Seamus Heaney's devotion to the Beowulf manuscript and his redirection of it

Abstract

This thesis aims to analyse Seamus Heaney’s translation of the masterpiece Beowulf based on the view of Descriptive Translation Studies. The first chapter offers an overview of the Beowulf manuscript and highlights its fortune among scholars. Then its possible dating range and place of origin are analysed, based on different criteria. Lastly, hypothesis on the unknown author of the poem are described along with its audience and a summary of its narrative matter is provided. The second chapter explores Translation Studies and in particular its Descriptive branch, in view of the analysis of the two texts in the fourth chapter. The third chapter examines Heaney’s poetics and the elements that played a key role in shaping his own writing style, such as a number of different authors and poets, the Irish culture and language, particularly noticeable in his translation of Beowulf as well, and the author’s vast knowledge of Anglo-Saxon poetry. The fourth chapter delves into Seamus Heaney’s translation choices from the perspective of Descriptive Translation studies. Various aspects are analysed, especially regarding lexical decisions, and formal aspects such as the use of alliterations, and the style employed.