Names and Naming in 'Beowulf' - by Philip A Shaw (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

'Beowulf', one of the earliest poems in the English language, recounts a tale of heroism played out against the backdrop of Scandinavia in the 5th to 6th centuries AD. And yet, this Old English verse narrative set in Scandinavia is - a little surprisingly, perhaps - populated with names of German descent.

This insight into the personal names of 'Beowulf' acts the starting point for Philip A. Shaw's innovative and nuanced study. As Shaw reveals, the origins of these personal names provide important evidence for the origins of Beowulf as it enables us to situate the poem fully in its continental contexts. As such, this book is not only a much-needed reassessment of 'Beowulf''s beginnings, but also sheds new light on the links between 'Beowulf' and other continental narrative traditions, such as the Scandinavian sagas and Continental German heroics. In doing so, Names and Naming in 'Beowulf' takes readers beyond the continuing debate over the dating of the poem and provides a compelling new model for the poem's origins.

Review Quotes

Could it be true that narrative elements of Beowulf originated on the continent and were transmitted to early England in both written and oral form? These are the exciting conclusions of Philip A. Shaw, who analyzes the poem's personal names and ethnonyms as evidence of layered composition. Shaw's virtuosic book has given Beowulfa compelling ancestry.
Scott Gwara, Professor of English, University of South Carolina, USA

Philip A. Shaw's erudite, painstaking and ingenious survey of the names of all the human figures in Beowulf is one of the most significant contributions for years to scholarship on this famous poem. All those interested in the origins and transmission of Beowulf's story world will want to read it.
Richard Dance, Reader in Early English, University of Cambridge, UK.

About the Author

Philip Shaw is Lecturer in English Language and Old English at University of Leicester, UK.