November 16, 2007

‘Big Beowulf Bash’ set for Nov. 17

TROY -- The Troy University English Department and Sigma Tau Delta, the English honor society, will be
hosting the “Big Beowulf Bash” in the Hawkins-Adams-Long Hall of Honor at 4 p.m. Saturday.

The “Big Beowulf Bash” will include a public discussion of Beowulf in literature, movies, television, and
comic books.  It will also include a dramatic reading contest, a trivia contest, and prizes. 

Richard Nokes, professor of English at Troy University, said that the department decided to do “Beowulf”
because of all the attention surrounding the classic lately.

“The last couple of years have seen a surge in interest in Beowulf, including several film versions, comic 
books and even a rock opera,” he said.

“Beowulf” is an Old English heroic epic poem of anonymous authorship dating from around AD 700. Believed
to be the single surviving work of Anglo-Saxon heroic poetry, Beowulf, a hero of the Geats, battles three
antagonists in his life.

The English Department and Sigma Tau Delta are also inviting students to attend the release of the new movie,
Beowulf, with them on Nov. 16.

Nokes said that the “Bash” harnesses all of the excitement around the movie and leads people back to the
original classic.

“Beowulf is one of those classic works of literature that is popular outside of the classroom. Just a few years
ago, Seamus Heaney's translation of the poem was on the New York Times Bestseller list,” he said.

The event is open to the public and all ages are invited to attend.