Professor Huppe's translation of Beowulf manages to preserve the meaning and rhythm of the original while at the same time making the poem accessible to non-scholars. The translation can (and should) be used for introductory literature classes as well as for more advanced classes, in which students read the original. Professor Huppe's translation enables the reader to appreciate how the poem fits within the "hero" genre, and to appreciate the struggle of the hero in the earthly city.