Showing results by author "Anonymous" in Themes & Styles

The Old English epic poem Beowulf, recorded in its original Saxon dialect for the first time. Performed by Icelandic poet, playwright, professional storyteller and performer Svanur Thorkelsson, Audible’s production gives listeners the opportunity to experience how it might have felt to hear bards recite sections of the 3000-line poem from memory in Anglo Saxon dining halls. Audible’s Beowulf recaptures the heroic style and vast scale of what can be considered ‘England’s first native audiobook’.

The oldest long poem in Old English, written about AD 1,000, Beowulf tells the story of a great warrior of southern Scandinavia, in both youth and maturity. The monster Grendel terrorizes the Scyldings of Hrothgar's Danish Kingdom until Beowulf defeats him. As a result, he has to face her enraged mother. Beowulf dies after a battle against a fierce dragon.

It is the year 778. The mighty French army, led by Emperor Charlemagne, confronts Saracen forces in the bloody Battle of Roncevaux Pass. In the course of this thrilling epic poem we follow the emperor’s hot-headed nephew Roland into battle. We are privy to the deal struck between the Saracen king Marsilie and Roland’s conniving stepfather Guene.

Beowulf, a masterpiece of ancient literature, reminds us of a world prior to the scientific revolution, where things were dark and monsters roamed in swamps and dragons hoarded gold in mountains. Beowulf is a character to be admired yet not without caution. Timeless, this oft-translated piece of old English literature will be sure to delight and teach you something.

«Песнь о Нибелунгах» – один из самых фундаментальных эпосов мировой культуры наряду с «Илиадой», «Одиссеей», «Беовульфом», «Калевалой». Эта знаменитая германская поэма была написана неизвестным средневековым автором более 800 лет назад, но ее великая трагедия и великая красота трогает сердца и сегодня. В центре насыщенного и драматичного сюжета – женитьба героя-драконоборца Зигфрида на бургундской принцессе Кримхильде.