Beowulf in Modern English Verse

Foreword

(wrote the foreword)

Robert D. Stevick

“Praise for the translation: “Why read this translation of Beowulf? Because there isn’t a better one to be found.” Robert D. Stevick,† former Professor of English, University of Washington “This is indeed a very good translation, fluent and generally idiomatic, and accurate in spirit to its original without being awkwardly literal. The handling of the syntax of the original, and particularly the syntactical variation, which is such a salient and difficult feature of the poet’s style, is masterly. The naturalness of the flow of language is one of the most admirable features of the translation. The narrative, as one reads this translation, begins to exert its customary compelling hold, and one reads on for the excitement and pleasure of the story itself rather than to keep reminding oneself what a good translation it is.”

Derek Pearsall

“Sung-Il Lee has wisely and instinctively combined the best of the two elements―poetic recreation and accurate lexical rendition―and given us what may be the best modern version of Beowulf so far, and one which will endure as long as what we call Modern English resists infection of inflection. This is how the chain of bards who put it together might have chanted the poem, had they spoken the way we do now. This is a masterful version and as close to an ideal translation as we can get.”

Gregory Rabassa

“Sung-Il Lee’s translation of Beowulf, a boon for Old English students, has what Robert Stevick called fine renditions. Phrase by phrase it captures the poem’s variations and strong, forward pace, moving like successive waves to a resting place. Beowulf’s artful complexities beautifully guide Lee’s translation.”

John M. Hill