This thesis presents a comparison between the translations of Beowulf by David Wright, Michael Alexander, Seamus Heaney and J.R.R. Tolkien. With the help of a base translation the grammar and...Show moreThis thesis presents a comparison between the translations of Beowulf by David Wright, Michael Alexander, Seamus Heaney and J.R.R. Tolkien. With the help of a base translation the grammar and vocabulary of the four translations are analysed. Then on the basis of the differences between the translations, a conclusion is made concerning which translation is best suited for a certain audience.Show less
Modern Beowulf scholarship found its origin in 1815 with the publication of the Latin translation of Beowulf by the Icelandic-Danish scholar Grímur Jónsson Thorkelín. Although not the first to...Show moreModern Beowulf scholarship found its origin in 1815 with the publication of the Latin translation of Beowulf by the Icelandic-Danish scholar Grímur Jónsson Thorkelín. Although not the first to tackle the Old English Beowulf, as Sharon Turner had in fact translated a selection of the poem to Modern English as early as 1805, Thorkelín was the first to provide a complete translation of Beowulf in any language. As such, he was the first to introduce its cast of characters to the critics and other translators. Since then, Beowulf has received sustained critical attention. The fact that Beowulf has been available for critical review for such a long period of time makes it impossible for a single person to read, discuss, or even just be aware of all the critical works published on Beowulf. Consequently, the current study cannot cover all that has been written on Grendel’s mother and her representation; it does, however, attempt to paint a picture of the evolving scholarly reception of Grendel’s mother by discussing some of its major developments.Show less
