Oh my, I have no idea when I will get any writing done because I am doing both of @Simon's slow reads, War and Peace and Mantel's Cromwell Series, now it seems I must also read Seamus Heaney’s Beowulf! I am so looking forward to this.
What an exciting project. The Heaney translation is a talismanic book for me, and I’d be diving back in if not for my current literary preoccupation, the War and Peace readalong. I will not be able to stay away completely; the dragon calls. Poets should bring back the kenning.
My husband and I are going to join in on this Beowulf read along. This morning I ordered the copy of the translation you recommended. Neither my husband nor I have read Beowulf before, so we’re looking forward to this!
John - looking forward to this. I last read Beowulf in high school about 30 years ago and it was not an easy translation to read so I didn't get much out of it. Going to order my copy of the translation you recommend so I can follow along.
One graduate program turned me down because I didn't have enough coursework in medieval and Renaissance literature. So I'll be following along eagerly! Maybe I'll get my act together and offer an Americanist version of these read-alongs. They are a great idea.
I would certainly be onboard for some American read-alongs. Through decades of teaching British literature, I’ve neglected the literature of my own country for lack of time.
I think this is an exciting challenge. I used to read the rosemary sutcliff translation to my children many years ago, who were suitably scared by Grendel. I have read the Seamus Heaney translation some time ago it’ll be fun to communally read it .
Oh boy oh boy oh boy. I read the Maria Dahvana Headley's feminist/modern language translation a couple of months ago before watching the 2007 film version and am so ready for this!
I like to try different ones. I read Heaney's translation for the first time in 2023, and I think it's my favorite, though I haven't read Tolkien's for a long time, so it's hard to compare them now. I read Maria Dahvana Headley's translation in 2020. It was interesting, for sure, but too of its moment, slang-wise, to really last.
Yes, The Headley translation is certainly of its moment. I don’t really like Tolkien’s translation (and I don’t think that he meant it for publication), though his essay on the poem is brilliant--as we will discuss. Heaney’s is my favorite too. He wasn’t a Nobel Laureate for nothing!
Hi, Mica. Not to worry. I will publish the introduction next Wednesday, the 10th, and then it will go on for the next four weeks, so you should have plenty of time to catch up. Thanks for joining!
This is the kind of material I was hoping to come across when I launched my Substack. I'm hoping to do something similar with Rumi and Hafez.
That would be super!
Here is the piece that was promised:
https://alihammoud7.substack.com/p/how-to-read-a-hafez-poem
Thank you!
Oh my, I have no idea when I will get any writing done because I am doing both of @Simon's slow reads, War and Peace and Mantel's Cromwell Series, now it seems I must also read Seamus Heaney’s Beowulf! I am so looking forward to this.
What an exciting project. The Heaney translation is a talismanic book for me, and I’d be diving back in if not for my current literary preoccupation, the War and Peace readalong. I will not be able to stay away completely; the dragon calls. Poets should bring back the kenning.
After all, you don’t get fire-breathing dragons in War and Peace. (Unless we count Prince Bolkonsky.)
The Spear-Danes!
A people so hard, so fearsome that their very name is irremovably embedded with their favored weapon.
Tell me more about them, but I hope never to meet them ...
My husband and I are going to join in on this Beowulf read along. This morning I ordered the copy of the translation you recommended. Neither my husband nor I have read Beowulf before, so we’re looking forward to this!
You are in for a treat! Happy to have you along for the ride.
John - looking forward to this. I last read Beowulf in high school about 30 years ago and it was not an easy translation to read so I didn't get much out of it. Going to order my copy of the translation you recommend so I can follow along.
I’m so glad you’re joining, Matthew. I look forward to your thoughts on the poem.
One graduate program turned me down because I didn't have enough coursework in medieval and Renaissance literature. So I'll be following along eagerly! Maybe I'll get my act together and offer an Americanist version of these read-alongs. They are a great idea.
I would certainly be onboard for some American read-alongs. Through decades of teaching British literature, I’ve neglected the literature of my own country for lack of time.
I'm up for this. Do I have to do anything in particular to join?
I've been a Beowulf junkie ever since my undergrad days. It'll be fun to read it with a group!
Glad to have you joining. And all you need to do is subscribe, read, and join the conversation.
Definitely up for this!
Excited for the Beowulf read along. First read in a long time. Ordering the suggested edition tonight.
I think this is an exciting challenge. I used to read the rosemary sutcliff translation to my children many years ago, who were suitably scared by Grendel. I have read the Seamus Heaney translation some time ago it’ll be fun to communally read it .
Happy to have you joining in!
Many thanks. Scanning my shelves for that Beowulf I've never read properly...
Ha! Yes, it tends to be one of those shelf-sitters, along with Joyce and Proust.
Oh boy oh boy oh boy. I read the Maria Dahvana Headley's feminist/modern language translation a couple of months ago before watching the 2007 film version and am so ready for this!
The Headley translation is interesting, and I’m sure that we will be referring to it in the next few weeks. Glad you’re joining in!
I'm looking forward to this so much! I read Beowulf every couple of years, but I still have so much to learn about it.
Excellent! Do you read the same translation each time, or do you try different ones?
I like to try different ones. I read Heaney's translation for the first time in 2023, and I think it's my favorite, though I haven't read Tolkien's for a long time, so it's hard to compare them now. I read Maria Dahvana Headley's translation in 2020. It was interesting, for sure, but too of its moment, slang-wise, to really last.
Yes, The Headley translation is certainly of its moment. I don’t really like Tolkien’s translation (and I don’t think that he meant it for publication), though his essay on the poem is brilliant--as we will discuss. Heaney’s is my favorite too. He wasn’t a Nobel Laureate for nothing!
Hi, Mica. Not to worry. I will publish the introduction next Wednesday, the 10th, and then it will go on for the next four weeks, so you should have plenty of time to catch up. Thanks for joining!