Beowulf: Poem, Poet and Hero

The Old English epic poem Beowulf has remained inaccessible to most readers due to its scholarly debates and complex language. This book aims to present the poem to readers who want to know why it is such a remarkable work of art and its cultural significance. It focuses on its poetic artistry, interleaving of heroic pasts and Christian present, and its breadth of reference, from biblical history to Old Norse myth. It also explains the intricacies of Old English metre and poetic language and explores the poet's evocation of an imagined pre-Viking Scandinavia. The book follows the story of the poem through its many interwoven voices and shows how it has been taken up as a European cultural icon.

Format: Hardback
Length: 192 pages
Publication date: 13 June 2024
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

The Old English epic poem "Beowulf" has earned a well-deserved reputation as a canonical text, yet it has remained largely inaccessible to the general public. This book seeks to introduce the poem to readers who are eager to understand what makes it such a remarkable work of art and why it holds such cultural significance. While most readers have encountered "Beowulf" through various translations or adaptations, others have had to undertake the challenging task of translating it as part of their academic study of the poem. This book avoids engaging in scholarly debates surrounding the poem's unknowns, such as its date, provenance, or author, and instead focuses on its poetic artistry, its interweaving of heroic pasts and Christian present, and the extraordinary breadth of its reference, encompassing biblical history, Old Norse myth, and more. However, the complexities of Old English metre and poetic language are explained, and the poet's portrayal of the ethics and material world of an imagined pre-Viking Scandinavia is explored.

"Beowulf: Poem, Poet, and Hero" follows the story of the poem through its diverse voices from different eras and locations, resulting in a work of reflective beauty. The human characters within the poem are portrayed with touching pathos and wisdom, and the infamous monsters still resonate with our contemporary societies' lingering insecurities. The final section of the book explores post-medieval responses to "Beowulf," highlighting how the poem has been embraced as a European cultural icon. By restoring its status as a literary masterpiece, this book ensures that "Beowulf" continues to be appreciated and studied by generations to come.

Weight: 448g
Dimension: 240 x 165 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781788312882