The Battle of Maldon: Together with the Homecoming of Beorhtnoth

The Battle of Maldon is a poetic drama by J.R.R. Tolkien that explores themes of heroism and chivalry during war. This collectors slipcased edition includes Tolkien's prose translation, critical essays, and a digitally remastered recording of the poem read by Tolkien and Christopher Tolkien. The edition is printed on acid-free paper and housed in a custom-built slipcase, with a color frontispiece reproducing a page of Tolkien's original manuscript.

Format: Hardback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 27 April 2023
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

The Battle of Maldon, a significant poetic drama by J.R.R. Tolkien, is presented in a collectors slipcase edition, marking its first standalone presentation. This drama delves into timely themes such as heroism and chivalry during war, featuring unpublished and never-before-seen texts and drafts.

In 991 AD, a Viking attack occurred on an Anglo-Saxon defense force led by their Duke, Beorhtnoth, near Maldon in Essex. This attack is widely regarded as one of the defining conflicts of tenth-century England and is immortalized in the poem "The Battle of Maldon."

Written shortly after the battle, the poem exists as a 325-line fragment, but its immense value to today is immeasurable. J.R.R. Tolkien regarded "The Battle of Maldon" as "the last surviving fragment of ancient English heroic minstrelsy." It would inspire him to compose his own dramatic verse-dialogue, "The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth Beorhthelms Son," during the 1930s. This work imagines the aftermath of the great battle when two of Beorhtnoth's retainers come to retrieve their Duke's body.

Leading Tolkien scholar, Peter Grybauskas, presents for the first time Tolkien's own prose translation of "The Battle of Maldon" alongside the definitive treatment of "The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth" and its accompanying essays. Additionally, this edition includes a lecture titled "The Tradition of Versification in Old English," which was previously unpublished. Illuminated with insightful notes and commentary, Grybauskas offers a definitive critical edition of these works, arguing compellingly that, except for "Beowulf," "The Battle of Maldon" may have been "the Old English poem that most influenced Tolkien's fiction, most dramatically within the pages of "The Lord of the Rings."

This slipcased edition features a color frontispiece reproducing an illustration by John Howe, renowned for his work on "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. The book also includes a foreword by Christopher Tolkien, J.R.R. Tolkien's son, who sheds light on the significance of this edition.

The Battle of Maldon stands as a testament to the enduring power of poetry and literature, offering insights into the complexities of human nature and the challenges faced during times of war. This collectors slipcase edition provides a rare opportunity to explore the rich tapestry of J.R.R. Tolkien's creative genius and its profound influence on the world of fantasy literature.

Weight: 670g
Dimension: 228 x 149 x 16 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780008465834
Edition number: Deluxe edition