I posed
the same question to myself the first day I heard of this unusual epic referred
to as, Beowulf. Literature has a way
of relating to our everyday lives, so I was interested in learning about why
after all of these years the curriculum was still being taught.
This
epic poem reflected an early period of time in European culture. It is the
oldest surviving piece of meaningful literature in English. There is some
debate as to whether or not the epic was the oldest thing written in English
which is most likely not true due to evidence of other literature, but some
experts would argue otherwise. Beowulf
was written originally in old English, but as time went on and the English
language changed so did the interpretation of the epic. Different authors
decided to rewrite the epic so that people of their time could understand the
story. The similar translations have been slightly altered in syntax thus showing
the various perspectives.
Seamus
Heaney is a distinguished modern poet who created another, one of many,
translation of Beowulf. I assume he
made it for readers who would not be able to depict the Anglo-Saxon language.
Although there are several similar words and phrases the language was hard to
understand due to the inverted syntax used throughout the selection. For
example, Morgan says, “Grendel the fiend’s name…” In English today this would
be read as “The fiend’s name is Grendel” from the Greenfield translation. Other
factors contribute to the difficulty of understanding the language, for example
the diction, punctuation, and use of different characters as noticed in several
Old English pieces of literature.
Another
question arises “are we still fighting monsters?” In my perspective we may not
be literally fighting monsters in modern times, but we are definitely fighting
them in the symbolic sense. In this world most of us are fighting to be
remembered, legendary, or even a part of noteworthy history. Our obstacles may
not be the same as the medieval warriors, but we still have to overcome certain
boundaries.
There
is much to learn from this tale of violence and brutal combat. The warriors during
the Anglo-Saxon period were trying to be remembered as legendary people after
their death because there was no formal way of recording their accomplishments,
so in order to spread the word they told people. Scops were Old English poets
who memorized and performed the epics in mead halls. I believe the epic
continues to entertain its readers presently and viewers back in the Anglo-Saxon
period when scops performed the epics. The stories catch the reader’s attention
with its intriguing tone.
Beowulf has continued to be a timeless
epic poem and I believe it will continue in the future of fundamental
education.
