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Which version for DD13?

 

She attempted the Seamus Heaney translation but it is too much for her.

 

She is a good reader though having just recently read through LOTR, Jane Eyre, Far From the Madding Crowd, P&P.

 

So, which version would you recommend?

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We hav the Seamus Heanyly version too and was planning on having DS listen to the audio along with it--although I realize it's abridged. I'm not sure which version I read in high school that would be more appropriate. Keeping my eye on this thread though as it's one DS wants to read this year.

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We attempted Heaney's version too, but ended up going with Robert Nye. We just couldn't find anything in between. One thing I wonder, though, especially for children who are otherwise very good readers: is the difficulty because it's in verse? I think that was the biggest obstacle here. Nye's version is in prose...but much simplified.

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We attempted Heaney's version too, but ended up going with Robert Nye. We just couldn't find anything in between. One thing I wonder, though, especially for children who are otherwise very good readers: is the difficulty because it's in verse? I think that was the biggest obstacle here. Nye's version is in prose...but much simplified.

 

That's why I think Nye was a good place to start for my daughter. It gave her the story and then she could tackle the harder language of the verse (without getting lost). :001_smile:

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We attempted Heaney's version too, but ended up going with Robert Nye. We just couldn't find anything in between. One thing I wonder, though, especially for children who are otherwise very good readers: is the difficulty because it's in verse? I think that was the biggest obstacle here. Nye's version is in prose...but much simplified.

 

I am a huge fan of the Heaney version and I was wondering the same thing. Would hearing it read aloud (by you or on audio book) make a difference? I just feel that if a student knows a bit of background for the plotline, maybe the Heaney version would be just fine (and I am biased because I love that translation).

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Can't help with versions to read, but there is a fabulous one to enjoy being performed in Anglo-Saxon with a recreated Anglo-Saxon harp accompaniment. http://www.bagbybeowulf.com/video/index.html I bought the dvd for my husband a few years ago and it's wonderful.

 

We watched this (kids only made about 10-15 minutes) but it was wonderful and we got it from netflix.

 

We also watched a "Rocketbook Beowulf" from netflix that explained a lot. First, though, we read the Nye version and went through the LLfLOTR Beowulf Unit study.

 

All this was definitely overkill.:glare: Any two of them would have been fine.

 

HTH

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On the subject:

 

Dd#1 is an English major. In her Poetry class they had to do a reading, in costume. She chose Beowulf. Since her classes are back-to-back (8am-3pm) she had to wear he costume all day (cloak, boots w/leg wraps, etc) she made quite an impression. Some guys even "had" to get their picture made w/her!

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We hav the Seamus Heanyly version too and was planning on having DS listen to the audio along with it--although I realize it's abridged. I'm not sure which version I read in high school that would be more appropriate. Keeping my eye on this thread though as it's one DS wants to read this year.

 

The abridgement is not too bad, in fact I wonder why they even did it. We read along and listened, when we got to a missing portion we stopped the iPod and read ourselves.

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