read beowulf

I just finished Chapter 43 (so that’s Chapters 36 – 43 total!), which means that I’m 100% done! Whoo-hoo!!

I read Chapters 32-35 tonight and have 8 chapters to go before I’m completely done with the poem!

Chapters 22 & 23 have been read!

I just finished Chapter 21… 20 more chapters to go!

But then again the previous time that I read it was in High School English where he had to practically memorize the storyline, character list to be able to reproduce upon demand on for the test which is probably enough to destroy one’s enjoyment of most good books.

When I first started reading Beofulf, I found it too hard. Way, way too hard.

So I went to my mom (as I was homeschooled) and told her, ‘I can’t read this’. Canterbury Tales had been painful (more because it sucked than because of the Middle English), but this was beyond me.

She then pointed out that they only had the first few paragraphs in Anglo Saxon. The actual thing followed in full in Modern English.

Someday I shall learn Old English and read about the Danes in days past. Hwaet!

I’ve read it in both modern English (the full story), and a partial version in Anglo-Saxon. My modern translation still used the original techniques for rhyme (using the first letter of the word, rather that the last) and meter.

in brit lit this year and ended up loving it.

I didn’t enjoy it, but that’s the case with most books read under time-pressure.

I feel guilty for agreeing that ‘Grendel’ was a better read, though.. (Hey, it WAS written for a modern audience…)

But ultimately you should read both if you are still tied into the academic world; I hear it’s important reading for college. (Or so my high school teacher always told me.)

If I listed all the books I wanted to read it would be alot longer than 43things. I’ll list this on all consuming when I can