Beowulf
by anonymous
pub. by .__     isbn - none - - 174 p. -
The Beowwulf story from ancient English literature. Generally taught as the earliest extant work in English.
The action takes place in Nordic past in a communal hall, where the monster Grendel breaks in to kill and sometimes eat the warriors there. The king accepts the help of Beowulf to kill Grendel, which Beowulf does, then only to infuriate Grendels mother who if anything is more terrible than Grendel himself.
This is great poetry and is a powerful tale. Almost all reading of this poem is in modern English translation. It was actually written down from oral tradition by Christian monks, in Old English or Angle Saxon (which is much like German, and not at all the language of Chaucer. Chaucer wrote in Middle English.) A really good read.
~ 1968 ~



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