Written by: Julie Boyden
Submitted By: Julie Boyden
(This review posted by the book's author)
Julie Boyden, an author well versed in the words and world of the Dark Ages,
has published a new verse translation of Beowulf (March, 4, 2014) which
focuses on the pre-Christian roots of the epic tale.
Ms. Boyden has taken the work back to its Nordic origins, revealing a
warrior-society with a strong reliance on Fate, with high regard for duty,
honor, loyalty, and swift vengeance, a society that valued fame above all
other rewards. By removing the Christian insertions, she demonstrates
clearly how that warrior-society created its heroes, men who did not shrink
before life or death choices in brutal confrontations where Fate chose the
victor.
To prepare for her translation, Ms. Boyden spent four years at the
University of Utah learning Anglo Saxon, and studied numerous versions of
the poem for accuracy and meaning, seeking always the poet’s intent. Ms.
Boyden’s verse succeeds in fluidly retaining the alliterative form of the
original text, creating a texture as close to the original as possible. A
pronunciation guide for the Anglo Saxon names in her translation is
included, introducing readers to the main characters in the narrative. In
the Introduction, she provides a concise overview of the values and beliefs
of the warrior-society and its social construct at the time, thus placing
the hero, Beowulf, in a cultural context enriching the reading experience
for all readers, including students of English Literature.
Many editions of Beowulf disregard the texture and power of Old English, but
Ms. Boyden maintains the feel of the original words without modernizing the
language or the poetry as others have done. Julie Boyden’s breakthrough new
translation illustrates how ancient writings and translations, particularly
poetry, may be made accessible to modern readers.
