Tolkien's Beowulf

[Bêthberry]

Heeeerrre's Squatter taking us back to school. A previous discussion on Droust and Beowulf.


And, the comparison of Heaney's with Tolkien's translation on, of all threads, Tolkien is not Yeats

Oh, what the heck. Why not copy the translations here.

Tolkien's translation of Beowulf and his men setting sail:

On went the hours: on
ocean afloat
under cliff was their craft.
Now climb blithely
brave man aboard; breakers
pounding
ground the shingle. Gleaming
harness
they hove to the bosom of the
bark, armour
with cunning forged then cast
her forth
to voyage triumphant,
valiant-timbered
fleet foam twisted.


The same passage by Heaney:

Time went by, the boat was
on water,
in close under the cliffs.
Men climbed eagerly up the
gangplank,
sand churned in surf, warriors
loaded
a cargo of weapons, shining
war-gear
in the vessel's hold, then
heaved out,
away with a will in their
wood-wreathed ship.


It appears, Hookbill, that Tolkien wanted a translation which maintained many of the stylistic and linquistic traits of the Old English language, whereas Heaney is providing a modern version.

What Fordim is providing I would not hazard to say.