#Classic: Beowulf

• Author: Anonymous
• Title: Beowulf
• ISBN: 9780393320978
• Written: dates from 975 to 1000 AD
• Genre: epic poem (3182 lines)
  
• Reading time: 2 hrs
• Plot and historical backround  Wikipedia
• Translator: Seamus Heaney, winner Nobel Prize 1995
• Trivia: Beowulf won Costa Book Award 1999
• List of Challenges
• Monthly plan
• Classic Club Master list

Quickscan

1. Plot:  Beowulf  relates the adventures of its Scandinavian hero,
2. at the same time presenting a detailed description of
3. the life and mood of the age during which it was written.
4. Epic in a nutshell:
5. Monster kills human – Grendel kills Danes in Herot
6. Human kills monster – Beowulf kills Grendel
7. Monster kills human – Grendel’s mother kills Esher
8. Human kills monster – Beowulf kills Grendel’s mother
9. Human and Monster  – kill each other
10. Motif: quest for personal glory
11. Major Theme: Good vs Evil…slaying of monsters and dragon
12. Minor theme: Beowulf’s friendships… with King Hrothgar and Wiglaf (warrior)
13. Question: Why so swords have names? Heruntling, Nagling

Conclusion:

1. I found the translation
2. …by Seamus Heaney breathtaking!
3. Strong point: crystalline alliteration!
4. line 209:
5. “…the warrior boarded the boat as captain,
6. a canny pilot along coast and currents.
7. Strong point: Heaney taps into his vivid vocabulary
8. …and his writing  is designed to draw the reader
9. …effortlessly from page to page through
10. …this Medieval classic epic poem!
11. I was not prepared for such an enjoyable read!
12. But I must advise any reader to gather the
13. basic story lines by reading a summary (wikipedia)
14. before reading the poem.
15. IMO..the story is simple and  not the best
16. part of the poem.
17. It is Heaney’s choice of words ...his translation
18. …that brings Beowulf  life!

Last thoughts:

1. If you are interested in studying Medieval Literature
2. …Beowulf is a #MustRead
3. If not…it STILL is a must read!.
4. Tip: there is a great family tree illustration in this book!
5. You can’t read this poem without it!
6. In the film Annie Hall, Diane Keaton confesses to Woody Allen
7. her interest in attending some college classes.
8. Allen is supportive, and has this bit of advice:
9. “Just don’t take any course where you have to read Beowulf.“
10. I had to laugh when I read that!
11. I don’t agree with Woody Allen…..
12. #Classic  for all to enjoy!