Beowulf and Its Analogues

by G.N.Garmonsway; Jacqueline Simpson, Jacqueline Simpson, H.R. Ellis Davidson

Beowulf is an Old English epic poem of more than three thousand lines, and is central to all early Germanic literature. Historical events mentioned in the poem belong to the Sixth Century, but recent authorities suggest it was written in the Eighth Century by a Christian poet utilizing older pagan material. In this invaluable reference, a new translation is combined with the analogues of the poem: documents of many types and dates which preserve traditions about persons mentioned in the poem or that offer parallels to Beowulf's exploits. Heretofore, students have had to search out these analogues in many different books, many inaccessible or untranslated. An illustrated closing chapter assesses the archaeological evidence relating to the period and society of Beowulf.

Genres: Poetry, Nonfiction, Classics, Mythology, Anglo Saxon

368 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1968

Reviews

[Neil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Over the years Everyman have published some great English translations of Medieval Literature. With numerous translation of Icelandic Sagas, translations of two of the most important Middle High German epics, plus some great collections from Old English Literature, all pretty good translations too. But for me, the real jewel in the Everyman crown was George Norman Garmonsway and Jacqueline Simpson's Beowulf and Its Analogues. This volume contains a translation of Beowulf and a huge selection of parallel material selected from various medieval texts.

The translation of Beowulf is done by Garmonsway in very good prose. Garmonsway aims at uniformity of words and phrases, he uses this method to try and preserve the formulaic feel of the original Old English poem. At times this may feel a little repetitive, but the translation is pretty accurate and a pleasure to read.

The parallel materials are translated by Simpson, again in scholarly prose. The selection is arranged by a characters name, so under names like Hrothgar, Hrothulf and Hygalec, you will found a wealth of comparative accounts of the characters mentioned in Beowulf. The selections are culled from historical works like Gregory of Tours passage that tells of Hygalec's raid on the Frisian coast and his death at the hands of the Franks, but most of the translations are from later legendary works like Hrolfs Saga Kraki, Saxo Grammaticus and the fragments of the Skjöldunga saga. Even minor characters that just get a fleeting mention in Beowulf such as Eormenric, Hama and Sigemund get their own sections, with Translations from obscure German chronicles like the Thidrekssaga, Eddic verse and Volsunga Saga.

Beowulf is known to begin with a funeral and to end with a funeral, with at least one other in between, all with pagan elements. For those curious about pagan funeral customs, this collection includes Jordanes version of Attila the Hun's funeral and Ibn Fadlan's eyewitness account of a Viking cremation on the Volga, plus a few other illustrative documents from Norse versions on the same subject matter. For those interested in the monster and dragon fights, selections include the well know parallel passages from the Norse Grettir's Saga, Samson's Saga and much more. Even charters and obscure place name documents are included that shed light on the characters names.

The collection is nicely rounded off with a short essay by Hilda Ellis Davidson called Archaeology and Beowulf. Davidson compares the poem with finds from places like Sutton Hoo and Uppsala, all nicely complemented with some glossy plates (plates, hardcover only).

This is one of a handful of works on Beowulf that is absolutely indispensable.

[Matthew Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very useful edition. Aside from a very readable translation of the main text, it provides a wealth of additional texts featuring characters and events referenced in the Beowulf narrative (the "analogues" of the title.)

Perhaps not recommended for most readers, but as someone who intends to revisit Beowulf again and again, the resources in this book are invaluable.

[Volsung]

An excellent resource. Includes a translation of "Beowulf" and a superb variety of analogous materials (Old Norse, Latin, Arabic, etc.) in translation, concerning the ancient Germanic world, its customs, history, and myths, as they relate to content in Beowulf. Also included is "Beowulf and Archaeology" by Hilda Ellis Davidson.