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A COMPANION TO BEOWULF by Ruth Johnson is remarkably clear, well written, concise, and chock full of fascinating insights and observations.

Readers baffled by the complexities of the poem, or bored by the digressions, will find Ruth Johnson's exegesis refreshing, insightful, and useful. The helpful chapters range from discussions of arms and weaponry and habits of the time, to abstract matters as linguistic forms, but no description is dry or crabbed: the writing style is clear and lucid as a running brook.

Let me give but two examples:

Many readers are baffled by what seem to be digressions in the poem. Ruth Johnson makes the case that this is deliberate. One artistic technique the poet of Beowulf used was to interpolate references to even earlier events and sagas into the matter of the poem. Early critics of Beowulf thought this a structural weakness, or even evidence of two or three poets cobbling disjointed earlier material together. But a close attention to the matter perhaps shows the poet meaning to draw out parallels and contrasts between the ancient events and the struggle in Hereot, or the dark mere, or the barrow.

It gives the poem, which was meant to be antiquarian at the time it was written, a richness of depth, by depicting a world of many layers of ever receding time. Behind every treasure sword and necklace, there is a tale, and weapons have names and histories even as great households and heroes and the lineages do.

Let me in particular remark on her last chapter, which concerned Tolkien and Beowulf. I had not heretofore been aware of how large a figure JRR Tolkien loomed in the scholarship of the epic poem BEOWULF, nor what a great influence his seminal essay The Monster and the Critics, had in turning the attention of the academic world from the historical to the literary merits of the poem.

Ruth Johnson makes the argument that Lord of the Rings is an updated version of BEOWULF. No, not the events, but the world, the worldview, the motif, the techniques, and especially the approach toward religion.

It is to be noted that many critics faulted Tolkien for not including anywhere in Middle Earth any description or hint of rituals, rites, temples and cults with adorn the vivid backdrops of other works of fantasy. Except for a few indirect hints that there is a High God somewhere, and angelic powers the elves revere, Lord of the Rings is perhaps unique among fantasies in that there is no mention of the religious side of society or the spiritual side of man.

But, of course, Tolkien is not unique: he is following BEOWULF. The poet of BEOWULF (so Tolkien interpreted the evidence) wished to depict his pre-Christian ancestors in the admirable light men are right to have for their ancestors, but without attributing to them a Christian faith they could not have had.

A COMPANION TO BEOWULF by Ruth Johnson is remarkably clear, well written, concise, and chock full of fascinating insights and observations.

Readers baffled by the complexities of the poem, or bored by the digressions, will find Ruth Johnson's exegesis refreshing, insightful, and useful. The helpful chapters range from discussions of arms and weaponry and habits of the time, to abstract matters as linguistic forms, but no description is dry or crabbed: the writing style is clear and lucid as a running brook.

Let me give but two examples:

Many readers are baffled by what seem to be digressions in the poem. Ruth Johnson makes the case that this is deliberate. One artistic technique the poet of Beowulf used was to interpolate references to even earlier events and sagas into the matter of the poem. Early critics of Beowulf thought this a structural weakness, or even evidence of two or three poets cobbling disjointed earlier material together. But a close attention to the matter perhaps shows the poet meaning to draw out parallels and contrasts between the ancient events and the struggle in Hereot, or the dark mere, or the barrow.

It gives the poem, which was meant to be antiquarian at the time it was written, a richness of depth, by depicting a world of many layers of ever receding time. Behind every treasure sword and necklace, there is a tale, and weapons have names and histories even as great households and heroes and the lineages do.

Let me in particular remark on her last chapter, which concerned Tolkien and Beowulf. I had not heretofore been aware of how large a figure JRR Tolkien loomed in the scholarship of the epic poem BEOWULF, nor what a great influence his seminal essay The Monster and the Critics, had in turning the attention of the academic world from the historical to the literary merits of the poem.

Ruth Johnson makes the argument that Lord of the Rings is an updated version of BEOWULF. No, not the events, but the world, the worldview, the motif, the techniques, and especially the approach toward religion.

It is to be noted that many critics faulted Tolkien for not including anywhere in Middle Earth any description or hint of rituals, rites, temples and cults with adorn the vivid backdrops of other works of fantasy. Except for a few indirect hints that there is a High God somewhere, and angelic powers the elves revere, Lord of the Rings is perhaps unique among fantasies in that there is no mention of the religious side of society or the spiritual side of man.

But, of course, Tolkien is not unique: he is following BEOWULF. The poet of BEOWULF (so Tolkien interpreted the evidence) wished to depict his pre-Christian ancestors in the admirable light men are right to have for their ancestors, but without attributing to them a Christian faith they could not have had.

When I began studying literary criticism, this is what I thought every lit crit book would be: clear, helpful, interesting, up to date, and easy to read. However, what I found were a large number of articles and books written by vain, wordy authors whose message seemed to be "Look at me!" instead of "Look at this amazing book!"

Johnston's work is an antidote to such writing. She clearly loves Beowulf and loves describing the poem to its new readers. In fact, I've read several translations, and Johnston has clued me in on aspects I had overlooked.

This is a wonderful book, and a fantastic way to understand one of the greatest poems of all time.

I am neither a scholar nor a college or high school student. I am, however, a reader and a life long student, and Beowulf is a work that I have struggled with forever.

After reading this book I understand that I simply didn't have enough information. Johnston remedies that by walking the reader, step by step, through the meaning of the poem by explicating the back story and the mythology familiar to the original listeners.

She opens up the work by placing it in context historically, with chapters on religion, language, and culture, which are just as interesting on their own as they are in relation to the poem. And she does this all with a wonderful style that is accessible, concise, and engaging.

So, while I recommend the book for students, I also highly recommend it for those just interested in getting a handle on Beowulf and having a peek at a period so shrouded by the effects of time.