[C19fan]

From what I understand some people have claimed the more Christian elements were added. So this is truly is a work representing a society transitioning from the pagan to Christian.

[bgill]

Thanks. Interesting.

[Stevenc131]

“Don’t take any class where you have to read Beowulf” -

Woody Allen in ‘Annie Hall’. In spite of any personal problems, Mr. Allen hit the nail on the head in this case.

[allendale]

Without Beowulf, no Chaucer or even Shakespeare.

[teeman8r]

only saw the one with angelina jolie... nice.

[junta]

I like Heaney translation.

[ConservativeDude]

Tolkien notes that more or less in his famous essay...

I have recently been reflecting on Beofulf. And Rocky, especially now that we have two awesome installments of the next generation in Creed and Creed 2.

I’d like to write an article about why Rocky is important (it is) and call it American Beowulf.

[ConservativeDude]

I believe there are some who think - not sure how they would know this - but there are some who think that the artist who wrote the poem out in long hand, is actually the poet as well.

I have no earthly idea if that is true, but I like the thought...

[PUGACHEV]

Boewulf does reflect a society transitioning from pagan gods to Christianity. Grendel and Grendel’s mother represent the pagan gods and monsters to be overcome by Beowulf. Like the Iliad, Beowulf was a means of educating the youth in a pre-literate society. The saga takes pains to note the folly of bad kings, and instruct what good king should do, and why.

I like Seamus Haney’s translation best. I think it brings us closest to the original dramatic effect of Beowulf, taking into account that we have no way of relating exactly to its original audience.

[Smittie]

I remember having to read Beowulf in college. I put off reading it until the night before the test since it was a poem and was unaware that a poem could be novel length. I was up until 4:00 a.m. reading and to take the test at 8:30 a.m. I did pass though with a B if I remember correctly. I may one day reread it to see what it was really about.

[napscoordinator]

I hated it. Junior year in high school we had that and the dreadful Canterbury tales. We had others but those two sucked!

[ElkGroveDan]

I prefer the Star Trek version

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroes_and_Demons

[a fool in paradise]

Like Bye Bye Miss American Pie?