I was just thinking about how if Beowulf , the entire epic was written out in prose , if the verses were condensed and crammed into a page how drab it would be . There''s something about how it is formatted in our book that is very pleasing . It feels like an actor's lines , it seems to flow the way speech does . We speak of an EPIC , but the story is written out in a slim paperback - it fits in my back pocket , it is not intimidating , it is not some grand dusty volume , with yellow pages and miniscule type and faded golden inlay on the cover . It feels modern , human - i feel perfectly comfortable reading it on the subway , it is accessible . And i think this is due , in part , to the formatting (it's aéré as french teachers love to say) but also to the translation . It does not feel dated as Shakespeare sometimes does . It is rather straight to the point , and told much the way I think I would tell it - as the scop , the SHAPER . So far , I really like Beowulf , it's refreshing - there's a certain detachment from the characters , we do not get in depth physical descriptions . Rather , the translation dwells on actions and values . And so , the characters become who we want them to be . I love that , I really do .
It was Carlos Williams' poem that got me thinking about that , how it's short , and aéré . and so sweet and so cold . :"
I was just thinking about how if Beowulf , the entire epic was written out in prose , if the verses were condensed and crammed into a page how drab it would be . There''s something about how it is formatted in our book that is very pleasing . It feels like an actor's lines , it seems to flow the way speech does . We speak of an EPIC , but the story is written out in a slim paperback - it fits in my back pocket , it is not intimidating , it is not some grand dusty volume , with yellow pages and miniscule type and faded golden inlay on the cover . It feels modern , human - i feel perfectly comfortable reading it on the subway , it is accessible . And i think this is due , in part , to the formatting (it's aéré as french teachers love to say) but also to the translation . It does not feel dated as Shakespeare sometimes does . It is rather straight to the point , and told much the way I think I would tell it - as the scop , the SHAPER . So far , I really like Beowulf , it's refreshing - there's a certain detachment from the characters , we do not get in depth physical descriptions . Rather , the translation dwells on actions and values . And so , the characters become who we want them to be . I love that , I really do .
ReplyDeleteIt was Carlos Williams' poem that got me thinking about that , how it's short , and aéré . and so sweet and so cold . :"