Delivery included to the United States

The Four Funerals in Beowulf and the Structure of the Poem

The Four Funerals in Beowulf and the Structure of the Poem

Paperback (01 Oct 2009)

  • $28.83
Add to basket

Includes delivery to the United States

10+ copies available online - Usually dispatched within 7 days

Publisher's Synopsis

It is well known that the old English poem Beowulf begins and ends with funerals and includes the third as a digression part way through. Now, for the first time, a fourth funeral (hitherto disguised as poetic imagery) is identified from archaeological evidence. A detailed analysis of the four funerals establishes their thematic and structural importance, revealing them as pillars around which the poem is built. The poet is revealed as a literate antiquarian of considerable structural skill; one who explores feminist issues, plays with numbers and enjoys a pun; who establishes an ideal then probes its darker side. The author's unique knowledge of Anglo-Saxon culture provides constant surprises and enlightenment. This book will be invaluable to all students of the poem for its fresh and detailed reading, its identification of a coherent structure and its establishment of the integrity of the surviving texts.

About the Publisher

Manchester University Press

Founded in 1904, MUP is the third largest University Press in England and publishes monographs and textbooks by authors from all over the world. Currently publishing 145 new books a year and managing a portfolio of 14 journals as well as an extensive backlist of over 1000 titles, the Press sells more than 150,000 books each year to a global audience. The Press exports some 50 percent of output to more than 60 countries using representatives in Britain, Ireland and Europe and agents elsewhere including North America, Canada and Australia.

Book information

ISBN: 9780719081217
Publisher: Manchester University Press
Imprint: Manchester University Press
Pub date:
DEWEY: 829.3
DEWEY edition: 22
Language: English
Number of pages: 264
Weight: 390g
Height: 216mm
Width: 143mm
Spine width: 17mm