Customer Reviews

Beowulf in Old English and New English

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I rec'd this book about two weeks ago and wanted to read it before I went to the current movie. Mr. Ford has an excellent intro. The page of old and 'new' translation along with the 5 line sequencing allowed me to follow the story much easier. Having footnotes also allowed me to get a better background understanding as the story unfolds.
I have encouraged my wife (a high school library assistant)to order several copies for students at her school.

Beowulf is one of those one-of-a kind art treasures that is unique to the British Isles. Its status makes it difficult to over-praise or over-estimate. To say that it is an essential part of the history and character of English literature is an understatement. It is at the very foundation of English literature.

It is a link between the ancient Britons and the modern world. The ties with Northern Europe are closely embedded in Beowulf and still exist just under the surface of rural Britain. The oral tradition that still lives in the pubs and in the hearts and minds of the British character were formed at the time Beowulf was created and finally transcribed into the written language.

This translation of the Old English to the New English shows how far the journey has been in terms of linguistic distance and how close the distance still is between the storytellers of old and the imagination of today's readers. This book has affected anyone who reads anything in the English language whether they realize it or not. It is a touchstone that should be touched.