KEV67 Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 (edited) I am progressing with this. It is written in Old English on one side of the page, modern English on the other. It was translated by John Porter and it is a fairly literal translation. My step-mother gave me a translation by Seamus Heaney once, but I never read it. I suppose the translation was a little more free. I think the story is jolly good. There is quite a lot of preamble. Beowulf does not just turn up and start fighting monsters. There are lots of pleasantries and formalities. You can't just turn up and fight monsters without a by-your-leave, particularly if you turn up in a boat full of armed men. Edited February 23 by KEV67 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunababymoonchild Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 I read the Seamus Heaney translation and loved it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KEV67 Posted May 20 Author Share Posted May 20 I am about half way through. Beowulf has killed the Grendel by ripping off his arm. Beowulf must have been pretty strong, because I image the Grendel being as strong as a grizzly bear. I expect Jeff Capes would have had a problem ripping a grizzly bear's arm off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KEV67 Posted July 8 Author Share Posted July 8 I thought I was half way through in May, but I am not yet half way through in July. I read the same page each day until I understand it. When I understand a page without having to refer to the translation I start a new page the next day. They're after Grendal's mum now. Was Grendal's mum tougher than Grendal? I dare say my mum is not as tough as me, but maybe it is different with primeval monsters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KEV67 Posted August 10 Author Share Posted August 10 Beowulf just chopped through Grendal's mum's neck with a giant sword he found in her lair. I can see the influence in J.R.R. Tolkein's books. Magic swords and mail, precious jewels, giants, monsters, dragons, trolls. In Beowulf the word 'faege' (I think) meaning fey. In The Silmarillion heroes and villains were usually fell or fey or both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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