"Beowulf" and Other Old English Poems (The Middle Ages Series)

Foreword by Tom Shippey. The best-known literary achievement of Anglo-Saxon England, "Beowulf", is a poem concerned with monsters and heroes, treasure and transience, feuds and fidelity. Composed sometime between 500 and 1000 C.E. and surviving in a single manuscript, it is at once immediately accessible and forever mysterious. And in Craig Williamson's splendid new version, this often translated work may well have found its most compelling modern English interpreter. Williamson's "Beowulf" appears alongside his translations of many of the major works written by Anglo-Saxon poets, including the elegies "The Wanderer" and "The Seafarer," the heroic "Battle of Maldon," the visionary "Dream of the Rood," the mysterious and heart-breaking "Wulf and Eadwacer," and a generous sampling of the Exeter Book riddles. Accompanied by a foreword by noted medievalist Tom Shippey on Anglo-Saxon history, culture, and archaeology, and Williamson's introductions to the individual poems as well as his essay on translating Old English, the texts transport us back to the medieval scriptorium or ancient mead hall to share an exile's lament or herdsman's recounting of the story of the world's creation. From the riddling song of a bawdy onion that moves between kitchen and bedroom, to the thrilling account of Beowulf's battle with a treasure-hoarding dragon, the world becomes a place of rare wonder in Williamson's lines. Were his idiom not so modern, we might almost think the Anglo-Saxon poets had taken up the lyre again and begun to sing after a silence of a thousand years. Overview: The Best-known Literary Achievement Of Anglo-saxon England, Beowulf Is A Poem Concerned With Monsters And Heroes, Treasure And Transience, Feuds And Fidelity. Composed Sometime Between 500 And 1000 C.e. And Surviving In A Single Manuscript, It Is At Once Immediately Accessible And Forever Mysterious. And In Craig Williamson's Splendid New Version, This Often Translated Work May Well Have Found Its Most Compelling Modern English Interpreter. Williamson's Beowulf Appears Alongside His Translations Of Many Of The Major Works Written By Anglo-saxon Poets, Including The Elegies The Wanderer And The Seafarer, The Heroic Battle Of Maldon, The Visionary Dream Of The Rood, The Mysterious And Heart-breaking Wulf And Eadwacer, And A Generous Sampling Of The Exeter Book Riddles. Accompanied By A Foreword By Noted Medievalist Tom Shippey On Anglo-saxon History, Culture, And Archaeology, And Williamson's Introductions To The Individual Poems As Well As His Essay On Translating Old English, The Texts Transport Us Back To The Medieval Scriptorium Or Ancient Mead Hall To Share An Exile's Lament Or Herdsman's Recounting Of The Story Of The World's Creation. From The Riddling Song Of A Bawdy Onion That Moves Between Kitchen And Bedroom, To The Thrilling Account Of Beowulf's Battle With A Treasure-hoarding Dragon, The World Becomes A Place Of Rare Wonder In Williamson's Lines. Were His Idiom Not So Modern, We Might Almost Think The Anglo-saxon Poets Had Taken Up The Lyre Again And Begun To Sing After A Silence Of A Thousand Years. Foreword / Tom Shippey -- Note On Editions -- Guide To Pronouncing Old English -- On Translating Old English Poetry -- Beowulf: -- Introduction -- Beowulf -- Other Old English Poems: -- Note On Genres -- Heroic Or Historical Poems: -- Battle Of Maldon -- Deor -- Elegies: -- Wanderer -- Seafarer -- Wife's Lament -- Wulf And Eadwacer -- Selected Exeter Book Riddles: -- Riddles -- Gnomic Or Wisdom Poems: -- Maxims Ii (cotton Maxims) -- Charms -- Fortunes Of Men -- Religious Poems: -- Caedmon's Hymn -- Physiologus: Panther And Whale -- Vainglory -- Two Advent Lyrics -- Dream Of The Rood -- Appendix A: Digressions: Battles, Feuds, And Family Strife In Beowulf -- Appendix B: Genealogies In Beowulf -- Appendix C: Two Scandinavian Analogues Of Beowulf -- Appendix D: Possible Riddle Solutions -- Glossary Of Proper Names -- Bibliography -- Index -- Acknowledgments. Edited And Translated By Craig Williamson ; With A Foreword By Tom Shippey. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.

The best-known literary achievement of Anglo-Saxon England, Beowulf is a poem concerned with monsters and heroes, treasure and transience, feuds and fidelity. Composed sometime between 500 and 1000 C.E. and surviving in a single manuscript, it is at once immediately accessible and forever mysterious. And in Craig Williamson's splendid new version, this often translated work may well have found its most compelling modern English interpreter.

Williamson's Beowulf appears alongside his translations of many of the major works written by Anglo-Saxon poets, including the elegies "The Wanderer" and "The Seafarer," the heroic "Battle of Maldon," the visionary "Dream of the Rood," the mysterious and heart-breaking "Wulf and Eadwacer," and a generous sampling of the Exeter Book riddles. Accompanied by a foreword by noted medievalist Tom Shippey on Anglo-Saxon history, culture, and archaeology, and Williamson's introductions to the individual poems as well as his essay on translating Old English, the texts transport us back to the medieval scriptorium or ancient mead hall to share an exile's lament or herdsman's recounting of the story of the world's creation. From the riddling song of a bawdy onion that moves between kitchen and bedroom, to the thrilling account of Beowulf's battle with a treasure-hoarding dragon, the world becomes a place of rare wonder in Williamson's lines. Were his idiom not so modern, we might almost think the Anglo-Saxon poets had taken up the lyre again and begun to sing after a silence of a thousand years.

"Craig Williamson's Beowulf is superior, both in truth to the original and in readability, to any other version of the poem now available. Surprisingly many modern poets have tried to recreate the old alliterative poetry in modern English, Auden being only the most prominent of them, and while it is quite easy to write alliterative verse, it is hard indeed to do it well. Williamson's translations are very good and very accurate, which is a difficult combination to achieve."--Tom Shippey "These are modern renderings with bite and muscle, full of chewy sounds to delight any ear or voice, entering the mute reader's eye and resounding within: at times filling a raucous hall, at times gently whispering into an interior fold of woe, of memory. In these resonant spaces we hear again the scop's voice."--Benjamin Bagby, performer of Beowulf and director of the medieval music ensemble Sequentia CONTENTS Foreword Note on Editions Guide to Pronouncing Old English On Translating Old English Poetry BEOWULF Introduction Beowulf OTHER OLD ENGLISH POEMS A Note on Genres Heroic or Historical Poems Elegies Selected Exeter Book Riddles Gnomic or Wisdom Poems Religious Poems Appendix A. “Digressions”: Battles, Feuds, and Family Strife in Beowulf Appendix B. Genealogies in Beowulf Appendix C. Two Scandinavian Analogues of Beowulf Appendix D. Possible Riddle Solutions Glossary of Proper Names Bibliography Index Acknowledgments Rarely are these works translated by someone who is both a medieval scholar and a poet, and this combination makes for both fidelity to the complexity of the originals and compelling poetry in a modern idiom. Rarely are these works translated by someone who is both a medieval scholar and a poet, and this combination makes for both fidelity to the complexity of the originals and compelling poetry in a modern idiom.