Background
Oliver, Raymond Davies was born on January 28, 1936 in Arlington, Massachusetts, United States. Son of Raymond Joseph and Bernice Florence (Davis) Oliver.
- Photos
- Works
- Photos
- Works
book
Beowulf: A Likeness
( Beowulf, the primary epic of the English language, is a...)
Beowulf, the primary epic of the English language, is a powerful heroic poem eloquently expressive of the Anglo-Saxon culture that produced it. In this beautiful book a designer, a poet, and a specialist in Anglo-Saxon literature recreate Beowulf for a modern audience. Interweaving evocative images, a new interpretation in verse, and a running commentary that helps clarify the action and setting of the poem as well as the imagery, the book brings new life to this ancient masterpiece. Randolph Swearer’s oblique and allusive images create an archaic, mysterious atmosphere by depicting in forms and shadows the world of Germanic antiquity―Scandinavian and Anglo-Saxon art, artifacts, and scenery. At the same time, Raymond Oliver gives Beowulf a world in which to live, filling in the cultural gaps not with a thick matrix of footnotes but with poetry itself. Unlike many translations of Beowulf in existence, Oliver’s retelling of the epic uses modern verse forms for poetic effect and includes a wealth of historically authentic descriptions, characterizations, and explanations necessary for modern readers. Marijane Osborn completes the process of restoring context to the poem by supplying a commentary to clarify the historical and geographical dimensions of the story as well as the imagery that accompanies it. All three work together to bring a likeness of an old and elusive tale to today’s reader. “The book’s design and the commentary on it provide a unique visual complement to Oliver’s poem… A strange and moving story, compellingly told and seriously interesting to any serious reader of books.”―Fred C. Robinson, from the Introduction
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0300048769/?tag=2022091-20
Raymond Davies Oliver
Edit ProfileEducation
Bachelor, Oberlin College, 1957; Master of Arts, University of Wisconsin, 1958; Doctor of Philosophy, Stanford University, 1967.
Career
Assistant to associate Professor of English, University of California, Berkeley, 1967-1972; professor, University of California, Berkeley, since 1985. Director Education Abroad Program in Bordeaux, France, University of California, 1982-1984.
Achievements
Works
book
-
Beowulf: A Likeness
( Beowulf, the primary epic of the English language, is a...)
- Poems Without Names : The English Lyric
-
Beowulf: A Likeness
Membership
Member American Association of University Professors.
Interests
Connections
Married Mary Anne McPherson, August 28, 1959. Children: Kathryn Sinclair, Nathan McPherson.
-
Born
-
Nationality
American -
Religion
Episcopalian -
Political Party
Democrat
Education
-
1957
-
1958
-
1967