Beowulf

I had first read a bit of Beowulf when I was in high school. A boy was trying to impress me by telling me he could read the "original English" that Beowulf was written (in). I was so naive at the time, I believed him. I didn't understand a word he read to me - except Beowulf - but was intrigued by "old" writings that I picked up an English Literature book in the library and began to read. I found it not to my liking. The passages were long, written in poem "form" but did not rhyme. And it seemed to take f-o-r-e-v-e-r for the writer to get his point across. I put it down and decided to wait until I was more "experienced" before I read it again.

As a Sophomore in College, I picked up a slight paperback of Beowulf. This one was much different than the first reading; it was written in story form in modern English. After a few pages, I was bored. With the use of modern English and modern terms, it didn't seem right to read. I put it down, again.

Now, I've read Beowulf again - in story form, and paragraphs first, then the "poem" form. Reading this epic I am sad I did not grasp its importance 30 years ago.

I will admit to being a bit apprehensive to reading another "epic poem". The Illiad and the Odyssey were difficult reading (I believe it is because it was a rushed read and the fun in the stories was overshadowed by the professor's picking apart each line for discussion..but, I digress). So, epics were not something I was not sure I would enjoy again and I thought would be difficult to wade through. I was pleased to read Beowulf - and look forward to more epics.

More about why I liked it, what I learned, and what I questioned in further posts.