Beowulf

An Imitative Translation

Fiction & Literature, Literary Theory & Criticism
Cover of the book Beowulf by , University of Texas Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: ISBN: 9780292788367
Publisher: University of Texas Press Publication: July 5, 2010
Imprint: University of Texas Press Language: English
Author:
ISBN: 9780292788367
Publisher: University of Texas Press
Publication: July 5, 2010
Imprint: University of Texas Press
Language: English

The name "Beowulf" lingers in our collective memory, although today fewer people have heard the tale of the Germanic hero's fight with Grendel, the dreadful Monster of the Mere, as recounted in this Anglo-Saxon epic.This edition of Beowulf makes the poem more accessible than ever before. Ruth Lehmann's imitative translation is the only one available that preserves both the story line of the poem and the alliterative versification of the Anglo-Saxon original. The characteristic features of Anglo-Saxon poetry— alliterative verse with first-syllable stress, flexible word order, and inflectional endings—have largely disappeared in Modern English, creating special problems for the translator. Indeed, many other translations of Beowulf currently available are either in prose or in some modern poetic form. Dr. Lehmann's translation alone conveys the "feel" of the original, its rhythm and sound, the powerful directness of the Germanic vocabulary.In her introduction, Dr. Lehmann gives a succinct summary of the poem's plot, touching on the important themes of obligation and loyalty, of family feuds, unforgivable crimes, the necessity of revenge, and the internal and external struggles of the Scandinavian tribes. She also describes the translation process in some detail, stating the guiding principles she used and the inevitable compromises that were sometimes necessary.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

The name "Beowulf" lingers in our collective memory, although today fewer people have heard the tale of the Germanic hero's fight with Grendel, the dreadful Monster of the Mere, as recounted in this Anglo-Saxon epic.This edition of Beowulf makes the poem more accessible than ever before. Ruth Lehmann's imitative translation is the only one available that preserves both the story line of the poem and the alliterative versification of the Anglo-Saxon original. The characteristic features of Anglo-Saxon poetry— alliterative verse with first-syllable stress, flexible word order, and inflectional endings—have largely disappeared in Modern English, creating special problems for the translator. Indeed, many other translations of Beowulf currently available are either in prose or in some modern poetic form. Dr. Lehmann's translation alone conveys the "feel" of the original, its rhythm and sound, the powerful directness of the Germanic vocabulary.In her introduction, Dr. Lehmann gives a succinct summary of the poem's plot, touching on the important themes of obligation and loyalty, of family feuds, unforgivable crimes, the necessity of revenge, and the internal and external struggles of the Scandinavian tribes. She also describes the translation process in some detail, stating the guiding principles she used and the inevitable compromises that were sometimes necessary.

More books from University of Texas Press

Cover of the book The Neural Imagination by
Cover of the book Crossing Borders, Reinforcing Borders by
Cover of the book The Last Battle of the Civil War by
Cover of the book Mario Vargas Llosa by
Cover of the book Jade Visions by
Cover of the book Texas Ranger John B. Jones and the Frontier Battalion, 1874-1881 by
Cover of the book From Sail to Steam by
Cover of the book Demosthenes, Speeches 18 and 19 by
Cover of the book Time, History, and Belief in Aztec and Colonial Mexico by
Cover of the book Banana Cultures by
Cover of the book A Different Face of War by
Cover of the book Wood Quay by
Cover of the book Whiskey River (Take My Mind) by
Cover of the book Border Citizens by
Cover of the book Tell Me a Story, Sing Me a Song by
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy