The Epic Of Beowulf By Seamus Heaney

The Anglo-Saxon poem, Beowulf, was originally told orally then later was written down anonymously in the Old English language. It is not known who or whom wrote this poem down. What we do know is that Beowulf is the oldest surviving epic poem of the English language; the original has suffered irreparable damage in a fire. “The poem dates back to 1000 AD”

Beowulf is a great piece of Anglo-Saxon literature that can be, and has been, translated in multiple ways. Of the many outstanding translations, two of which are by Burton Raffel and Seamus Heaney, different ways of writing are portrayed. Grendel’s description is written quite differently in both translations. Heaney’s translation is more similar to the Anglo-Saxon style of writing than Raffel’s translation.

The Importance of Beowulf in Modern America By Jennifer Carley Modern culture and literature include many stories of great heroes and fictional adventures. Many people grow up reading about these great adventures and looking up to the heroes of the stories. Heroes are great roll models because they are portrayed as courageous and trustworthy individuals, two very admirable qualities. Despite numerous cultural and technological advancements, life in modern America continues to bear resemblance to the Anglo-Saxon world of the hero Beowulf. The poem Beowulf, though written many centuries ago, still contains the same universal themes of any great action-adventure story in today's society. The poem is about a great hero who overcomes seemingly

When interpreting the ancient message behind John Greens epic poem “Beowulf” there’s always a notion that through the transition between old English and new English that a certain je ne sais quoi is lost. This could easily be true considering the modern English language has an act for turning the most poetic words into slanderous disappointments. When one examines Howell D. Chickering Jr’s translation of “Beowulf” the same is to be expected, but it’s actually the opposite. The interpreter keeps the original baselines of classic English such as the kennings, and cæsuras, but uses strong wording to create an elaborate image of the scene being described: making this translation the best. The kennings serve as a writing enhancer their ability to enrich poetry makes them key when

       From 1805 until the present there have been introduced an abundance of paraphrases, translations, adaptations, summaries, versions and illustrations of Beowulf in modern English and in foreign languages due mostly to two reasons: the desire to make the poem accessible, and the desire to read the exotic (Osborn 341). It is the purpose of this essay to present a brief history of this development of the popularity of the poem and then compare some of the translations with respect to some more difficult passages in the poem Beowulf.

This distinction is one that many readers of the poem Beowulf are unsure of. Beowulf is an epic poem written in Old English and translated by Seamus Heaney.

Beowulf is one of the oldest poems in history, it was originally written in Anglo-Saxon, and it was told orally with many literary devices so it could be remembered throughout generations. It shows what their society was based on back in the Anglo-Saxon era. Although throughout history the poem has been changed to fit our modern day society. For example, having different values and morals and how we look at religion has all changed. In the Beowulf poem and movie there are many similarities and differences in Religion, Characterization, and Morals it highlights the value and beliefs of each society.

In the poem Beowulf (Norton, 36), translated by Seamus Heaney, cultural elements of how religion in the Middle Ages is shifting away from Paganism and into Christianity. When Beowulf was written, approximately 700 – 1000 AD, religion was changing from a nature based polytheistic belief to a monotheistic religion with a central authority. Because of this change in belief, the audience can see the troubled thought or doubt in Christianity. Heaney uses the characters to display both pagan and Christian ideals together with the chaotic monsters and the heroic savior through allusions.

In 1971, American author John Gardner wrote Grendel. With a mastermind of creativity, John Gardner successfully retells the classic epic poem, Beowulf. He captures the reader by giving an interesting view of order and chaos, good and evil, hero and monster, allowing the monsters point of view to be seen.

The purpose of Beowulf shines through it’s Old English roots. While reading the novel, the reader may notice the use of Old English on the left side pages. Although this may be confusing to some, to others it connects the book to the original ancient story that was portrayed in song form long ago. This connection to the past creates a sense of urgency to the new writing, as if the Old English writing, though meaning the same thing as the new writing, has importance to the overall story as a whole. Without the use of Old English in the novel, the overall purpose and importance of the story that was once told hundreds of years ago would begin to fade. The use of Old English also brings a seriousness to the novel, as though to remind those who read it that the words were once true to those who believed the stories. Thus leading the reader to believe that the story of Beowulf was made and explained out of honesty and made to inform the people that it was told to.

Even though it was composed as a Germanic oral tradition, and is deemed to be one of the oldest remaining pieces of literature, the saga Beowulf does not have a known author. It has been recorded by many people but in this case it is has been translated by Seamus Heaney. Moreover this story is a portrayal of the Anglo-Saxon culture. Thus, establishing what was important to their culture. For example, the heroic code, which serves as a vital part of the story, reveals what they valued most.

In the article, “Seamus Heaney’s Beowulf”, the author, Bruce Murphy, outlines and describes his critique of Seamus Heaney’s translation of Beowulf from Old English into Modern English. In Murphy’s review, he critiques, praises, and describes some elements of Heaney’s translation such as: Heaney’s Irish interpretation of the story, his odd choice of wording, and his method of translating the elements. In “Seamus Heaney’s Beowulf”, Murphy describes how Heaney’s approach to the translation of Beowulf is different than most translators because he analyzes the poem from Irish perspective, and he incorporates these Irish elements into his translation. One way that Murphy claims that Heaney uses Irish elements in his translation is in his

Seamus Heaney (1939-2013) was an Irish poet and playwright. His poem “Punishment” was first published in 1975 in a collection of poems called “North.” Heaney wrote this poem and collection of poems after discovering several bog bodies which dated back to the 1500s. The particular women he is describing in the poem, Windeby, is thought to have died of unnatural causes. Heaney compares the circumstances to that of the IRA against the British in Ulster. Heaney talks about the injustice and brutality of the crimes committed to

Frederick Rebsamen (1926- ) wrote Beowulf: An Updated Verse Translation in 2004 (Frederick Rebsamen). Rebsamen is considered an academic because this translation of Beowulf is the only book he ever published and had a long career in academia. Seamus Heaney (1939-2013), a famed Irish poet wrote Beowulf: A New Verse Translation in 2000. Heaney had an illustrious career in poetry which influenced his translation of Beowulf by making it poetic. Both translations are more traditional with their verse form but they differ in their use of caesuras and literary devices. In addition to the traditional clan values discussed in the original Beowulf, Christian beliefs were added to the manuscript by a monk in a scriptorium. The cultural value of gifting is discussed throughout both translations. Gifting in clan cultures played an important role in alliances and peace-making.

As is evident in several of his works, Seamus Heaney was preoccupied by the sectarian subject during the period known as the Troubles in Northern Ireland. However, other preoccupations emanated from it: his need to find his poetic voice when pressured to speak for his own community; and the etymological study of the local landscape and its colloquialism. Firstly, this essay will analyse how Heaney dealt directly with the sectarian subject through three strands; pre-Troubles sectarianism, internal community sectarian punishment and the sectarian murder of family and friends. Secondly, it will examine the development of his poetic voice in his attempt to determine his role as a poet. Thirdly, it will also assess Heaney’s etymological study of