A new translation of beowulf by nobel laureate seamus heaney is creeping up the book charts, and stunning those who think the american reading public is just a bunch of barely literate self. Written more than a thousand years ago in the germanic tongue from which the prenorman core of modern english is formed, beowulf is the epic poem of the warrior hero who survived a succession of. In 1995 he was awarded the nobel prize in literature, and twice won the whitbread book. This brilliant new treatment of the worlds oldest epic is a literary event on par with seamus heaneys wildly popular beowulf translation. The speardanes in days gone by and the kings who ruled them had courage and greatness.
It seems like an appropriate title for seamus heaney, whose translation of the anglosaxon poem beowulf has become a modern classic in its own right. Beowulf bilingual edition by seamus heaney overdrive. For those unfamiliar with beowulf, it is a late first millennium anglosaxon epic about the hero beowulfs fights with three monsters. Composed toward the end of the first millennium of our era, beowulf is the elegiac narrative of the adventures of beowulf, a scandinavian hero who saves the danes from the seemingly invincible monster grendel and, later, from grendels mother. Beowulfshould easily be good for another millennium. He has twice won the whitbread book of the year, for the spirit level 1996 and beowulf 1999.
Reading it again only increases the sorrow at losing this great poet too soon. Heaney has spent many years trying to get this translation just right, and i believe he hit the nail on the head in this case. Listening to heaney recite these words for inexplicable reasons, this recording has not yet been for sale on this side of the atlantic is deeply pleasurable, a. Heaneys performance reminds us that beowulf, written near the turn of another millennium, was intended to be heard not. Beowulf translated by seamus heaney faber and faber. Feb 04, 2000 beowulf, son of ecgtheow, helps hrothgar, son of halfdene, against grendel, a godcursed brute. Whereas beowulf is brave and strong, unferth is a coward and weak.
Born at mossbawn farmhouse between castledawson and toomebridge. Get 50% off this audiobook at the audiobooksnow online audio book store and download or stream it right to your computer, smartphone or tablet. I have only started reading it but i can hear the voice of seamus heaney in my head. Seamus heaney reads his exquisite translation of beowulf. At the beginning of the new millennium, one of the surprise successes of the publishing season is a 1,000yearold masterpiece. Death of a naturalist, his first collection of poems, appeared in 1966, and was followed by poetry, criticism and translations which established him as the leading poet of his generation. Composed toward the end of the first millennium of our era, beowulf is the elegiac narrative of the adventures of beowulf, a scandinavian hero who saves the danes from the seemingly invincible monster grendel. Why might we be less willing to read a longer poem, these days. For a long time, his translation was only available on audible in a badly abridged version badly abridged even though it was read by heaney himself. O ver the last two years seamus heaneys longawaited translation of beowulf has been issued by three separate publishing houses to overwhelming critical acclaim. Did everyone get the first line of beowulf wrong or did seamus heaney get it right. Did everyone get the first line of beowulf wrong or did. Beowulf, translated by seamus heaney beowulf is the oldest piece of recorded writing that is written in the english language. Seamus heaney 193920 was an irish poet, playwright, translator, lecturer and recipient of the 1995 nobel prize in literature.
Beowulf, now in seamus heaney s inspired translation the whitbread book of the year 1999 is a classic of world literature and poetry. Seamus heaney was born in county derry in northern ireland. Death of a naturalist, his first collection, appeared in 1966, and since then he has published poetry, criticism and translations which have established him as one of the leading poets of his generation. But, seeing the bravery of beowulf he loans him his sword when. Grendel, grendels mother, and, fifty years later at the end of his life, a. Heaney is as attuned to the poems celebration of the heroic as he is to its melancholy undertow, nowhere more so than in his hauntingly beautiful description of beowulfs funeral. He grew up in the country, on a farm, in touch with a traditional rural way of life, which he wrote about in his first book. The rattle bag, the anthology he cocurated with ted hughes, is one of the finest and popular poetry collections of its kind. Composed towards the end of the first millennium, the anglosaxon poem beowulf is one of the great northern epics and a classic of european literature. New york times best seller and whitebread book of the year, nobel laureate seamus heaneys new translation of beowulf comes to life in this gripping audio.
The translation of the anglosaxon epic poem beowulf by the irish poet seamus heaney, who was awarded the nobel prize for literature in 1995. Beowulf translated by seamus heaney flashcards quizlet. Later printing 10 light wear to the book and jacket. This story of a great warrior king and his people was beautifully translated by seamus heaney. Born at mossbawn farmhouse between castledawson and toomebridge, county derry, he resided in dublin until his death. The translation of the anglosaxon epic poem beowulf by the irish poet seamus heaney, who was awarded the nobel.
In his new translation, seamus heaney has produced a work which is both true, line by line, to the original poem, and an expression, in its language and music, of something fundamental to his own creative gift. A nobel laureate, heaney twice secured the whitbread book of the year award for the spirit level and beowulf. Try one of the apps below to open or edit this item. Esteemed translator and bestselling author stephen mitchell. I read beowolf many years ago, inspired by john gardeners grendel. A thousand year old heroic story translated by the greatest poet in english language, told by the tea house fireside.
Seamus heaney was perhaps our greatest living poet, a professor at harvard from 1981 to 1997 and its poet in residence from 1988 to 2006. Eliot prize for his collection district and circle. Seamus heaney was born in 1939 in county derry in northern ireland. He grew up in the country, on a farm, in touch with a traditional rural way of life, which he wrote about in his first book death of a naturalist 1966. Mar 09, 2000 a new translation of beowulf by nobel laureate seamus heaney is creeping up the book charts, and stunning those who think the american reading public is just a bunch of barely literate selfhelp. But, seeing the bravery of beowulf he loans him his sword when beowulf goes after grendels mother. From the about 500 ad to 700 ad the stories of beowulf were passed down by word. Composed toward the end of the first millennium of our era, beowulf is the elegiac narrative of the adventures of beowulf, a scandinavian hero who saves the danes from the seemingly invincible monster grendel and. Mar 04, 2010 earlier this year a new version of beowulf was published, translated by the irish nobel prize winner for 1995 seamus heaney. Beowulf by heaney, seamus and a great selection of related books.
Written more than a thousand years ago in the germanic tongue from which the prenorman core of modern english is formed, beowulf is the epic poem of the warrior hero who survived a succession of fierce trials only to languish for centuries thereafter in the entombing clutches of university scholars. This book presents a different insight into reading beowulf. More than a new translation, seamus heaney s beowolf is a transformation. Beowulf translation by seamus heaney highbridge audio. However, we use the term english quite loosely here it is not written on. Synopsis composed towards the end of the first millennium of our era, the anglosaxon poem beowulf is a northern epic and a classic of european literature. In 1995 he was awarded the nobel prize in literature, and twice won the whitbread book of the year, for the spirit level 1996 and beowulf 1999. Heaney s performance reminds us that beowulf, written near the turn of another millennium, was intended to be heard not read. Heaneys performance reminds us that beowulf, written near. Heaney, seamus translated by published by faber and faber, london 1999 used. Is it harder to maintain a strong emotional reaction over a longer poem. New york times best seller and whitebread book of the year, nobel laureate seamus heaney s new translation of beowulf comes to life in this gripping audio. The book is beowulf, seamus heaneys modern english translation of the. Seamus heaneys beowulf, performed as viking cabaret.
Beowulf, son of ecgtheow, helps hrothgar, son of halfdene, against grendel, a godcursed brute. He challenges beowulfs veracity when they meet and is very jealous. May 04, 2000 a new york times bestseller and whitbread book of the year. The translation is modern, but it does not loose any of the beauty of the poetry in its effort to be modern.
Jul 01, 2005 seamus heaney was born in 1939 in county derry in northern ireland. Esteemed translator and bestselling author stephen mitchell energizes a heroic tale so old it predates homers iliad by more than a millennium. Nobel laureate seamus heaneys new translation of beowulf comes to life in this gripping audio. Heaneys performance reminds us that beowulf, written near the turn of another millennium, was intended to be heard not read. Beowulf translated by seamus heaney national library. Heaneys performance reminds us that beowulf, written near the turn of another millennium, was. The theme of tribal violence and its consequences is central to the old english poem beowulf, which heaney famously translated into a rich new idiom suited for a postcolonial age but still consonant with the.
Composed toward the end of the first millennium of our era, beowulf is the. A new york times bestseller and whitbread book of the year. There was shield sheafson, scourge of many tribes, a wrecker of meadbenches, rampaging among foes. The book is beowulf, seamus heaneys modern english translation of the anglosaxon epic, which was created sometime between the 7th and the 10th centuries. This brilliant new treatment of the worlds oldest epic is a literary event on par with seamus heaney s wildly popular beowulf translation. I chose this book as i first came across it on the bbc being read by seamus heaney. We find the free courses and audio books you need, the language. Apr 25, 2017 nobel laureate seamus heaneys new translation of beowulf comes to life in this gripping audio. Seamus heaney reads his exquisite translation of beowulf and his. There are many versions of beowulf, but that translated by seamus heaney is the only one you should consider reading. Earlier this year a new version of beowulf was published, translated by the irish nobel prize winner for 1995 seamus heaney.