BEOWULF

'Beowulf' is the longest surviving poem of Anglo-Saxon England. Beowulf, a young warrior of the Geats, comes to the aid of Hrothgar, king of the Danes, in his time of need. He first fights the hellish Grendel, then struggles with Grendel's no less fearsome mother in her hall beneath the cold waters of the mere. More than 50 years later Beowulf, now king of the Geats, must face his final challenge in the shape of a huge and terrifying dragon. Other tales of war, feuding, and loss in less mythical worlds are interwoven with the main plot in such a way as to force readers to ask questions about the heroic code. Marc Hudson's thoughtful modern English translation combines readability with detailed attention to both the spirit and the meaning of the original poem. Paperback.