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Saturday, July 24, 2021

Just Finished Reading..Beowulf, Translated by Maria Dahvana Headley

 



I first read this poem when I was studying English at university. The one I read was a Penguin prose translation. It was old even then. I also have a copy of Tolkien’s translation. 


Beowulf was written in Old English,  some time in the eighth century.  Old English is like German - I did a semester of it, and my knowledge of Yiddish helped! 


This latest translation, published recently, is in verse. It has been the subject of a lot of enthusiastic discussion on line, for its modern language, so I bought it earlier this year, but hadn’t got around to finishing it when it appeared on this year’s Hugo Award shortlist. I decided I’d better finish reading it, for that reason. 


I have now read it and have to say I’m impressed. 


You may know the story. King Hrothgar builds a mead hall for himself and his warriors. Night after night they party until a creature called Grendel comes calling from the fens where he lives, and helps himself to Hrothgar’s men, including a dear friend of the king’s. 


A party of Geatish warriors, led by the hero, Beowulf, arrives to help. That night, Beowulf stays awake and fights the invader, ripping off his arm and sending him running, dying, back to his home in the fens. 


Grendel has a mother, just as scary as her son, even more so. She comes to avenge her son and Beowulf chases her back to her underwater hall where she too dies at his hands. 


But there is a second part to the story. Years later, when Beowulf is old and a king himself, a dragon comes ravaging the land after a cup is stolen from its hoard. Beowulf fights it, knowing that he can’t win, even if he kills it. 


He is right. 


The poem has a famous beginning, “Hwaet! We Gardena in geardagum…” Well, after that you need an Old English keyboard. But that first word has been the subject of much discussion over the years, usually translated as “Listen!” Tolkien translated it as “Lo!” 


However it is translated, Hwaet! definitely sounds intended to shut up party goers in a noisy hall. 


Maria Headley begins with “Bro!” a word she uses quite often in the rest of the text, but it absolutely works as a beginning. 


She uses many contemporary words, quite deliberately, including  a cheeky line including “piles of preciouses”. 


All the same, the verse is alliterative like the original. Despite the modern words, I felt as if I was reading the real thing; it can be read aloud to a noisy room full of warriors. 


The translator admires Grendel’s mother, a warrior woman rather than just a monstrous creature like her son, and it shows. Headley didn’t just translate the poem, she made it a work of art in its own right, so I understand why it is up for an award for writing. 


If you haven’t read this version, I do recommend it. It’s easily available in ebook if you want to buy and download it right away - or get your library to buy a copy. I bought mine in Apple Books, but you can get a print copy in all the usual places.



5 comments:

Debra She Who Seeks said...

Very cool! I hadn't heard of this ultra-modern translation. I've always meant to read Beowulf but never got around to it. Yet.

AJ Blythe said...

I've never read Beowulf, and have to confess it doesn't appeal. My fondness for poetry rests in kids' books. I think the poems we had to analyse as part of English at school killed any desire for poetry in me.

Sue Bursztynski said...

Hi Anita! Yes, English classes can certainly affect how you see literature. I have had a mixture of teachers who inspired and teachers who didn’t. But I was doing Year 12 literature because I loved it - and I’d had a very good Year 11 English teacher. Year 12 Lit teacher, not so good. Nothing put me off -p, though, as I discovered stuff myself - and I am a fan of this poem. Each to their own, though I wish you had had an inspiring teacher at school.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Sue - how interesting ... a great review for us - I never knew the story. I'd love to take some courses in various aspects of English literature, and other disciplines - but the easiest way I find in learning is going to a lecture ... perhaps at some stage, once this 'thing' is over, I can indulge myself. Thank you - excellent post to read ... cheers Hilary

Guillaume said...

I read Beowulf. Didn't enjoy it as much as I expected. Still a fun ride though.