Raffel worked with Yale University Press and Harold Bloom on a series of 14 annotated Shakespeare plays.

The accuracy of tracking is measured syntactically by counting punctuation marks: the best translation will be the one which comes closest to the original in a statistical analysis of commas, colons and full stops.

Magennis calls it highly accessible and readable, using alliteration lightly, and creating a "vivid and exciting narrative concerned with heroic exploits ... in a way that [the modern reader] can understand and appreciate.

Gewāt him þā tō waroðe | wicge rīdan þegn Hrōðgāres, | ... High on a wall a Danish watcher Patrolling along the cliffs saw The travelers crossing to the shore, their shields Raised and shining; he came riding down, Hrothgar's lieutenant, spurring his horse, Needing to know why they'd landed, these men in armor.

When from the wall the Scyldings' watchman, whose duty it was to watch the sea-cliffs, saw them bear down the gangplank bright shields, ready battle-gear, he was bursting with curiosity in his mind to know who these men were.

This thane of Hrothgar rode his horse down to the shore, ... Over the years he published numerous volumes of poetry; however, only one remains in print: Beethoven in Denver.