Beowulf discussion

Of course it's obvious that some aspects of Beowulf made their way in to Tolkien's other stories, but it's still wonderful to see it first-hand. I enjoyed reading in the translation notes how certain translations were recommended by C. S. Lewis for the insight into the professional relationship the two authors had. Then of course there are the references to the old king being "a giver of rings" and the reference to "middle-earth," echoes of another magic later wrought by a titan of English literature.

If you'll read further into Norse mythology, especially "The Nibelungenlied" and the Old Irish mythology, you'll see where Tolkien got his epic. It's a mashup of the two — take the Norse saga, add Celt characters, season shamelessly with Christian allegory . . .

And yet, somehow, it works.