Thursday, August 27, 2009

Page 1: The beginning of Beowulf

The books starts with the beginning lines of the epic poem of Beowulf. I honestly had a hard time understanding the content even though this was a translation. I had to look else where for a basic literal modern English translation.

So. The poem is essentially recounting the early Kings of the Danish culture. Strangely enough the first king mentioned is found an orphan. Becomes a king (by the various appropriate methods), has children, and then promptly dies at the God appointed hour. It is noted that he was a good king.

The last stanza is a note that though he was found an orphan, he leaves the Danes tied to a mast in a Viking boat that is filled to the brim with gold, armor, and weapons. The peasants morn.

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