Topic: Literature / Literature (General)

 
A Companion to Beowulf
Ruth Johnston Staver
978-0-31302-729-1

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A Companion to Beowulf

Ruth Johnston Staver Ruth Johnston Staver

July 2005

Greenwood

Cover
Pages
Volumes
Size
Hardcover
248
1
6 1/8x9 1/4
 
ISBN
eISBN
978-0-313-33224-1
978-0-313-02729-1
Print in Stock
$62.95

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Overviews the background, plot, themes, and language of Beowulf and discusses the poem's afterlife in contemporary popular culture.

Perhaps the most important work written in Old English, Beowulf grew out of a culture very different from ours, and yet its story of war, violence, and heroism remains relevant to modern readers. Accessible to high school students, general readers, and undergraduates, this companion overviews the poem and its legacy. The initial chapters review the plot of Beowulf, while later chapters discuss its style and language, its cultural and historical contexts, and its afterlife in contemporary popular culture.

The first part of the book provides information of interest to a wide range of readers, while the second covers more specialized topics. Thus the initial chapters review the merits of different translations and offer a detailed plot summary, while later chapters discuss the poem's language and style, its treatment of religion, its relation to Anglo-Saxon culture, and its legacy in popular culture. One of the greatest Beowulf scholars was J.R.R. Tolkien, and the book gives special attention to his use of the poem in his own fiction. High school students, undergraduates, and general readers will find this book a valuable guide to one of the most challenging yet enduring works of English literature.
Preface
How To Use This Book
Introduction
Choosing a Translation
The Hero Comes to Denmark
Beowulf vs. Grendel
Beowulf vs. Grendel's Mother
Beowulf vs. the Dragon
Literary Techniques
Placing Beowulf on a Timeline
Language and Poetry
Religion in Beowulf
Anglo-Saxon Culture
Modern Adaptations of Beowulf
The Beowulfian World of J.R.R. Tolkien
Appendix: Glossary of Names
Works Cited in the Text
Further Suggested Reading
Reviews
"A quick reference to Beowulf and its cultural background, this book offers a clear discussion intended to convey factual information rather than engage in cultural controversy. In addition to the expected material on Beowulf's arrival, the three battles, and his death, Staver (an independent scholar) includes chapters on the literary techniques in the poem, religion, Anglo Saxon culture, and modern adaptations of Beowolf....Nonspecialists and teachers who need a quick reference to various parts of Beowulf will appreciate this book....Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and general readers."—Choice

"A 'must' for any in-depth literary collection."—Library Bookwatch





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