Beówulf. Aeltestes deutsches Heldengedicht. Aus dem Angelsächsischen
übertragen von P. Hoffmann. Züllichau. Verlag von Herm. Liebich (1893?).
8vo, pp. iii, 183.
*Zweite Ausgabe, Hannover, Schaper, 1900.
Sixth German Translation. Nibelungen Measures.
_The Translator._
In _Minerva_ (1902), P. Hoffmann is recorded as ‘Ord. Professor’ of
Philosophy and Pedagogy at Gent.
_Aim of the Volume._
The translator desired to present a rendering of the poem that should
attract the general reader. He regarded Simrock’s version as too literal
and archaic[1], the version of von Wolzogen as not sufficiently clear
and beautiful[2], and the version of Heyne as not sufficiently varied in
form[3] (Vorwort, i). He regards the _Beowulf_ as of great importance in
inspiring patriotism--he always calls the poem German--and even offers a
comparison of _Beowulf_ with Emperor William I. With the scholarship of
his subject the author hardly seems concerned.
_Text, and Relation of Parts._
The translation is founded on Grein’s text of 1867[4].
In addition to the translation, the volume contains articles on the
history of the text, origin, the Germanic hero-tales, the episodes, the
esthetic value of the poem. These are decidedly subordinate in interest
to the translation.
_Nature of the Translation._
The translation is in the so-called Nibelungen measures. Archaisms and
unnatural compounds are avoided.
The Finnsburg fragment is inserted in the text at line 1068, p. 44 of
the volume. The episode is furnished with a beginning and ending
original with Hoffmann.