Welcome to Litsy!

Loved this translation of Beowulf, one that has been on my radar for ages but which I‘ve only just now read. I don‘t know if fierce, modern, & accessible are words often used to describe this 1,000 (ish) year old epic but in Headley‘s hands, it is. She brings a writers eye to the epic & in approaching as a “bro” moment, a moment of braggadocio spoken in a public arena (think bar), she is definitely onto something. Great introduction, great read.

BEOWULF FUN:
If interested, here's a slideshow with some fun BEOWULF links:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vT5qLK4jp6u1NQrEm0o0uOLEh6u504Sk...

Loved teaching this to my sophomore honors (they learn British literature that year).

“Hear me!” ... so begins BEOWULF, the oldest surviving epic poem in English. Centuries of poet-singers, called scops (shopes), recited the adventures of Beowulf. It is our great fortune that eventually a gifted poet unified the heroic accounts and produced an enduring work of art. We have only one copy of Beowulf, and it dates from about the year 1000 C.E.

1. I don't read much that is dated that far back.
2. I really liked Beowulf.
@TheSpineView
#Two4Tuesday

Lo! the Spear-Danes‘ glory through splendid achievements
The folk-kings former fame we have heard of,
How princes displayed then their prowess-in-battle.
#Beowulf #openingline #firstline #book #books #bookart #bookartist #bookattitude #bookaholic #bookaholics #bookshelf #bookshelves #bookshelfie #bookshelfies #shelfie #shelfies #bookstack #bookstacks #Classics #Poetry #Fiction #Fantasy #Mythology #School #Literature #ReadForSchool #Medieval ❣️❣️❣️

Just read the Penguin version. The language was beautiful, albeit wordy. It helped to imagine having it read to me by Russell Crowe!!

1. None yet
2. Twitter
3. My amazing husband

#wonderouswednesday

So the People of the Geats lamented over the fall of their lord, his hearth-companions, and said that he was a world-king, and mildest, the gentlest of men, and most tender to his people, and most eager for their praise.
#Beowulf #lastline #closingline #book #books #bookart #bookartist #bookattitude #bookaholic #bookaholics #bookshelf #bookshelves #bookshelfie #bookshelfies #shelfie #shelfies #stack #Classics #Poetry #Fiction #Fantasy #Mythology

I love it when my hen Gilda matches my book cover!!! 😂😂🙄🙄

#mythical #maycharacters @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs

This is my second read, and I do truly love this epic tale. This is probably my favourite translation, and it‘s even better because the Old English is to the left of the translated text. Beowulf, a great hero, but ultimately just a man, battles great monsters, gaining a hero worship truly deserved. Heaney does a great translation making it simple and easy to read but still conveying the grandness of the adventure.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Self care always uses books. Last night‘s reading session. #currentlyreading

Ummmmmm. I really don‘t like this. It could be the translation as well, but I just couldn‘t really get onto it.

I don‘t think I understand most of what‘s happening...I despise the language

New school year. New grade level to teach. New books to read. Though this one is am old favorite that I suddenly have the opportunity to teach. #silverlinigs

I love it, but I understand why some do not. I‘ve had the pleasure of reading it in high school and with my three teens, and what a joy!! The best thing about it is that we read together, analyzed it, and discussed it together. Everyone in the house has at least a respect for it, even if we all disagree on how “good” it is.

I love the adventure and swords, the knights and warriors, the mead hall, and the monsters and heroes. #homeschool #reread

Now we have heard, by inquiry, of the glory of the kings of the people they of the Spear-Danes, how the Athelings were doing deeds of courage.
#Beowulf #book #books #firstline #openingline #bookgeek #bookgeeks #bookgeeky #bookgang #bookgasm #geek #geeks #geeky #bookhoarder #bookhoarders #bookhaul #bookhauler #bookholic #bookholics #bookheaven #bookjunkie #bookjunkies #bookjunky #bookjacket #bookjackets #Classics #Poetry #Fiction #Fantasy 💙💙💙💙

1. Brownie a la mode.
2. My spouse is probably going back to work next week. There are some kinks to be worked out, and it‘s less than perfect, but we both agree he needs to get out of the house for a while.
#thankfulthursday on Friday

I just pulled the first three books my son will use for school in the fall!! I think we may go ahead and get partially started on the next school year so we‘ll be at least a little bit ahead. My son is a reluctant reader. This is not the first time I‘ve done this particular English course with my family, so while my son is reading for content and theme for papers etc, I‘m going to enjoy my re-rereads 🤓 #homeschool

This was fun to read. This is the first time I read it since high school. It was enjoyable to read it again. I always enjoy reading a good adventure story. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#Beowulf #read #bookrecommendation #bookrecommendations #recommendation #recommendations #bookreport #bookreports #bookreview #bookreviews #bookriot #booktattoo #booktree #bookthief #booktopia #booktoday #bookyourself #bookutopia #bookunicorn #School #Mythology #Classics #Poetry 💜💜💜

Beowulf
#Beowulf #bookvibe #bookvibes #bookvsfilm #bookvsmovie #bookbag #bookbags #bookbinding #bookbeau #bookblog #bookblogger #bookboyfriend #boooknerd #booknerds #booknerdsunite #booknerdy #booknook #booknation #nerd #nerds #nerdy #nerdsunite #bookmark #bookmarks #bookmarket #bookmarkets #bookmoment #bookmoments #bookquote #bookquotes #bookqueen #bookquirk #quote #quotes #bookworm #bookworms #Classics #Poetry #Fiction #Fantasy #School ❣️❣️❣️❣️

I really enjoyed this translation. I hadn't read Beowulf since high school, and I'm very excited for Maria Dahvana Headley's upcoming translation, so I wanted to read some beautiful Heaney language and immerse myself in a classic epic to prepare. Recommended.

So the People of the Geats lamented over the fall of their lord, his hearth-companions, and said that he was a world-king, and the mildest, gentlest of men, and most tender to his people, and most eager for their praise.
#Beowulf #lastline #closingline #funko #funkopop #popvinyl #book #books #bookgeek #bookgeeks #bookgeeky #bookgang #bookgasm #geek #geeks #geeky #bookhoarder #bookhoarders #bookhaul #Classics #Poetry #Fiction #Fantasy #School 💛💛

I had never read this translation and had always intended to, and I was not disappointed. I greatly appreciate that it is a dual language edition.

Much love to @SerialReader for having this classic available!

An interesting poem of a possible fictional character grounded in real life events and people among the myths and monsters that were abound for Beowulf to fight with.

I gave this a solid 3 ⭐ while my BF will gladly tell you it's more of a 4.5 and as he's the one that recommended it to me with nothing more than "it's a favorite".

I didn't enjoy this one nearly as much as I did Gilgamesh, but it is still a beautiful and deeply powerful story.

Excellently read by Heaney himself

#SoaringScores #EntryIntoTheGreatHall I've only read excerpts of this, but I definitely read about Heorot, the great hall where Beowulf feasted before fighting Grendel.
@CrowCAH @Cinfhen

This is my second time attempting the read this book and I actually got to the end of it thanks to audio books.
I never understood it the first time maybe because I'm not a fan of medieval poetry but it's much easier to listen to. #audiobooks #readingmyownbooks #classics #beowulf #reread #reading #oldstories #audio #listerningisreading #screamathon #readathon 📚📚📚☠️

The opening word of Beowulf, Hwaet, has been variously translated from the blatantly poetic "Lo!" to the enthusiastic "Yes!" to Heaney's restrained "So." What all of these translations are saying is #sitdown I have quite a tale for you.
#RedRoseSeptember
@arlenefinnigan @Cinfhen

Beowulf
#Beowulf #book #books #funko #funkopop #popvinyl #FreddyFunko #bookcollection #bookcollector #bookcase #bookcases #bookcover #bookcoverdesign #bookcoverdesigner #bookclub #bookclubs #bookvibe #bookvibes #bookvsfilm #bookvsmovie #bookbag #bookbinding #bookbeau #bookblog #bookbloggers #bookbackpack #bookbags #booknerd #booknerds #booknerdsunite #booknerdy #booknook #booknation #nerd #nerds #Classics #Poetry #Fiction #Fantasy #School 💗💗💗

Another audio of a book from oral tradition

The end of my little peak in Anglo-Saxon lit. Shorter than I expected, less poetic than I expected too (per Heaney‘s translation). I tried to slow down and absorb it a bit, but the story just rushes through making quick work of Grendel and Mom and focusing really on the end of the Geats after Beowulf‘s death fighting a dragon in old age. Some really great touches zoomed by in a blink. Someday I should reread with some reflection. Some day.

The next book.

I got this in the mail yesterday! 1977 Folio Society Beowulf. Lithography by Virgil Burnett, translated by Kevin Crossley-Holland.

Finally starting Starting Beowulf

I love when a book leads you to another. I recently read The Salt Path, and Beowulf plays a part in that book. So it prompted me to finally read it. I enjoyed the language of it and the story. The introduction was useful for me as I've not studied English lit beyond GCSE, so it gave me some context. I liked how Heaney brought some Ulster words into his translation. Really cool. Awesome matching bookmark from @libby1

Daisy and I have been very busy with errands and chores all day. As you can see Daisy has been working much harder than anyone. Got the house to myself today, so rest of day plans are pictured. Not at the same time though. Hoping the sun might come out too ⛅

“Then finally the end arrives
when the body he was lent collapses and falls
prey to its death; ancestral possessions
and the goods he hoarded are inherited by another
who lets them go with a liberal hand”

Better to fill our life with experiences rather than possessions!

“Often, for undaunted courage, fate spares the man it has not already marked,”

Book haul from today‘s trip! The only one I‘ve read is the tagged, but I have high hopes for the others

Lo! the Spear-Danes‘ glory through splendid achievements
The folk-kings‘ former fame we have heard of,
How princes displayed then their prowess-in-battle.
#Beowulf #firstline #openingline #book #books #funko #funkopop #popvinyl #Rumplestiltskin #FreddyFunko #booktattoo #booktree #bookthief #booktopia #booktoday #bookyourself #bookunion #bookutopia #bookunicorn #bookunicorns #bookish #bookishfeature #Classics #Poetry #Fiction #Fantasy #Literature

My new Seamus Heaney book mark goes very well with my book, thanks @libby1

1. I love the Beowulf myth. There a new retelling I have a copy of -Boneless Mercies- I just haven‘t had a chance to read it yet.
2. None really
3. Grendel
4. Pandora
5. Hades
6. Way to many. psyche in a dress was interesting and in prose.

📚 Beowulf - Beowulf
📺 Bruce Wayne - Gotham
🎬 Bucky Barnes - The Winter Soldier

This sounds good...Ive never been there before (which excites me straight away!). Sitting by the fire, in an old Victorian pub, eating cake and hot chocolate, being read to....what more could you want for Qd. Might give it a go!

I bailed on this book before but then I took a “Intro to English Literature” class. Honestly, I tried reading it again and didn‘t get very far. Cliff notes and study buddies were my friend. Finally, today, I caved and listened to an abridged audiobook version. I understand why it‘s very important and now that I‘ve taken the class I understand it a lot more. Still not my thing.

Beowulf #Beowulf #funkopop #popvinyl #FreddyFunko #book #books #bookz #bookzesty #bookzilla #bookzine #bookzone #bookxcess #bookcollection #bookcollector #bookcase #bookcases #bookcover #bookcovers #bookcoverdesign #bookclub #bookclubs #bookvibe #bookvibes #bookvsmovie #bookvsfilm #bookbag #bookbinding #bookbeau #bookblog #bookblogger #booknerd #booknerds #booknerdsunite #booknerdy #booknook #nerd #Classics #Poetry #Fiction #Fantasy #Literature 💕

@trueisa4letterword and I went down the rabbit hole this morning with “lik the bred” cow poems. This classic makes me lol so hard I cry. Now I can‘t shake the image of Grendel as a giant aurochs who just wants to lik the Danes but ends up accidentally eating them. 😂 #likthebred #cowpoems