Seamus Heaney

Presents a new translation of the Anglo-Saxon epic chronicling the heroic adventures of Beowulf, the Scandinavian warrior who saves his people from the ravages of the monster Grendel and Grendel's mother.

Beowulf (Bilingual Edition)

Christine

** spoiler alert **
           thank god that bitch died I hated him pride kills

esperanza 

Briar's Reviews

I had to read Beowulf for my British Literature class, and my goodness was it one excellent read! I had heard vicious rumours that Beowulf was difficult to read and rather boring, and they were all wrong. I found Beowulf to be an exciting epic that grasped my attention better than Games of Thrones or the Witcher ever did. I was truly blown away and really loved reading into this story. It did help having an English Professor walking us through some of it, but either way it was marvellous.

Beowulf is a warrior coming to Hrothgar's aid. The wicked monster Grendel has plagued Heorot (Hrothgar's famous mead hall) for twelve long years. Nothing has gotten rid of the vicious monster who was tormenting them and killing off all the Spear-Dane men he could find. Good ole Beowulf comes around and slaughters him, has to deal with Grendel's Mother and finally has to fight a dragon. Can you get any more epic than that? 

I can see how this poem influenced a lot of today's modern stories. It's truly epic and really interesting. I really liked this poem and want to read more like it. It's a truly marvellous classic.

Five out of five stars.

Wynter

Enjoyed Seamus Heaney's verse translation even more.

Michael Springer

*bum bum* IN A WORLD . . . *bum bum* . . . FULL OF NASTY MONSTERS . . . *bum bum* . . . WHO EAT PEOPLE AND BREAK INTO CASTLES . . . *bum bum* . . . THE BEASTLY GRENDEL LURKED LONG OVER THE MOORES . . . *bum bum* . . . BUT NOW . . . *Cut to scene of monster ripping someone's face off with his teeth* 

(silence. black screen.)

*Unknown warriors approaching*

"Who are ye, then, ye armed men,
mailed folk, that yon mighty vessel
have urged thus over the ocean ways,
here o'er the waters?"

*bum bum* . . . ONE MAN . . . *bum bum* . . . ONE LARGE MAN . . .*bum bum* . . . OF NOBLE BIRTH AND LONG, LONG SWORD . . . *bum bum* . . . IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN SAVE THEM. 

"Hither have fared to thee far-come men
o'er the paths of ocean, people of Geatland;
and the stateliest there by his sturdy band
is Beowulf named. This boon they seek,
that they, my master, may with thee
have speech at will: nor spurn their prayer
to give them hearing, gracious Hrothgar!
In weeds of the warrior worthy they,
methinks, of our liking; their leader most surely,
a hero that hither his henchmen has led."

*cue symphony: BUM-BUM-BUUUUMMMMM! BUM-BUM-BUUUUMMMMM*

Beowulf speaks: 

"To Hrothgar I
in greatness of soul would succor bring,
so the Wise-and-Brave may worst his foes, --
if ever the end of ills is fated,
of cruel contest, if cure shall follow,
and the boiling care-waves cooler grow;
else ever afterward anguish-days
he shall suffer in sorrow while stands in place
high on its hill that house unpeered!"

*Everyone looks around at each other, wondering what the fuck he's talking about*

*Exciting symphony, something along the lines of "O Fortuna." combat shown as Beowulf tosses Grendel down, gets Grendel in a headlock, pokes him in his eyes. Beowulf takes his shoe off and starts hitting Grendel on the top of his head with it.*

*Music stops. Shot of Beowulf on the shore, hand on his hilt.*

Beowulf speaks: 

"Tis time that I fare from you. Father Almighty
in grace and mercy guard you well,
safe in your seekings. Seaward I go,
'gainst hostile warriors hold my watch."

BEOWULF. PG-13, Parents Strongly Cautioned. Contains Monsters Biting People's Faces Off, Graphic Far-Fetched Violence, and Shots of Beowulf's Bare Chest.

*****


Beowulf is totally the precursor to Conan, and Rambo. He's mothafuckin' badass. And you know how, since the Rambo movies are so old, they come out in boxed sets now? Think of this slim volume as a trilogy:

BEOWULF
BEOWULF II: MOMMY DEAREST
BEOWULF III: BEOWULF VERSUS A BIG-ASS DRAGON

While often trilogies get worse as they go along, this one actually improves. And it's safe to say that a fourth sequel will never come out about Beowulf after he gets old and out of shape. . . although that might be what BEOWULF VERSUS A BIG-ASS DRAGON is. 

If you like football, Stallone, Escape From New York, and can't get enough of Arnold Schwarzenegger, this is THE classic for you.

— lae

okay so why did i cry while reading this book

valentine soyka

read it for english, actually surprisingly liked it

Katharine Shebesta

A literary rite of passage, Beowulf is a heroic epic that chronicals the escapades battling the beasts of his world. Infused with adrenaline of a warrior defending his home and people, this is a series of tales that makes you believe in the ultimate warrior and the life he leads. 

Recommend to those who enjoy the battles, guts, and gore of a warrior's tale. If you are looking for a deep plot or somehting less bloody, this book is not for you.

jess

Very good. It was a forced read for a college english class which normally makes me drop the book immediately. But I ended up liking it and reading it all the way through.

maddie claire mcneill

Sophia De La Garza

I read this again for a class and I enjoyed it a bit more the second time. Still not my favorite text to read for school, but not the worst either. 

3 out of 5 stars

Jacob Edwards

Okay so technically I didn't read the 'Bilingual Edition', because ya boy ain't looking to learn Old English any time soon BUT this lil book of mine does have some *epic* moments (albeit a distinct lack of female voice). I actually really enjoyed it and it's a fascinating insight into ye olden times, plus Heaney's translation is immaculate - really hits you in the feels on occasions, as well as depicts the brutality within in exceptionally well (though that's also due to the talent of the original, undetermined author). Worth a read, my loves ;)

Daniel Donoghue

Winner of the Whitbread Prize, Seamus Heaney s translation "accomplishes what before now had seemed impossible: a faithful rendering that is simultaneously an original and gripping poem in its own right" (New York Times Book Review)."

A Verse Translation : Authoritative Text, Contexts, Criticism

Beowulf

Simon Elliott Stegall

I love it. I love it so much. 

Oh, and Heaney's translation is killer.

Kendall Gray

i was the only one in my 8th grade lit class that liked beowulf
and i understand ofc, but i thought it was so cool! one of the better epic poems i’ve encountered compared to others *cough the iliad*

Анастасия Розова

2.5/5

First of all, I didn't hate it, it just wasn't very enjoyable in a way one reads and likes books. But it was educational. I am a philology major, so knowing the old texts is kind of my thing (and wish). I was supposed to read it during my freshmen year at uni, but I had so much to read and so little time... So I am compensating now, not because I have to, but because I want to.

That said, I think it was interesting to find out more about Beowulf and Old English literature and culture. I can recongnize more referenses now.

Sabrina D. 

Great story and exciting read! Eager to try out other translations now that I have a very straightforward version under my belt!

zilver 

2.5 / who knew fighting two monsters and a dragon could be so boring

Katerina Thorson

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Bookstagram

I have decided that this review will need to be formatted different than any of my other book reviews. Why? Because not only is Beowulf one of my most favorite literary pieces of all time (next to Paradise Lost and the Fairie Queene), it is a complex piece that has so many themes, mortif's, and symbols that I could not possibly cover in a review. In fact - I would have to write an entire 50+ page essay to truly cover every dynamic of Beowulf. So let's get into this! 

THEMES: There are SO MANY themes that can be found throughout this book and I can not possibly cover them all. Not only that but there are some that I probably didn't even catch and when I do a reread there will be even more. So let me just give a hint into the themes. The story teller brought in so many themes of that time period that are truly interesting: Paganism shifting to Christianity, Warrior Code vs. the Christian Doctrine, Wryd (Fate), Good vs. Evil, Loyalty, The correct way to enact vengeance, and so on. There are so many things that I could delve into with each of these themes but I figure just giving a sense of each of them will be a beginning! 

SYMBOLS: No epic poem would be without symbols. You have individual characters that are symbols in themselves. Such as Beowulf (who could be debated as a symbol of Jesus), Grendel (symbol of evil/Cain), the dragon (symbol of death/sin), and many others that seem to have symbolic reasons to be in the story. You also have the symbols of the torques (gold pieces) that are a sign of loyalty and heroic deeds, and the gold that was seen as a symbol of the downfall of man. Symbols are such an important aspect that one finds throughout the epic that truly adds to the teaching of what was taking place at the time. The epic itself is a symbol of civilization and the societal code of that time frame. 

TIME PLACEMENT/ ORAL STORY TELLING: This is a very different category that I need to explain. When Beowulf was first dated - it was considered to be written around 700-900 A.D. However, many readers don't realize that this is when the epic was written down, it does not give the actual date of WHEN the story was actually told. We must remember that during this time period ORAL story telling was the main way stories and legends were told. This was a huge part of bringing together the community and creating an understanding for the morals of society. So in actuality Beowulf is much older than the date of when it was put into a physical form. 

There is so much I could say about Beowulf and never truly capture the entire essence of the epic. However, I can tell you that it holds such a special place in my heart and I will most likely reread this epic poem until I physically can not read anymore. I definitely recommend this version by Seamus Heaney, as he does a wonderful job at not only the translations but also at providing key notes so the readers understands what is truly going on.

Dakota Gigout

This is a beautiful translation! It flows smoothly and poetically while keeping its bewitching originality. I can't imagine re-reading 'Beowulf' by anyone but Heaney.