Beowulf Translation and Commentary Expanded Edition

<p><em>Beowulf</em>, composed around 700 A.D., is the first great epic poem in the English language. It tells the timeless story of a hero''s fight against monsters and sets it against a complex background of political intrigue and tribal warfare. Situated in sixth-century Scandinavia, the poem brings to life a magnificent world that fuses history with fantasy. Tom Shippey''s new translation of <em>Beowulf</em>, reflecting a lifetime of engagement with the poem,<em> </em>makes its story clearer and more compelling than it has ever been. The original Old English text of <em>Beowulf </em>is included along with an extensive and innovative commentary, which guides the reader passage-by-passage through the poem and its criticism. </p><p><br></p><p>In addition to the text, translation, and commentary, this volume contains an extensive bibliography, a translator''s preface, and an appended essay by Tom Shippey on "Tolkien and <em>Beowulf-</em>A Lifelong Involvement." The 2^nd edition (revised and expanded) adds new texts and translations (by Tom Shippey) of <em>Waldere</em>, the <em>Hildebrandslied</em>, and the <em>Fight at Finnsburg</em>. </p>