Beowulf

I read Seamus Heaney's translation.

It is very interesting to experience the archaic language, structure and narrative stylings. The story is a but dull though, not very creative, but it is 1000 years old so that's acceptable. ( )

I've read a few translations of Beowulf but never one quite like this. At times, she takes the "bro" approach a little farther than I found especially appealing, but by and large it works, and she introduces some delightful kennings. This is an accessible and lively and engaging translation, and reading it made me want to read more of the author's work. ( )

I hadn't read Beowulf in more than two decades and had long meant to try Heaney's version. It's an easy and pleasant read, and while some of the pictures and captions in this version are nice, some are sort of dumb, making me wish the editors had included only the more relevant ones even if that meant not having an image every other page. ( )

How good is this?!?!? This is me completely inhaling the book and then having to go back and reread and then going back and screenshotting to send passages to friends because the wording and the phrases and the rhythm are just so damn magical.
Headley captures the tone of an epic, bragging, rambling tangential bro-culture poem so well, but not only that: I understood it. No really. I knew what was going on the whole time. This is a miracle after years of reading "classics" and slogging my way through to only partially understand what was happening in barest details. But this? You get it. The text is understandable and therefore, enjoyable!
A taste:
"Meanwhile, Beowulf gave
zero shits.
He dressed himself in
glittering gear,
his mail-shirt finely forged,
links locked
and loaded. He'd meet this
murdering mother
under mere, and amend her
existence."

The modern language and lingo (#blessed and sidebar, etc.) do not in anyway detract but rather cobbled together with archaic language just heighten the strangeness and raucous nature of the tale. This is totally a story told by a drunk dude who is WAY too loud and was totally there or close there when all the things went down.
Headley's takes on characters I didn't even remember from reading other versions does what it's supposed to do: you remember them. They become part of the narrative instead of just another person who's name begins with "H".

Up next is listening to the audio version because this just BEGS to be read aloud! ( )

Oldest surviving long story in Old English, but has most of the elements of a modern story. ( )