Beowulf: A Prose Translation. Background and Contexts. Criticism

Description

The text of this edition of "Beowulf" is based on the highly regarded Donaldson prose translation of the Anglo-Saxon epic poem. Accurate and literally faithful, the Donaldson translation conveys the full meaning and spirit of the original. "Backgrounds and Contexts" provides readers with the historical, linguistic, and literary settings of "Beowulf", including Robert C. Hughes on the origins of the Old English language, E. Talbot Donaldson's presentation of the major features of Old English poetry, new material on "Beowulf's" tribes and genealogies, three maps, and a facsimile illustration of the manuscript. "Criticism" collects seven new and wide-ranging interpretations of "Beowulf" by Fred C. Robinson, Roberta Frank, John D. Niles, Michael Lapidge, Joyce Hill, Helen Bennett, and Nicholas Howe. A Glossary of Proper Names and a Selected Bibliography are included. Preface vii The Translation / E. Talbot Donaldson xi Abbreviations xv The Text of "Beowulf" 1 Backgrounds and Contexts 53 The "Beowulf" Manuscript 55 Tribes and Genealogies 58 The Geography of "Beowulf" 60 Robert C. Hughes. The Origins of Old English to 800 A.D. 61 MAP: the continental homelands of the Germanic invaders 63 MAP: the English kingdoms at the beginning of the seventh century A.D. 64 E. Talbot Donaldson. [Old English Prosody and Caedmon's Hymn] 67 Criticism 71 Fred C. Robinson. Appositive Style and the Theme of "Beowulf" 73 Roberta Frank. The "Beowulf" Poet's Sense of History 98 John D. Niles. Reconceiving "Beowulf": Poetry as Social Praxis 111 Michael Lapidge. Beowulf and the Psychology of Terror 134 Joyce Hill. "Þæt Wæs Geomuru Ides!" A Female Stereotype Examined 153 Helen Bennett. The Female Mourner at Beowulf's Funeral: Filling in the Blanks/Hearing the Spaces 167 Nicholas Howe. The Uses of Uncertainty: On the Dating of "Beowulf" 179 Glossary of Proper Names 191 Selected Bibliography 195