Tolkien's Beowulf to be published! - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

William Cloud Hicklin · 03-19-2014, 09:18 AM

Long rumored, with a supposed edition reported ten years ago which vanished, it's coming! Tolkien's ca. 1926 prose translation of the great Old English epic, together with his detailed commentary. (No, the unfinished poetic translation isn't included)

Also, JRRT's unpublished story Sellic Spell, an attempt to envision the Beowulf legend as an A-S folktale without the historical and mythological freight.

http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/press/....WYKb6id8.gbpl

Faramir Jones · 03-19-2014, 09:45 AM

Thanks for letting us know, William!

Mithalwen · 03-19-2014, 09:56 AM

Kudos to CRT to still be preparing work for publication in his nintieth year. They say keeping the mind active helps stave off the effects of the passing years...

Tuor in Gondolin · 03-19-2014, 11:36 AM

Well, CRT comes of a long-lived family (elvish blood

)?
Didn't one of JRRT's grandfathers live to almost 100.

Mithalwen · 03-19-2014, 02:28 PM

He does. Long may he continue!

Formendacil · 03-19-2014, 05:16 PM

Glory, glory! Wonderful news!

I enjoyed The Fall of Arthur and Sigurd and Gudrun before that, but Tolkien's Beowulf is far bigger news--and thus more exciting--than either of those, even without the verse translation.

May just got that much more exciting for me.

IxnaY AintsaY · 03-19-2014, 05:26 PM

I'm genuinely excited.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

Kudos to CRT to still be preparing work for publication in his nintieth year. They say keeping the mind active helps stave off the effects of the passing years...

It's so refreshing to hear someone express that feeling, rather than the old "OMG even at 90 Chris Tolkien is still cashing in on every random scribble of his father's work!" or suchlike.

Mithalwen · 03-19-2014, 08:46 PM

Thanks. I do find the vitriol Christopher attracts baffling and I wouldn't have blamed him had he drawn stumps years ago and devoted his retirement to watercolours or rose breeding or whatever hobbies he may have rather than making yet more work available. The cashing in accusation is really quite ludicrous. Had he wanted to cash in it would have been infintessimally easier to sign a few licensing agreements rather than spend forty years with boxfuls of chaotic manuscripts - not to mention more lucrative.

Zigûr · 03-19-2014, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

The cashing in accusation is really quite ludicrous. Had he wanted to cash in it would have been infintessimally easier to sign a few licensing agreements rather than forty years with boxfuls of chaotic manuscripts - not to mention more lucrative.

Indeed, and people who make these accusations also seem to fail to recognise that there are those of us who are actually interested in reading this material. Ought it to never see the light of day?

This publication is actually extremely timely for me, as a chapter of my PhD thesis, which I am to complete this year, looks at certain ideas present in Old English texts which I argue are reflected in Professor Tolkien's work. I realise that the connections between the Anglo-Saxon world and Middle-earth have been examined before, but I am actually dealing with very specific notions of an as yet unexplored nature that I'd rather avoid discussing anonymously online. Being able to reinforce my work on Beowulf with Professor Tolkien's own translation will be extremely useful.

03-19-2014, 09:18 AM	#1
William Cloud Hicklin Loremaster of Annúminas Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 2,321	Tolkien's Beowulf to be published! Long rumored, with a supposed edition reported ten years ago which vanished, it's coming! Tolkien's ca. 1926 prose translation of the great Old English epic, together with his detailed commentary. (No, the unfinished poetic translation isn't included) Also, JRRT's unpublished story Sellic Spell, an attempt to envision the Beowulf legend as an A-S folktale without the historical and mythological freight. http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/press/....WYKb6id8.gbpl __________________ The entire plot of The Lord of the Rings could be said to turn on what Sauron didn’t know, and when he didn’t know it.

03-19-2014, 09:45 AM	#2
Faramir Jones Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Lonely Isle Posts: 706	Thanks! Thanks for letting us know, William!

03-19-2014, 09:56 AM	#3
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,458	Kudos to CRT to still be preparing work for publication in his nintieth year. They say keeping the mind active helps stave off the effects of the passing years... __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace

03-19-2014, 11:36 AM	#4
Tuor in Gondolin Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Southeast Pennsylvania Posts: 3,651	Well, CRT comes of a long-lived family (elvish blood )? Didn't one of JRRT's grandfathers live to almost 100. __________________ The poster formerly known as Tuor of Gondolin. Walking To Rivendell and beyond 12,555 miles passed Nt./Day 5: Pass the beacon on Nardol, the 'Fire Hill.'

03-19-2014, 02:28 PM	#5
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,458	He does. Long may he continue! __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace

03-19-2014, 05:16 PM	#6
Formendacil Dead Serious Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Perched on Thangorodrim's towers. Posts: 3,326	Glory, glory! Wonderful news! I enjoyed The Fall of Arthur and Sigurd and Gudrun before that, but Tolkien's Beowulf is far bigger news--and thus more exciting--than either of those, even without the verse translation. May just got that much more exciting for me. __________________ I prefer history, true or feigned.

03-19-2014, 08:46 PM	#8
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,458	Thanks. I do find the vitriol Christopher attracts baffling and I wouldn't have blamed him had he drawn stumps years ago and devoted his retirement to watercolours or rose breeding or whatever hobbies he may have rather than making yet more work available. The cashing in accusation is really quite ludicrous. Had he wanted to cash in it would have been infintessimally easier to sign a few licensing agreements rather than spend forty years with boxfuls of chaotic manuscripts - not to mention more lucrative. __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace Last edited by Mithalwen; 05-31-2014 at 04:38 PM.