Tolkien transaltion of Beowulf? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Gwathagor · 01-16-2008, 11:31 PM

Several years ago, I did a large research project on Beowulf and vikings, and read about 8 different translations; but all along it was Tolkien's that I really wanted. I suppose it will have to get published some day.

William Cloud Hicklin · 01-17-2008, 08:00 AM

Christopher hasn't quit just yet! There may be more.

zxcvbn · 01-17-2008, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by William Cloud Hickli

Christopher hasn't quit just yet! There may be more.

Yes, but they won't be edited by Christopher himself. These days he's subcontracting the work to other Tolkien scholars and merely supervising them. eg. 'The Making of the Hobbit' by John Rateliff.

William Cloud Hicklin · 01-17-2008, 09:49 AM

Oh, really? I beg to differ.

The Hobbit was subcontracted out to Taum Santoski and, after his death, to John Rateliff simply because CT didn't feel there was room in HME (which originally wasn't going to cover LR either)- and that project was initiated almost 20 years ago. Same with the linguistic material, which CT felt Hostetter, Gilson et al could handle better than he could- that began in 1992.

Anyway, CT has *not* stopped editing. He may not manage to finish, but he's still at work.

zxcvbn · 01-17-2008, 11:26 AM

I am not trying to belittle Christopher Tolkien in any way. He is clearly the #1 Tolkien scholar alive. But with old age comes problems like failing memory, which is why I don't think that he himself will be editing any books after CoH. I believe he said something to that effect in the preface of HoME XIII, about how he won't be able to publish the remainder of JRRT's notes due to his age.

William Cloud Hicklin · 01-17-2008, 11:58 AM

HoME XIII?

All I can say is that CRT is still working on some stuff, because he told me, quite recently, that's what he's doing. Age may indeed catch up with him, but he's not out of the fight yet.

Child of the 7th Age · 01-17-2008, 12:39 PM

Without CT, our understanding of Tolkien would be considerably less than where it is today. We owe him an enormous debt. I've mentioned before how differently things were viewed before the publication of the Letters (done by Carpenter but with help from CT) and later HoMe. Our knowledge and understanding of JRRT was immeasurably changed by what CT wrote. CT also did a good job of covering bases with the Hobbit and language manuscripts by giving the blessing to other scholars to work on them.

But as a historian, I just wish that there had been a similar arrangement for Beowulf. I remember attending the medievalists conference at Kalamazoo while JRRT was still alive and hearing scuttlebut about the fact that JRRT had done a translation of the work but that it was not yet in print. I kept waiting over the years to hear something more and was disappointed when the agreement with Drout did not work out. I almost wish that CT had made HoMe a volume or two shorter and instead given us the Beowulf. But I am undoubtedly in the minority on this.

01-17-2008, 08:00 AM	#2
William Cloud Hicklin Loremaster of Annúminas Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 2,330	Christopher hasn't quit just yet! There may be more. __________________ The entire plot of The Lord of the Rings could be said to turn on what Sauron didn’t know, and when he didn’t know it.

01-17-2008, 09:49 AM	#4
William Cloud Hicklin Loremaster of Annúminas Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 2,330	Oh, really? I beg to differ. The Hobbit was subcontracted out to Taum Santoski and, after his death, to John Rateliff simply because CT didn't feel there was room in HME (which originally wasn't going to cover LR either)- and that project was initiated almost 20 years ago. Same with the linguistic material, which CT felt Hostetter, Gilson et al could handle better than he could- that began in 1992. Anyway, CT has not stopped editing. He may not manage to finish, but he's still at work. __________________ The entire plot of The Lord of the Rings could be said to turn on what Sauron didn’t know, and when he didn’t know it.

01-17-2008, 11:58 AM	#6
William Cloud Hicklin Loremaster of Annúminas Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 2,330	HoME XIII? All I can say is that CRT is still working on some stuff, because he told me, quite recently, that's what he's doing. Age may indeed catch up with him, but he's not out of the fight yet. __________________ The entire plot of The Lord of the Rings could be said to turn on what Sauron didn’t know, and when he didn’t know it.

01-17-2008, 12:39 PM	#7
Child of the 7th Age Spirit of the Lonely Star Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 5,133	Without CT, our understanding of Tolkien would be considerably less than where it is today. We owe him an enormous debt. I've mentioned before how differently things were viewed before the publication of the Letters (done by Carpenter but with help from CT) and later HoMe. Our knowledge and understanding of JRRT was immeasurably changed by what CT wrote. CT also did a good job of covering bases with the Hobbit and language manuscripts by giving the blessing to other scholars to work on them. But as a historian, I just wish that there had been a similar arrangement for Beowulf. I remember attending the medievalists conference at Kalamazoo while JRRT was still alive and hearing scuttlebut about the fact that JRRT had done a translation of the work but that it was not yet in print. I kept waiting over the years to hear something more and was disappointed when the agreement with Drout did not work out. I almost wish that CT had made HoMe a volume or two shorter and instead given us the Beowulf. But I am undoubtedly in the minority on this. __________________ Multitasking women are never too busy to vote. Last edited by Child of the 7th Age; 01-17-2008 at 12:46 PM.

01-16-2008, 11:31 PM	#1
Gwathagor Shade with a Blade Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: A Rainy Night In Soho Posts: 2,512	Several years ago, I did a large research project on Beowulf and vikings, and read about 8 different translations; but all along it was Tolkien's that I really wanted. I suppose it will have to get published some day. __________________ Stories and songs.

01-17-2008, 11:26 AM	#5
zxcvbn Wight Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: In front of my PC Posts: 164	I am not trying to belittle Christopher Tolkien in any way. He is clearly the #1 Tolkien scholar alive. But with old age comes problems like failing memory, which is why I don't think that he himself will be editing any books after CoH. I believe he said something to that effect in the preface of HoME XIII, about how he won't be able to publish the remainder of JRRT's notes due to his age.