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Beowulf by Anonymous is part of the Barnes amp Noble Classicsnbspseries which offers quality editions at affordable prices to the student and the general reader including new scholarship thoughtful design and pages of carefully crafted extras Here are some of the remarkable features of Barnes amp Noble Classics New introductions commissioned from todays top writers and scholars Biographies of the authors Chronologies of contemporary historical biographical and cultural events Footnotes and endnotes Selective discussions of imitations parodies poems books plays paintings operas statuary and films inspired by the work Comments by other famous authors Study questions to challenge the readers viewpoints and expectations Bibliographies for further reading Indices amp Glossaries when appropriateAll editions are beautifully designed and are printed to superior specifications some include illustrations of historical interest Barnes amp Noble Classics pulls together a constellation of influencesbiographical historical and literaryto enrich each readers understanding of these enduring worksnbspWidely regarded as the first true masterpiece of English literature Beowulf describes the thrilling adventures of a great Scandinavian warrior of the sixth century Its lyric intensity and imaginative vitality are unparalleled and the poem has greatly influenced many important modern novelists and poets most notably J R R Tolkien author of The Lord of the RingsnbspPart history and part mythology Beowulf opens in the court of the Danish king where a horrible demon named Grendel devours men in their sleep every night The hero Beowulf arrives and kills the monster but joy turns to horror when Grendels mother attacks the hall to avenge the death of her son Ultimately triumphant Beowulf becomes king himself and rules peacefully for fifty years until one dark day a foe more powerful than any he has yet faced is arousedan ancient dragon guarding a horde of treasure Once again Beowulf must summon all his strength and courage to face the beast but this time victory exacts a terrible pricenbspNew translation by John McNamara Features an original map and genealogy chartnbspJohn McNamara is Professor of English at the University of Houston where he teaches the early languages and literatures of England Scotland and Ireland with a special focus on their oral traditions He is the co-editor of Medieval Folklore An Encyclopedia of Myths Legends Tales Beliefs and Customs.
