[Huck]

In my day, 20 years ago

Because new classics have been written since then? Tom Wolfe's Electric Kool Aid Acid Test is a very good book. I like Huck Finn as much as the next guy, but there's nothing wrong with bringing things up to speed a bit. We don't ride horses and buggies anymore, either. Beowolf? Totally worthless.

[Brujo]

... Beowolf? Totally worthless.

Ouch!

Maybe The 13th Warrior was totally worthless, but the Beowulf story itself is great. It provides an interesting glimpse of a pagan society through Christian eyes (Grendel and his mother are described as descendants of Cain, for example). The struggle of good to overcome evil is inspiring.

[Xenalyte]

“Beowulf” is anything BUT worthless! It picks up quite a bit when Beowulf rips off Grendel’s arm and beats him with it.

[RainMan]

I would put my 3 copies of Beowulf up against any book written in the last 500 years. Beowulf, first off, was not written as a novel, it was written as a poem. A really big, long poem. A poem that took longer to recite than a Kevin Costner movie. It’s primary distribution was not in print, it was memorized and carried from town to town by bards and served up as entertainment, but also education, with lessons that needed to be learned, and morals. Show me any modern writer that could pull off anything of that scale.

It is also an interesting study in politics of the day ... why would a novel expounding the virtues and heroism of a Danish prince be written in Gaelic and found in England that dates back to being written less than 100 AFTER the Danes (Vikings) were driven from the British Isles?

It had as much excitement and drama for the 11th century villagers as a summer blockbuster does today for you. It was also not written in English (which is why I have 3 copies, they are 3 different translations). If you want to read a version of Beowulf that captures some of the original poetry, try my favorite, the translation by Seamus Heany.

Beowulf may not have been the original story developed and delivered in that form, but it is the oldest one that survived and that we know about. In English literature, it is story number 1, nothing is older. As such, it created a style and genre that was reflected in authors such as Shakespeare and Dickens. It not only survived the ages, it was the blueprint for English literature for the next 1000 years. Worthless? I don't think so.

Now ... who the h#ll is Tom Wolfe again, ‘cause I don't think he is in the same league?

[Gondring]

I think this makes the point quite nicely...

..."A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius," contained "the F-word" 17 times on one page.

Jones told the board some of the books are the equivalent of R-rated movies, which his son isn't old enough to watch. He said his son would be sent home if he used that kind of language in school.

and...

Jones said he found the name Jesus used as an adjective with the F-word in one book. He found it ironic that schools allow such books, but not school prayer. "Guess you can only use God's name in a profane way," he said.

[Brucifer]

” Beowolf? Totally worthless.”

Hwaet?

If you think Beowulf is worthless, it is because you didn’t understand it. Beowulf tells us, among other important things, where we came from.

Literacy is about more than typing skills.

[Antoninus]

Beowolf? Totally worthless.

Sure. If you want to be totally ignorant of where Western literature came from and have no interest in our cultural patrimony. In that case, by all means, read Electric Kool Aid Acid Test.