Anyone reading it before Neil's film comes out?

I'm currently reading Frederick Rebsamen's translation. It's aparantly the closest to the original text.

So far I'm.....not really following it very well! It takes a while to get used to how it's been set out:

quote:

Yes! We have heard........of years long vanished
how Spear-Danes struck........sang victory-songs
raised from a wasteland........walls of glory.

And so on.

It has a very interesting introduction which gives some clues as to the background of the poem, the history etc.. and how to read it.

Perhaps, when I've finished this one a few times, I'll read Seamus Heaney's translation. Which is supposed to be very good, but more academic.

Anyone read/have read it?

I thought the Heaney translation was easy to follow. It flowed a bit differently than the original text. All in all I liked it, but I haven't read any other translations, so I can't really say if it is better than annother.

I bought the Heaney translation when it was first released, because I had never read Beowolf and thought it was great. I haven't read it in quite a few years now tho, but probably will after I see the movie.