Seamus Heaney wrote a very engaging and descriptive new translation of the 8th century text, Beowulf. This text is the oldest epic poem that was written in English, and describes the life of a Scandinavian hero named Beowulf.
Heaney's translation is unique because he is a poet translating another poet's work. This is very different from the other versions of Beowulf which were translated by historians. This allows the reader to view the text in a way that is more similar to what the 8th centurey poet wrote.
Heaney's translation is also interesting because it portrays the monster, Grendel and his mother in a sympthetic light. He describes these monsters as being descended from the race of Cain, and thus, they were cursed before they were even born. The reader is futher moved to pity Grendel in this passage: "Beowulf in his fury now settled that score: he saw the monster in his resting place, war-weary and wrecked, a lifeless corpse, a casualty of the battle in Heorot. The body gaped at the stroke dealt to it after death: Beowulf cut the corpse's head off." (lines 1584-1590)
Editors note:
Heaney died on August 30, 2013 in Dublin, Ireland after a period of poor health at the of 74.