Beowulf – A Pagan Hero

Sound Bite

Beowulf: A Pagan Hero takes the poem back to its pre-Christian roots, revealing a warrior-society that valued duty, honor, bravery, and swift vengeance. Removing the Christian insertions shows us what is expected of heroes, of men who do not shrink before the hard decisions of life or death, and a society that valued fame above all other rewards. Remaining true to the Anglo Saxon language without hewing too closely to the rhythm of the ancient poetry shows us the power and beauty of that language that has been called 'more masonry than poetry', a burly language full of swift and beautiful metaphors and descriptions of ordinary life made ethereal.

About the Book

"Beowulf" the epic poem has become as legendary as the figure himself. As dramatic as any Greek tragedy, the tricks of Fate assail heroic figures through the perilous existence depicted, parried only by unexpected gleaming acts of glory and loyalty. Debates have arisen over whether this may fairly be called the first literary work in the "English language," but it is as good a place to start as any.In preparing her translation, Ms. Boyden studied some 50 versions of Beowulf for accuracy of meaning, tone and temperament. In "A Note on Pronunciation" she explains how Old English Anglo Saxon names are read; and the "Principal Characters" are introduced so that we can trace their relationships of trust and obligation, and the power of their personalities. The "Introduction" provides a quick look at Anglo Saxon society, the people's values, beliefs, customs and activities, placing Beowulf in a cultural context to round out the reading experience.Scholars have asked whether the plot is coherent in the version that has come down to this day. Julie Boyden's conclusion, after much study, is that it is once we remove the Christian elements that were almost certainly inserted by the monks who transcribed the oral poem. And then, there are always questions as to how best to make ancient writings, translations, and especially poems, accessible to modern readers. In many "modern" editions of Beowulf, the Old English has been disregarded in favor of a more modern syntax. Ms. Boyden worked to avoid that while working on this translation; she wanted the strength of the original language to be apparent to any reader, and sought always to find the 'mot juste' in the original without resorting to any poetry she might invent on her own, as others have done.