Beowulf (Signet Classics) | 
| Author: Anonymous
Creator: Burton Raffel
Publisher: Signet Classics
Category: Book
List Price: $4.95
Buy Used: $0.30
You Save: $4.65 (94%)
New (1) Used (35) Collectible (1) from $0.30
Avg. Customer Rating:  51 reviews
Sales Rank: 83962
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 160
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.5
ISBN: 0451527402
Dewey Decimal Number: 829.3
EAN: 9780451527400
ASIN: 0451527402
Publication Date: September 1, 1999
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
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Product Description
The epic poem of war and adventure.
Beowulf is the earliest extant poem in a modern European language. It was composed in England four centuries before the Norman Conquest. But no one knows exactly when it was composed, or by whom, or why. As a social document this great epic reflects a feudal, newly Christian world of heroes and monsters, blood and victory and death.
* Burton Raffel's modern language translation from the original Old English remains the most celebrated introduction of the poem to students and the general reader alike
* Includes a glossary of terms
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| Customer Reviews: Read 46 more reviews...
 This is such a gory book! April 8, 2008
0 out of 8 found this review helpful
This book is absolutely terrible! Everyone's grandmother would be ashamed to know the language they use. It seems like a rated r book. A very disgusting read, so much talk about this person named Grendel who is portrayed as a cannibal. There is so much talk about blood and bones, ugh! Save yourself the effort and bypass this so called classic. I wish I didn't have to read it. If I could I would tell my teacher he was nuts for making me read it. Acutally what idiot made this a classic? My lord! Disgusting, absolutely awful. Save yourself in the name of classic books!
 Beowulf March 18, 2008
Excellent poem. It transmits through words very pure feelings and attitudes of men and societies already forgotten.
Classic February 23, 2008
While going to school in the 70s and 80s, I never had to read any classic literature. I have decided to "go back to school", so to speak, and read the classics that I never did when younger. This was my first. I enjoyed it, and would highly recommend it.
Far better than the movie .... February 3, 2008
The translation is easy to follow and read. I did lose the narrative thread at points toward the end. This may not be the translator's fault. There are beautiful passages scattered throughout.
The story is about a hero who kills monsters. Beowulf is proud. He brags about himself at the drop of a hat. However, he is the strongest and best fighter in the world. His search for fame for himself and his family is his purpose in life. There are great passages here about God, the world, and man's place in it. When he fights the dragon, Beowulf knows he is too old to defeat it, but yet he tries anyway. The pursuit of fame drives him. but he knows he is the best man for the job. The poem also gives great snapshots of life at that time.
The book is a great look on how the author viewed life at that time. I enjoy other epics better: this poem definitely drags at times. However, this poem is definitely worth the read for the stirring action, the examples of bravery, the world view of the people at that time, and Beowulf, himself, is a tragic character unmatched in literature.
 Not the complete Beowulf I was looking for December 23, 2007
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
This wasn't the complete Beowulf that I was looking for. I read Beowulf when I was in school and I was looking for that version which was a very big book and the full, long version. Yes, it was a somewhat difficult read, but well worth it in the long run and I've been wanting to reread it for some time. Reading the reviews I had thought that this was the closest thing to it, but this isn't even close. This is a small paperback that is quite short.
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