Fearful Symmetry

(N.B. Northrop Frye and George Steiner are my gold standard(s) for scholarly ability. Dynamic Duo.) Frye's Fearful Symmetry defies any sort of summary response. Just read it. Imma include a section below whenever I build up the energy to walk up the stairs and retrieve my copy.

Tolkien's Beowulf and the "Ubi Sunt?" of Anglo-Saxon Literature

Taking a break from Langsdorff to read the recently-published translation of Beowulf written by J.R.R. Tolkien in the mid 1920s. I bought the book for the extensive (300-odd pages worth) commentaries on the original poem, assuming that the prose translation itself was a school exercise and wouldn't provide much in the way of literary insight or artistic enjoyment. However, I found the translation immensely gratifying. Writing from beyond the grave, Tolkien provides a little glimpse into that infinite well of "time-feeling" and über-"ubi sunt?" that characterizes Beowulf, and imbues the prose with that rhythmic, tempestuous, thunder-and-lightning, glittering tone of pride and sadness that is Anglo-Saxon literature.

Hu seo þrag gewat,
genap under nihthelm,
swa heo no wære.

How that time has passed away,
dark under the cover of night,
as if it had never been. (The Wanderer)

Went down an interesting historico-linguistic rabbit hole today after discovering a proposed etymology for the 'Vandals' (of Sack-of-Rome fame). Basically: Aurvandil is the Old Norse equivalent to Old English Earendel, a name which occurs in the OE poem Crist I and which J.R.R. Tolkien borrowed. In the Crist I context, Earendel is understood to imply John the Baptist. Both Aurvandil and Earendel theoretically developed from a (proposed) Proto-Germanic compound 'auzi-wandilaz' (i.e., luminous wanderer) and are associated with the Morning-star (Morningstar > harbinger > John the Baptist).

Also: Number of English translations of various Medieval works available at In Parentheses Publications. Can't find much information regarding them. Fun to look through, though.