MICHAEL ALEXANDER

Macmillan, Varadarajan, Anna Sewell, Badri Narayan, Beatrice Conway, Deepa Agarwal, EF Dodd, G S Sriramamurti, Geeta Nagraj, Geeta Seshamani, Girija Prabhakar, Indu Saraiya, Joan Macintosh, Katharine Lang, Malathi Varma, Margaret Tarner, Margery Green, Marie Coghill, Mark Twain, Mary Calvert, Meena Raghunathan, Padma Seshadri, Patricia Atkinson, R Shanthakumari, Rama Srinivasan, Rudyard Kipling, Ruskin Bond, Sharada Bhanu, Shobana Mallikarjunan, Vijaya Rajagopalan, W Jewesbury . A brilliant collection from native English literature Controlled and graded vocabulary Over 50 titles from the collection of universal favourites of native English and Indian literature Introduction to classical native English writing Original narrative .

Beowulf is the greatest surviving work of literature in Old English, unparalleled in its epic grandeur and scope. It tells the story of the heroic Beowulf and of his battles, first with the monster Grendel, who has laid waste to the great hall of the Danish king Hrothgar, then with Grendel's avenging mother, and finally with a dragon that threatens to devastate his homeland. Through its blend of myth and history, Beowulf vividly evokes a twilight world in which men and supernatural forces live side by side. And it celebrates the endurance of the human spirit in a transient world. "Alexander's translation is marked by a conviction that it is possible to be both ambitious and faithful [and] ...communicates the poem with a care which goes beyond fidelity-to-meaning and reaches fidelity of implication. May it go on ... to another half-million copies." - Tom Shippey, Bulletin of the International Association of University Professors of English

Anglo-Saxon poetry was produced between 700 and 1000 AD for an audience that delighted in technical accomplishment, and the durable works of Old English verse spring from the source of the English language. Michael Alexander has translated the best of the Old English poetry into modern English and into a verse form that retains the qualities of Anglo-Saxon metre and alliteration. Included in this selection are the 'heroic poems' such as Widsith, Deor, Brunanburh and Maldon, and passages from Beowulf; some of the famous 'riddles' from The Exeter Book; all the 'elegies', including The Ruin, The Wanderer, The Seafarer, The Wife's Complaint and The Husband's Message, in which the virtu of Old English is found in its purest and most concentrated form; together with the great Christian poem The Dream of the Rood.

This selection of the earliest poems in English comprises works from an age in which verse was not written down, but recited aloud and remembered. Heroic poems celebrate courage, loyalty and strength, in excerpts from Beowulf and in The Battle of Brunanburgh, depicting King Athelstan's defeat of his northern enemies in 937 AD, while The Wanderer and The Seafarer reflect on exile, loss and destiny. The Gnomic Verses are proverbs on the natural order of life, and the Exeter Riddles are witty linguistic puzzles. Love elegies include emotional speeches from an abandoned wife and separated lovers, and devotional poems include a vision of Christ's cross in The Dream of the Rood, and Caedmon's Hymn, perhaps the oldest poem in English, speaking in praise of God.

Beowulf is the greatest surviving work of literature in Old English, unparalleled in its epic grandeur and scope. It tells the story of the heroic Beowulf and of his battles, first with the monster Grendel, who has laid waste to the great hall of the Danish king Hrothgar, then with Grendel's avenging mother, and finally with a dragon that threatens to devastate his homeland. Through its blend of myth and history, Beowulf vividly evokes a twilight world in which men and supernatural forces live side by side, and celebrates the endurance of the human spirit in a transient world. Michael Alexander's landmark modern English verse translation has been revised to take account of new readings and interpretations. His new introduction discusses central themes of Beowulf and its place among epic poems, the history of its publication and reception, and issues of translation.

A History of English Literature has received exceptional reviews. Tracing the development of one of the world's richest literatures from the Old English period through to the present day, the narrative discusses a wide range of key authors but never loses its clarity or verve. Building on the book's established reputation and success, the third edition has been revised and updated throughout. It now provides a full final chapter on the contemporary scene, with more on genres and the impact of globalization.Features of this best-selling book include:- a helpful overview of each chapter- boxed biographies of authors, and tables of publications and historical events- on-page definitions of important terms and concepts- suggestions for further reading at the end of each chapter to aid study- portraits of authors, illustrations, maps and an index.A History of English Literature remains the essential companion for anyone wishing to follow the unfolding of writing in England since the Middle Ages. It is ideal for those who know a few landmark texts, but little of the literary landscape that surrounds them; those who want to know what English literature consists of; and those who simply want to read its fascinating story.