Public-domain audiobook
Tale of Beowulf, Sometime King of the Folk of the Weder Geats (audiobook)
Free audiobook of Tale of Beowulf, Sometime King of the Folk of the Weder Geats by Unknown: 3 h 33 min in 4 sections, read by LibriVox volunteers.
About this recording
William Morris's translation of Beowulf beautifully showcases the unique character of English alliterative verse in one of the finest epic poems of the Middle Ages. The language and syntax employed by Morris is at times challenging, however, it can be a very rewarding reading experience that gives a close adaptation of the original both in language and feel. While written in Modern English, Morris shifts his vocabulary to be heavily Germanic and often archaic. In particular, Morris tends to use the closest cognate words available in Modern English even if the word has long fallen out of regular use.
Sources & data
- From the LibriVox catalogue. Word count estimated at 9,300 words per hour of narration.