Introduction to Beowulf (Seamus Heaney translation)

Beowulf - who exactly is this guy?

Beowulf is this awesome warrior dude who we get to see smashing monsters and slaying dragons throughout this story. He bursts onto the scene as this super ripped Jason Momoa figure, ready to single-handedly save a whole kingdom from destruction. He's the son of a guy named Ecgtheow, who seems to be dead now. But he lived a long time and was admired by people throughout the world ["In his day, my father was a famous man, a noble warrior-lord named Ecgtheow. He outlasted many a long winter and went on his way. All over the world men wise in counsel continue to remember him" (262 - 265)] - which, let me tell you, is a difficult task to pull off. The longer you live, the more opportunities you have to offend people. But Ecgtheow didn't offend people. At least, not the wrong people.

Beowulf comes from a people called the Geats. The leader of the Geats' clan to which Beowulf belongs is named Hygelac. Ecgtheow was super close with Hygelac and actually married his sister, Beowulf's mother, who doesn't get a name. So he's basically a Geatish prince (kinda) and a favorite of the king. After saving another kingdom from a monster AND that monster's crazy helicopter mom, Beowulf will eventually become king himself.

And then he'll slay a dragon.

Who is the author?

We don't know. We just. don't. know.

Scholars have been debating forever where Beowulf came from. Some argue that it was passed down orally, which would have changed the story over time according to each new person who told it. Others think it was written in early pagan times by a pagan and later Christian transcribers added Christian elements to it. Some think it was written in later by a Christian who was just mimicking pagan styles. Other scholars are just like, "Meh?"

Who is the translator?

This guy we know about.

Seamus Heaney is this really famous 20th century poet. He's won a bunch of honors, up to and including the Nobel Prize. Scholars love and hate Heaney's translation of Beowulf. Some say it's too modernized, and that it loses some of its antique appeal. Others think (Links to an external site.) that it has revitalized "what had become something of a tired chestnut in the literary world." Either way you look at it, Seamus Heaney's translation of Beowulf is pretty much the new standard. Because it's cool. At least Neil Gaiman thought so. (He's the guy who wrote the TV series Lucifer and American Gods. And, of course, the 2007 Beowulf movie).

By the way, if you listen to the audiobook of Heaney's translation, you're probably hearing Heaney's voice.