagen, chanting, "May we be worthy to see the real in the myth; the human in the monster; the monstrous in the human; and the myth in the real!" before, during and after classes.
Heaney understands that like good prose, Epic poetry accomplishes most when more is said with less: that the writer's craft is not so much what is put down, as what's taken out. I would particularly recommend the dual-language edition, for serious students. You can see Heaney's thought process from line to line: nothing short of astounding! He understands the ebullient alliteration as only a speaker of the Old English can. It is my opinion that the only possible way Heaney could have improved on his work, would have been for him to go from town to town as a traveling bard (a blind one would be preferable) touching harp strings and singing the Epic in halls filled with Thanes, Lords and their Ladies with hearth fires warming and mead bowls overflowing. While Heaney has been noted for, "works of lyrical beauty and ethical depth, which exalt everyday miracles and the living past," to quote the Swedish Academy in his 1995 Nobel Literature triumph, I see the examination of Heaney's "Beowulf" central to Literary Studies for generations to come. Kudos for a masterwork, and a plain good read!

I got this book for Christmas, and I have read it four times already! It is even better than the E. Talbot Donaldson translation whuich I read last year. I think that any translation of a poem should be a verse translation like this one. I also think that Seamus Heaney did an astoundingly great job with the translation. I often like to read it aloud, for it is very powerful as few written works are today. I would definitely recommend this to anyone interested in poetry.

Beowulf is a work of poetry that tells a story of Beowulf's life and battles. The king of the Danes is Hrothgar. He builds a mead-hall that he names Heorot. A mead-hall is a place where the warriors and king go to drink and have a good time. Hrothgar builds Heorot to build fame for himself. Grendel attacks the mead-hall for twelve years, killing some of Hrothgar's men. Beowulf comes to his aid and defeats the vicious beast by ripping its arm off in a fight. Hrothgar rewards Beowulf with great riches. Grendel's mother is Beowulf's next challenge. Beowulf defeats her using a sword that was crafted by the hands of a giant. Beowulf again pulls away with a wealthy profit from Hrothgar. After returning to his homeland, Beowulf becomes king. Beowulf's third and final heroic battle comes against a dragon. Beowulf receives a deadly wound during this fight. His only loyal warrior left, Wiglaf, fights bravely beside him as they eventually defeat the dragon. Beowulf eventually dies from the wound applied to him from the dragon. The great poetry used in this epic is a great example of the main qualities of Anglo-Saxon verse. Verse is another term for poetry. The first quality is "alliteration". This is the repetition of similar sounds in a line or verse. Second is "strong beat". There are four beats per line of verse. Third is "no rhyme". The lines do not rhyme at all. Last is the use of "kennings". Kennings are riddling metaphors. For example, the author uses the term "sea-bench" to replace "beach". Another example is using the term "hand-spurs" to replace "claws". In the story you will encounter Hygelac, the king of the Geats, and Hygd, the queen of the Geats. Then there is Hrothgar and Wealtheow, the king and queen of the Danes. Unferth is Hrothgar's spokesman who argues with Beowulf, yet eventually becomes willing to help him. Breca is the man who has a swimming contest against Beowulf. At first these names were hard for me to comprehend. Eventually, I began to understand them. The events in the story occur around the year 400. They take place in and around southern Sweden and Denmark. The author did a wonderful job putting this magnificent epic together. There is only one thing that I believe the author could have left out. This is the discretion. Discretion is a side story. This is where the author leaves the main plot and begins to tell the reader of a different story. Otherwise, I believe the author put all he could into this story. It was a great book, and I highly recommend it.

Well, let's face it, certain people wouldn't read Beowulf unless they were strapped in one of those Clockwork Orange chairs with Doctor Mengele dripping Murine in their eyes. But you're not one of those people since you're already here. Even if you only think you're interested in this book, click as fast as you can to lay your mits on a copy of Seamus Haney's potent translation. Reviewers are allowed so many words, aren't they?, so let me give you a snippet: "Off in the moors, down through the mist bands God-cursed Grendel came greedily loping. The bane of the race of men roamed forth, hunting for a prey in the high hall. Under the cloud-murk he moved toward it until it shone above him, a sheer keep of fortified gold." The language is clear and understandable (worthy of a Nobel Prize winning poet), and the simple pull of this ancient tale hauls you along like a Mexican undertow. Satisfaction guaranteed.

Perhaps I am fortunate to have missed the other translations that others say are not as good as this one. I grabbed the audio anticipating a great journey but found that my mind kept wandering elsewhere. I would suggest you try reading this one--also the last CD appeared to be all about Seamus Heaney which I was not interested in.

This is the only version of Beowulf I have read, so I can't compare it to other versions, but I thought it was an excellent version of the story. It was very easy to read. It flows nicely like a novel, I practically read the whole thing in one sitting. I have read elsewhere that it may not be as literal as other translations, but it wasn't a pain to get through like some literal translations I've seen of other works. I highly recommend this to anyone, especially people who have tried to read it before but were put off by hard to read literal translations.

When I first picked up this book, I thought it was going to be one of the hardest books I would ever read. I thought wrong! When I began to read the book, it was hard for me to fallow. But after a while I understood everything that was going on. Beowulf is an Anglo-Saxon poem about a hero named Beowulf. Beowulf, who is the main character in the poem, risks his life to defeat monsters that are destroying countries. He was a brave leader that fought for his country, and in his braveness he gained fame and honor. If I didn't like the book, I wouldn't be writing this review. This book was a very good book, and I am sure all of you will like it. Once you start to read, the words will begin to make sense. I am not a big reader myself, but after I began to read it, I was completely consumed by everything that was going on.

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.

I had probably read Beowulf five or six times before, for various literature courses over the years, but never with the absolute fascination which grabbed me this time around. Spellbinding verse, and an obviously timeless epic. What more can you ask? One tip: Keep a notepad nearby to record the words which you're not already familiar with. They'll be somewhat understandable due to context clues, but you may want to broaden your horizons.

When I first came to this text I was full of trepidation. I was concerned that the Norton Anthology (which now uses this version of Beowulf) had replaced a fine scholarly translation with one by a "name" writer. Although I still prefer the old translation to this one, I feel Heaney deserves credit for a good, if not earth-shattering, translation. Truly written from the heart of a poet, this is a better translation than most. I recommend it to those already familiar to Beowulf. It is an interesting counterpoint to more traditional translations.

Seamus Heaney is regarded as the best translator of texts such as these. This one is nothing short of a masterpiece. The bilingual edition is very very nice and really helped me a lot! He kept the rhythm of the poem true to it's original version, the decasyllabilic meter. Over all, i really loved the book, the translation, and the tale of epic struggle. Every person well equipped with the armament of the English Language must read this book!

The Translation By Seamus Heaney displayed a incredible tail of the medieval times. Though most of the items were far from reality it was displayed in a well written manner.
The famous Beowulf, hero, king, friend, with his features of loyalty, courage, and love was the all time perfect warrior. Seamus made Beowulf out to be an incredible character in the poem. Beowulf grew up knowing that he was going to be something of importance in his future. The poem was unique by the way it showed such a long transitional period of ones life. It showed Beowulfs life from adolescence to adulthood. In his youth Beowulf was already showing qualities of a magnificient warrior. Though he would not need to use those qualities for some time, they were there. Beowulf's defeat of Grendel, and Grendel's mother proved his reputation for his acts of bravery and established him as a hero to all.
One thing about the poem that was not understood is why Seamus in the begining of the poem focused on Beowulf as an child and in the second part of the poem focused on Beowulf in his older years. Leaving out the middle of Beowulf's life. Though Seamus in a strange way showed what happen in the middle of Beowulf's life trough the other characters and sutuations. Beowulf in his older years showed those king like virtues by becoming a king and treating his people they he would want to be treated. Beowulf being the great hero and king he was even risked his life for his peole and fought the dragon himself to save his people.
The poem in itself was fairly decent with a bit of a twist. Seamus used very good transitions and a well thought out choice of vocabulary. Seamus also wrote the poem in a well natured way.
TJW Young
3/3/02

Personally I enjoyed reading this translation by Seamus Heaney. It is the ideal translation for the high school to college student who isn't well versed in the Anglo-Saxon text. Heaney gives the reader multiple footnotes to follow along with while reading to help deepen understanding. I would recommend this modern translation to anyone who is looking for a slightly easier text to read.

Beowulf offered a look at the time and life of the Angles and Saxons. Both their habbits and culture is shown in a large amount of feasting, celebrating and fighting. A story of a man who comes to a new land only known by his fathers name he must proove himself a warrior to a new land by having battles with several supernateral creatures. Traveling all over the earth to find them Beowulf shows no weakness of his own as he tears every monster that he wishes to conquor. Only the weapon of age is ever able to weaken him as fights to kill whatever it be. Along with this the reader gets a sense of the importance of honor, leadership and heroism in thi time period. With lavish feasts Beowulf is rewarded for being a man of supernateral strengths himself and saveing a town from the clutches of the monster Grendel. But once the problem seems to be evaded Grendel's mother shows up with a rengence to avenge her son. Once again Beowulf must proove himself to the people that have trusted him so much. As a culteral reference it is a good book. But as just a reading book its faults become ever more apparent. With a good amount of preparations for battle, introductions of poeple and parties it does show how the culture worked but not making it interesting per say. But this does not mean that a person who likes historical fiction will not like it, on the contrary this may be your book. I think one reason why i only thought the book was OK was Beowulf's perfect character that allows him to achieve superhuman feats. This is of course an example of presentism but none the less i could not get over that.

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.

I'm a high school senior who studied an exerpt of a translation of "Beowulf." After reading the exerpt I read part of one other version, which was difficult to understand. Recently I came across this translation which is even better than what I started with in my literature book. I also found it good to see the Anglo-Saxon version, for those who know how to read it.

Reading Beowulf was one the highlights of high school! We compared Old English to Modern English with the help of this wonderful edition. However, all work on this was done in class we read aloud and listened to the CDs that accompany the book. Every day we left class eager to return and discover what happened next. This is a work that has truly stood the test of time, exciting young people now just as it did hundreds of years ago.

I read this book my senior year of highschool, and i really enjoyed it. It has medieval times and Shakespeare's style of writing. Beowulf is essentially a super hero who faces any obstacles. He has to fight many creatures to get to his ultimate goal of getting his name remembered in history. It's an easy read and very descriptive, overall a good book.

The latest translation of the classic Anglo-Saxon epic. Venture back to a time when a mans honor and abilty to live by a warriors code was more important than any temporary comforts or instant gratification, or for that matter his life. Also I loved that along with the modern English on the opposite page was the same text in old English.

Heaney's translation makes this undergrad lit classic readable for your kids. There is a significant character/morality tale underlying the dragon-killing action. I read the whole poem on an airplane from Guatemala City to Dallas and it held my attention. It takes a great writer to turn a college essay subject into an airplane read.

Beowulf is one of the essential works of early English literature.

Over the years, I've read several translations of this classic saga and this translation by Seamus Heaney is my favourite so far.

If you're looking for a modern translation of this classic saga, you won't go wrong with this one.

Highly recommended!

I HAD to read Beowulf in high school and got nothing out of it. Reading and hearing the rave reviews of this new translation encouraged me to give it one more shot. I have to say that as you grow older, you grow wiser. This story is engrossing and more lively than you remember. Give it a shot, you won't be disappointed.

This is an amazing translation of this work. Not only is the language used rich, poetic, and approachable, this work places the story of Beowulf within a broader context of the Christian narrator. The contrast of Christian and pagan worldviews is a much more accurate presentation than most popular works that emphasize the pagan without providing the proper context. I used this in a literature class with 13-15 year old guys, and they thoroughly enjoyed the read.

Seamus Heaney's translation is positively brilliant. Not only is his translation accurate, it has the rhythm. I can read a bit of Old English and I couldn't believe how beautifully and skillfully he translated the poem. Of course, Seamus Heaney is a poetic genius!

I was required to read this in high school, and decided to re-read it recently. Anyone who wants to understand the modern fantasy genre, especially the variety involving knights and monsters, needs to read this book. Period. Heaney's translation makes the work accessible, and it can be read straight-through in an hour or two. Highly recommended.

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.

This is a great translation. The story reads well in all respects. It's fun, things move, the language is great. Definately an improvement over the version I read a long time ago (at least, how I remember things?). I can't claim to be familiar with the work in the original tongue, but I cannot imagine how this could be any better.

I do like Heaney's translation of Beowulf, though I still prefer Talbot Donaldson's. But this review is to warn potential buyers of the misleading advertising for the recorded version. Although it claims to be unabridged, it actually omits quite a few lines and even some sizable chunks. For example, he has entirely skipped the very important confrontation between Beowful and Unferth. I don't like abridged versions of anything because I'd rather decide for myself what is most important, but I find it especially troubling when an abridged version is advertised as unabridged. What he does read he reads well, making it a useful tool in the classroom. But with so much missing it would be a poor substitute for the written text. I give it one star, not for its poor quality, but for the deceitful packaging.

*****

Heaney gets it. His translation of Beowulf is the best I've ever come across. My priest recommended it to me, and I've prized it since it arrived at my door. If you're looking to read Beowulf, this is one of the clearest, most enjoyable to read translations available.

*****

Beowulf is an exciting tale and this fast-paced and wonderful translation allows modern readers to explore the story in all of its glory. I first had to read Beowulf as an assignment and was skeptical about reading a story written so long ago. Fortunately, I picked up this translation and when I started reading I couldn't stop. As a result I have discovered the wonderful world of medieval literature and it's all thanks to this book. Buy it and read it. Who knows, maybe you'll discover that you've been missing out on a really great thing.

This is the most enjoyable to read translation anyone has ever published of this immortal classic. Heaney makes the language modern enough to be easily absorbed, but keeps it close enough to the archaic to avoid sounding inauthentic.
Also, the set-up of the text (Anglo-Saxon on the left pages, modern English on the right) is great for studying the ancient language by comparison.

This translation was very easy to read. I enjoyed it a lot. It was especially nice to have the original poem on the left side of the book's pages, and the translation of the poem on the right side. I would highly recommend this book.

This is a great read for multiple interest groups. For those who are interested in historical translations and/or Anglo-Saxon culture, it is a very good and ageless poem with a good story and plenty of action. Which brings me to the next interest group, those who like a lot of action and a fair share of violence and warring, because Beowulf has plenty of that as well. This translation is also very good, I'd reccommend it to sophisticated and action seeking readers alike.

I am a high school student, and I always wanted to read Beowulf but was afraid the context might be too sophisticated for me. However, when I read this edition of Heaney's, I soon found out it really was an interesting book that I finished in less than 5 hours! Although I am not sure how other editions have translated Beowulf, I do not think there will be others that can be better than this book both in accuracy of context and in degree of excitement.

Heaney's translation is very fluid, very cursive. Beowulf as a classic, is recommendable for historical value & literary merit on its own, & he does it great justice. "Foreign places yield more to9 one who is himself worth meeting."

Beautiful rendition. The first where I felt the presence of the unknown Christian poet by my side. I felt like reading this aloud beside my campfire.Highly recommended.I'm a self tutored lover of poetry and literature and this is by far the best version of Beowulf I have read.

I read somewhere that Angelina Jolie was playing Grendel's mother in the upcoming Robert Zemeckis film , due for release in November. This is not a promising portend.

It has been said by previous reviewers in so many words: Heaney's erudition, mastery of language and love of literature bring to life this ancient classic and make its sheer emotional force palpable and accessible to modern readers. Heaney's introduction on the universal cultural relevance of Beowulf, despite the seemingly unbridgeable cultural gaps posited by differences in historical context, heritage or language, is a masterpiece in itself.

My title says 14, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate great peices of writing. This book is a perfect translation of the epic: Beowulf. A story about a man who defeats Grendel and his mother seeking fame and fortune. Unfortunatly he meets his demise in a battle against a grand dragon, he defeats the dragon, but only with the help of his only brave knight. (The rest fled) By winning the battle he immortalizes himself by winning a vast room of treasure. A great funeral pyre is lit, and the tales of his deeds are sung. A masterpeice.

If you hated having to read Beowulf in high school, this is the translation for you. Seamus Heaney makes the characters come alive in this earthy, atmospheric retelling. Beautiful book, graceful and dynamic verse, vivid retelling.

This contemporary translation of this classic epic poem is lively and colorful, breathing new life into a two thousand year old tale. I read it first in school many years ago but saw the new translation and decided to update myself on this classic piece of literature. I was captivated by the images created by the refreshing language of Seamus Heaney, adding immensely to my enjoyment of this book. I highly recommend it to any Beowulf fan or devotee of the classic classics. I bought a copy of it for my son right after I read it!

Heaney's translation, while immensely popular, is inaccurate at crucial moments. He seems to simply make up his own translation, even when a literal reading would have been equally intelligible and poetic, while preserving the original sense of the poem. The shame in this is that Heaney's work is becoming the "definitive edition," even in schools. There are obviously much better translations for scholars. For the casual reader, I suggest Liuzza's excellent work: Beowulf (Broadview Literary Texts) (Broadview Literary Texts Series)

All I can say is 'WOW'. I had never heard of the book before last week. I found a site with the top 100 novels list and decided to start reading some of them. This book is amazing. I couldn't walk away from it, I read it in 3 short, highly imaginative hours. It is definately a cover to cover read and I recommend it to anyone who has a liking for epic tales of heroics or a love for stories of chivalry, honor, and bravery.
Wow.

Seamus Heaney's brilliant contribution to literature makes the epic poem accessible without sacrificing its power or poetry. A `must read' which deserves many more than the 5 stars I was able to assign.

Seamus Heaney really brings the story alive in his traslation. His is one of the few translated books that aren't dull or straight-foward. Beowulf is poetic and alive, like the way it should be. This is a great book for anyone who likes epics.

It's not that long of a poem but large chunks where left out in the reading. I would have liked to hear the old english as well. Seamus Heaney does a great translation and it's is pretty easy to read. I say skip the audio version and read the book.

I've been reading Seamus Heaney's version of Beowulf to my boys, aged 4 and 9, and they love it! It's become a nightly event for us to act our the fight scene with the dragon. It is so wonderful to be able to introduce my kids to a classic piece of literature and have them enjoy it, but what little boy wouldn't love this story...weapons, chainmail, swordplay, dragons and death! I'm telling you, your kids will dig this tale.

That an Irishman could so well understand the Anglo Saxon tongue is one thing. But for Seamus Heaney also to understand and bring to life the culture within a culture--the time when the tale took place and the original poet's era--is outstanding. His ear is pitch perfect. There are passages that sing right off the page, but always with a robustness and veracity. I look forward to savoring again this brilliant work.

Like most, I was forced to read a version of this book for school. The genealogy and the mechanics of the language were the primary emphasis; therefore, I never got much out of the story. This new translation is remarkable. Most of the unwieldy dialogue has been simplified, without changing the imagery or majesty of the original work. I cannot imagine a better translation.

Essential "roots" literature for anyone with a drop of Indo-European blood, and anyone with imagination. There are passages of soaring poetry, particularly in the first half. I was struck by the echos of Homer in the clash of shining war gear and the curve-prowed ships that fly like birds.
Also fascinating is the conflict between the warrior's code, celebrating vengence as the highest goal, and the nominal Christianity of the period. Many things are still the same.

The numerous farvorable reviews of this book and its quick "sold out" status say it all. This was a wonderful read. If you enjoy it, you may also want to read "Grendel" by John Gardner - an existentialist telling of the Beowulf legend told from Grendel's point of view. It is quite amazing.

This is also a book on the 100 Best Books List of all time. I have now

added this one to my library. It looks very fastinating and I am sure

glad for the translation that will render it easier for me to read.

This is a true literary achievement. Heaney's prose and
the brilliant translation are remarkable. I especially
liked the norse text side by side with the English.

The only thing that kind of surprised me was how Tolkien-esque
the final story sounded. I don't know who was drawing
inspiration from who here. :)

This is really a very nicely done, accessible translation, perfect for not only scholars and students but those without much background in the area of pre-literate English culture. Very nicely translated too--not at all awkward or stilted as so many translations are!

A few years back, my high school teacher forced us to read Beowulf. It was a bit of a burden but I thought the story was real good. Maybe I am just a bit older and I guess I was attracted to the fact that it predates about everything written in english. But a friend loaned me the Seamus Heaney version and I really enjoyed it. I went out to the library and took out the book on disk too. Good idea!

I'm posting this review as a warning to buyers that although the store is presently listing the audio CD as UNABRIDGED, it's actually marked "Unabridged Selections" by the publisher in what is obviously an exercise in marketing double talk.

The audio CD version omits many lines and even some sizable chunks of the original work. The only word for that is "Abridged" and the publishers should be ashamed of themselves for calling it anything other than "Abridged".

the store should update the listing accordingly. I'm giving the edition a 1 star rating simply to call attention to the deceitful packaging. I have no other complaint aside from that.

I had picked this up previously in a different translation, and I wallowed through the turgid prose like many before me. Then my girlfriend bought me Heaney's version: it is a masterful piece of work, by one of the English language's finest craftsmen. Literary heaven.

Accused by some as the trecherous read and hailed praise by others, I found the Old English to be quite interesting as laid out next to modern day English. I, as well as those to whom I've lent it out to, have very much enjoyed this book.

I have the hardcover of this epic, and one of the joys is the ability to see the original text opposing the modern translation. That original text is NOT duplicated in this Kindle edition. I don't understand why such a difference isn't made clear prior to purchasing.

i ordered Beowulf because i remembered it being hugely entertainting when my seventh grade history teacher read parts of it to us on rainy days.....Maybe there are two Beowulfs and Grendels in the fictional world because i found none of the suspense, colorful descriptions or fascinating characters that got me through those rainy days in history class. i didn't even finish the book; it has been one of the biggest literary let-downs ever.

i purchased this book to read aloud to my children, aged 5 and 7, because they love all things dragon! with much discussion they understood all of it, and loved it. i recommend it to all families who have a medieval penchant.

If you read this new translation of Beowulf sparks you to pick it up like I did, read this first. Beowulf is still confusing and still boring, no matter how good the translation is. Come on, IT'S BEOWULF!!! It'll take a lot more to make this exciting!

If you are following along in the book, by Seamus Heaney, sometimes entire pages are cut out. Its not just the unimportant stuff either. It is still a good CD and translation but its not exactly what it says it is.

As a student i was asigned to read the story of Beowulf. as i read the book i have come to the conclusion that Beowulf is either a brave strong warrior or a self conceeded prince who thinks he is everything.

I would not recommend Beowulf to anyone who is looking for an interesting book. The story line is too historic, and it is hard for people these days to find a way to connect with Beowulf, the main character. As someone who does not enjoy stories based around epic heroes, Beowulf was extremely boring for me. He kills this; he slaughters that; he defeats this; he overpowers that. The story is so predictable that it isn't even worth reading. Maybe older readers will like it better, but in my opinion, it should not be considered a "classic."

As someone who dabbles in the world of the poem Beowulf, I received Seamus Heaney's newly published translation of this old Saxon epic with some interest. The idea of a world-class poet taking on this ancient English work and possibly taking it away from the discouragingly dry scholarship that has laid siege to the poem intrigued me. Once I got my paws on Heaney's translation, I devoured it in suitable Grendel-like fashion. This review is a first impression. Mr. Heaney does not do a bad job translating Beowulf. But neither does he contribute in any significant way to the study of the poem. I found this translation a little wordy, but I also found this translation pointed out details that other translations seem to miss. Translating Beowulf is really more art than science, and so any translation is open to interpretation. In this light, Heaney's translation is worthwhile and should be read along with other translations. Serious students of Beowulf, of course, translate the poem themselves. We should admire and congratulate Heaney for his success. What we should not admire Heaney for is his "bilingual" edition. The even pages of this book present the poem in all its Anglo-Saxon glory. The text is edited and regularized. But the text is not glossed. Neither is it annotated. Nor is there any guide to the pronunciation of Old English. Who edited this Saxon version of the poem is not discussed. I many have missed something, but I cannot fathom the purpose of presenting the Old English text in this book. More importantly, I cannot fathom this text's connection with the translation that Shaper of Words Brought to Bare the Bee-wolf's Song And Told the Tale, by Tonguecraft. Buying the Book, this Bench-Warmer Read it Readily, like Grendel at Heart. Crafted with Care, the King of Geat's Saxon Song Sounds Fine. (Done in a Deli on a Dinner Mat).

You know that part in "Annie Hall" when Woodie Allen tells Diane Keaton to not take any classes that include "Beowulf" on the syllabus?

Well, he's right. Beowulf, outstanding historic relic that it may be, is incredibly boring. Has anyone ever sat down and read Beowulf for fun? If so, that poor chap must either have given up on page 3, or must have strange literary appetites indeed. This is basically an old legend, which can be related faithfully to you in, oh, maybe a three page little tale, but instead is blown up into what seems to be an endless poem. All I can say it, avoid this like the plague!

"Y Tu Brute" That's how much this new translation of a very, very, very, old book moves me. I cant say enough but lets give it a go. My favorite part of the book was when Beowulf kills the evil king. Whats his name again? Claudius. I also like when he insults Ophelia. Calling her a harlot. Ha Ha Haa.

Unfortunately, when my daughter searched for the title Beowulf, she did not realize what popped up was a version with the same description, cover, etc., however, it was a tape version and she needed the book version. In order for her to have ordered the book version, she would have had to scroll down the page and click on paperback. As it was a used copy, she was not offered the opportunity to return. Unfortunately, we then had to purchase a book version in the stores. When I tried to go on and order the book, the same thing happened to me. This is, I feel, a problem, as you search under "books", for a taped version to be the first thing that comes up. Just my opinion. We will look more carefully in the future.

I consider myself a literarily open minded person. But this book I found to be the ultimate cure for insomnia. The English used then is very different from today's. It's not that I didn't understand it, because I did. But this novel carries no real plot, the entire dialogue throughout is robotic and monotone, and the descriptions are either overly simplistic or too "Hemmingway"...on and on and on....Yes I suppose some would argue that this novel carries much culture and tradition with it, but give me a break! Jazz up the translation a bit and use language that REAL people can understand!!!!! Or don't waste your time!!!! Unless you suffer from an extreme case of insomnia, suicidal depression, or sheer boredom, don't come anywhere near this book!

If you only read one book this year that: lacks substance, doesnt require any real thinking, lacks adequate description, has a ridiculously overpowered and infinitely benevolent hero, is written in a boring fashion, and is a 6th century equivalent to The Power Rangers......... makes it this one!

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.

I studied parts of this poem in english at school and enjoyed it. It has a particularly 'cursed' and heavy feel to it, more then many books, and I noticed a similar atmosphere in a movie version I watched.

Beware of what you're getting into. Heavy going but beautifully written. I'm looking forward to getting this translation and digging below the surface to explore the whole thing.