Epics and Romances of the Middle Ages. Adapted from the Work of Dr. W.
Wägner by M. W. MacDowall, and edited by W. S. W. Anson. Philadelphia:
J. B. Lippincott & Co., London: W. Swan Sonnenschein & Co., 1883. 8vo,
_Beowulf_, pp. 347-364, with two illustrations[1].
Second Edition, Oct. 1883.
Sixth Edition, 1890.
Eighth Edition, 1896.
_Beowulf_ Retold, with Changes and Additions.
The paraphrase is adapted from _Deutsche Heldensagen für Schule und
Haus_, by Dr. W. Wägner (Leipzig, 1881).
_Aim of the Book._
From the nature of the changes made in the story, it is evident that an
appeal is made to younger readers. This is borne out by the statement on
p. 9 of the Introduction.
_Changes in the Story._
The story does not pretend to do more than follow the most general
outlines of the original. The most important changes are in the first
division of the poem, where it would seem that no changes whatever were
needed. The principal additions are the following:--
(1) A minstrel flees from plague-stricken Heorot, sails to the Geatish
land, and sings the terror wrought by Grendel, urging Beowulf to come
and save the people.
(2) The swimming-match is introduced into the action of the story, with
the _motif_ radically altered. Breca is represented as winning the
match.
(3) The incident of Beowulf’s refusal of the crown is amplified and
introduced into the story at the opening of the third part.
(4) The story differs from the original in a number of minor details.