Beowulf is one of the most controversial works of English literature. This isn’t surprising given that it only exists as a single manuscript that has suffered significant physical damage over the centuries. While other Anglo-Saxon literature survives, Beowulf is unique in its scale and subject matter. As such, it stands out as an almost lone exemplar of the culture that created it. For modern scholars and readers, it is a vivid epic that hints at the ideas, aspirations and imaginative world of Anglo-Saxons before the Norman Conquest. At the same time, it is puzzling why its author (or authors) used such a distinctive mix of Anglo-Saxon dialects to tell what appears to be a Norse tale from unknown Scandinavian sources. The text offers rich details, but definitive answers seem just out of reach. Diligent scholarly research uncovers more and more information but never a clear result. Beowulf offers a brilliant view of an earlier world – but one that seems to transform subtly with each change of the light.

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Rafbók: 1 januari 2019