Review #16: Beowulf

Bibliography

Hinds, Gareth.  2007.  BEOWULF.  Somerville, MA:  Candlewick Press.  ISBN 9780763630225

Summary

This is a graphic novel adaptation of the Anglo-Saxon epic following the life of the hero Beowulf, prince and later ruler of the Geats, as he battles monsters in Denmark and is later fatally wounded defending his people from a dragon.  A very brief afterward notes the disappearance from history of Beowulf’s people in southern Sweden.

Analysis

Hinds’ art is striking.  It is dynamic and detailed and incorporates numerous symbolic motifs—a page of prologue is illustrated in the style of an Anglo-Saxon or Norse carving, glimpses of the night sky through the doorway of a great hall show the constellations, ribbons of runic lettering are shown crisscrossing the sky.  The color palette changes during different parts of the story, most notably in the dark, almost monochrome scenes at the end of Beowulf’s life.  Overall the art creates a somber mood appropriate to a story set in a violent world filled with forces of nature and destiny beyond human control.

The author notes in the introduction that he and his editors have “attempted to strike a balance between easy readability and the poetic drama found in our favorite verse translations.”  The highly abridged text does this fairly successfully.  Unfortunately the visual storytelling falls short.  Some sections are essentially illustrated text, while others are wordless sections of purely visual storytelling.  None of the story ever truly takes advantage of the comics medium’s unique ability to combine words and text through such devices as thought and word balloons—though oddly enough there is some use of the traditional device of sound effects.  The result is a story that many readers will probably have serious difficulty in following.

The emphasis upon art over clear storytelling seriously undermines what might have been a fine adaptation of a classic and potentially highly visual story.  While some readers might be drawn in sufficiently by the art to want to pursue Beowulf farther, others will be put off by the unclear storytelling.  A more straightforward comics storytelling style would have served better.

Review Excerpt

“Hinds’ graphic novel captures the passion and violence of the original Anglo-Saxon saga through masterful illustrations and a respectfully adapted text.”  Booklist

Connections

Other graphic novel adaptations of classic stories:

Bradbury, Ray and Hamilton, Tim.  RAY BRADBURY’S FAHRENHEIT 451.  ISBN 9780809051014

Butler, Nancy and Petrus, Hugo.  PRIDE AND PREJUDICE.  ISBN 9780785139164

Dixon, Charles and Deming, Sean.  THE HOBBIT.  ISBN 9781435242722

Shanower, Eric.  AGE OF BRONZE:  A THOUSAND SHIPS.  ISBN 9781582402000