For more than 1,000 years, the story of Beowulf and the monster Grendel has been part of English lore and literature. The work inspired J.R.R. Tolkien's novels, it's been the basis of movies, and it's even captured the imagination of artists in Utah. This week, Meat & Potato Theatre Company opens a staged adaption and there's a new translation from a Beowulf enthusiast here in Salt Lake City. So we're taking the opportunity to talk about the saga: where it came from and why it's still read today.
Guests:
Andy Orchard, Professor of Anglo-Saxon at The University of Oxford and author of A Critical Companion to Beowulf [Amazon|Indiebound]
Julie Boyden, translator, Beowulf – A Pagan Hero [Amazon]
Tobin Atkinson, playwright and actor, Meat & Potato Theatre Company. Atkinson's adaptation opens May 23rd at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center. For tickets and information, call 801-355-ARTS (2787) or click here.
Hear Andy Orchard read the opening to Beowulf - accompanied by the text from J.R.R. Tolkien's translation.
Learn more about the oldest extant manuscript of Beowulf, housed at the British Library
