How Long to Read The Waning Sword: Conversion Imagery and Celestial Myth in 'Beowulf'

How Long Does it Take to Read The Waning Sword: Conversion Imagery and Celestial Myth in 'Beowulf'?

It takes the average reader 5 hours and 49 minutes to read The Waning Sword: Conversion Imagery and Celestial Myth in 'Beowulf' by Edward Pettit

Assuming a reading speed of 250 words per minute. Learn more

Description

The image of a giant sword melting stands at the structural and thematic heart of the Old English heroic poem Beowulf. This meticulously researched book investigates the nature and significance of this golden-hilted weapon and its likely relatives within Beowulf and beyond, drawing on the fields of Old English and Old Norse language and literature, liturgy, archaeology, astronomy, folklore and comparative mythology. In Part I, Pettit explores the complex of connotations surrounding this image (from icicles to candles and crosses) by examining a range of medieval sources, and argues that the giant sword may function as a visual motif in which pre-Christian Germanic concepts and prominent Christian symbols coalesce. In Part II, Pettit investigates the broader Germanic background to this image, especially in relation to the god Ing/Yngvi-Freyr, and explores the capacity of myths to recur and endure across time. Drawing on an eclectic range of narrative and linguistic evidence from Northern European texts, and on archaeological discoveries, Pettit suggests that the image of the giant sword, and the characters and events associated with it, may reflect an elemental struggle between the sun and the moon, articulated through an underlying myth about the theft and repossession of sunlight. The Waning Sword: Conversion Imagery and Celestial Myth in 'Beowulf' is a welcome contribution to the overlapping fields of Beowulf-scholarship, Old Norse-Icelandic literature and Germanic philology. Not only does it present a wealth of new readings that shed light on the craft of the Beowulf-poet and inform our understanding of the poem’s major episodes and themes; it further highlights the merits of adopting an interdisciplinary approach alongside a comparative vantage point. As such, The Waning Sword will be compelling reading for Beowulf-scholars and for a wider audience of medievalists.

How long is The Waning Sword: Conversion Imagery and Celestial Myth in 'Beowulf'?

The Waning Sword: Conversion Imagery and Celestial Myth in 'Beowulf' by Edward Pettit is 344 pages long, and a total of 87,376 words.

This makes it 116% the length of the average book. It also has 107% more words than the average book.

How Long Does it Take to Read The Waning Sword: Conversion Imagery and Celestial Myth in 'Beowulf' Aloud?

The average oral reading speed is 183 words per minute. This means it takes 7 hours and 57 minutes to read The Waning Sword: Conversion Imagery and Celestial Myth in 'Beowulf' aloud.

What Reading Level is The Waning Sword: Conversion Imagery and Celestial Myth in 'Beowulf'?

The Waning Sword: Conversion Imagery and Celestial Myth in 'Beowulf' is suitable for students ages 12 and up.

Note that there may be other factors that effect this rating besides length that are not factored in on this page. This may include things like complex language or sensitive topics not suitable for students of certain ages.

When deciding what to show young students always use your best judgement and consult a professional.

Where Can I Buy The Waning Sword: Conversion Imagery and Celestial Myth in 'Beowulf'?

The Waning Sword: Conversion Imagery and Celestial Myth in 'Beowulf' by Edward Pettit is sold by several retailers and bookshops. However, Read Time works with Amazon to provide an easier way to purchase books.

To buy The Waning Sword: Conversion Imagery and Celestial Myth in 'Beowulf' by Edward Pettit on Amazon click the button below.