Beowulf

Had A Hard Time Following.

What disappointed you about Beowulf?

My brain is not smart enough to process Old English. Ha!

What could Robert K. Gordon and translator have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Nothing! I just don't think it was quite up my alley.

Which scene was your favorite?

When the monster came into the Hall and tore them all apart. :)

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

I wanted to read it to add to my 'classics' list. But the wording was hard to focus thru.

6 people found this helpful

Translator Preferred

While I would personally prefer the translation of Prof. J.R.R. Tolkien the Gordon translation is generally preferred and is quite excellent. Well read and presented by the reader this is a must read for those interested in early literature of the early Middle Ages. No one who's picked up at least a B.A. in English or the humanities has missed reading this classic of European literature, but it's interesting to revisit it in an audible format.

18 people found this helpful

Ancient Literature - Wonderful!

We owe it to ourselves to pick up an ancient story or poem once in a few reads. Make sure you pick up "Grendel" by John Gardner for a "monster's point of view" *** Read Unabridged and capture all the author's thoughtful insights ***

10 people found this helpful

Clear and exciting narration

Probably the best unabridged recording of "Beowulf" available. It's the whole thing, in an old-fashioned but easily-followed translation, read with force and emotion by Robertson Dean. I have only one small quibble: the pronunciation of "Geat" is inconsistent. It's not the easiest term to pin down; in readings by different people I've heard "geet," "gat," and "gay-at." (I believe the original pronunciation was something like "yat.") I don't care which one is right, but I heard two of the three in this recording (it finally settles on "gat"). The story does ramble a bit after Grendel's mother is killed, but neither translator nor reader should be faulted for that.

8 people found this helpful

Excellent Rendition!

I recommend this version for my classical high school students to listen to, as they read the words in print form. The combination of the unabridged format narrated by such a strong masculine voice makes for wonderful listening! Well done!

1 person found this helpful

Brought the Story to Life!

Robertson Dean did an excellent job of bringing this book to life!
The book itself is an intriguing look at what life was like way back in Ancient History. Highly recommend!

1 person found this helpful

Very Hard to Follow

What disappointed you about Beowulf?

I found it very hard to follow. The archaic language makes it difficult to realize which character is doing what. This is the first audible book that I would have been better off reading instead of listening to.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Well, I read the book in school and didn't like it. I thought I would try it again as an adult thinking I would appreciate it more. But the language is hard to follow because it is archaic.

What aspect of Robertson Dean’s performance would you have changed?

I can't think of anything. The performance was good, but I couldn't follow the characters well.

What character would you cut from Beowulf?

Beowulf himself?

Any additional comments?

Probably just me. Maybe I should have concentrated more.

4 people found this helpful

Good for Free

Very good reading of Beowulf. If you want to experience a fundamental piece of English literature, here’s a way to do it.

Christian Elements

The Christian elements were 100% edited in, each time they are presented they stand out so much

very engaging

One of the tellings I have heard. Exciting and well paced work of ancient times.