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The Earliest English Poems (Penguin Classics)

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One of the characteristic aspects of Old English/Anglo-Saxon poetry is that it is highly alliterative; done in short measures with a break (the most common pattern), the use of alliteration can almost drive one to distraction until one gets into the rhythm and process of the metrical sounds.

This is a wonderful, brief collection of early (pre-Norman Conquest) English poetry. When one thinks of this period, one usually defaults to the poem 'Beowulf', from which excerpts are included here, including the title line of this review (which demonstrates the alliterative aspect as well as the short meter with a break). The translations included here are very well done, keeping much of the flavour of the original language, which in relation to modern English, really is a foreign tongue.

Michael Alexander has provided both translations and notes, as well as a very good introduction to early English literature. Anglo-Saxon was an inflected language to a more significant degree than is modern English; in that sense, it has more in common with its Germanic cousins. However, poetry had a much more important role than simply demonstrating facility with language, whatever its origin. 'The Old English poet up until Alfred's time was a man with a public function: he was the voice and memory of the tribe.... Knowing the past, he could interpret life as it came, making it part of the tale of the tribe.'

Poems thus reflect the important aspects of life. 'Beowulf' along with poems 'Widsith', 'Deor', The Fight at Finnsburg' and 'Waldere', demonstrates the heroic aspects of the community, and some of the ideals that the members strive to live up to. Unlike post-Norman Britain that has repelled invasions successfully, pre-Norman Britain was constantly in turmoil, with migrations and invasions from almost every side. The poem 'The Battle of Maldon' recounts an important battle in these struggles, showing the power of poetry not just for idealistic endeavours but also for historical record.

Other poems included in this collection include several elegies -'The Wanderer', 'The Seafarer', and 'The Wife's Complaint' are generally well-known poems, and again tap into regular life concerns of the people of the time. There are Gnomic verses and Riddles that were popular, and continue to be of interest. 'Much of it is of curiousity value only and loses little by being read in translation,' Alexander writes. They are maxims or proverbs of a sort, such as

A king shall with a queen with goods,
or
Frost shall freeze, fire eat wood

There is also a section here of 'The Dream of the Rood', an important poem of its day celebrating the discovery or recovery of a piece of the True Cross - in a superstitious society that prized relics highly, this is one of the best that could be had.

This is a great collection, very brief but worthwhile, for anyone who has an appreciation for the English language and history, or wants to understand the history of poetry and verse in English better.

What my fellow critics seem to have rated highly is Old English literature. As a student of medieval studies, I have had the opportunity to learn Old English and translate The Dream of the Rood and the elegies included in this book on my own. I have to say, any other translation is better than this one. I tried to find the reasons for some of the translator's choices, thinking perhaps he's made allowances in literal meaning to maintain alliteration or something like this, but I can't find anything to merit some of the horrible shortcomings of this translation. In the beginning of 'The Wanderer', he has:

Who liveth alone longeth for mercy,
Maker's mercy. Though he must traverse
tracts of sea, sick at heart,
- trouble with oars ice-cold waters,
the ways of exile - Wierd is set fast.

But even a student can offer a more literal translation in a coherent manner:

Often for himself the solitary one waits for grace,
for God's mercy; although sorrowful at heart, he
over the sea-way for a long while had to
[stir/move] with his hands the frost-cold sea
to travel paths of exile. Fate is fully resolute.

What the translator has twice as 'mercy' are two different words, and I have no idea what prompted that translation. Some people may prefer his translation but I only see a lack of adherence to the original text, with nothing to compensate for that loss. His translation isn't particularly moving; it isn't even more focused on conveying a larger meaning at the expense of a literal rendering. Also, his use of "Wierd" is ridiculous and unnecessary. I understand it sort of presents the idea of fate, destiny and fortune as a huge force that is always present, but it does not need to be referred to by a term that is a misspelling of both the original, multi-purpose Old English word 'wyrd' and its modern English cognate.

definitely an interesting collection; most are of excerpts. had a good balance of the typical ragin' vikings fare (mostly battle scenes) and some surprisingly eloquent ballad selections. "the wanderer" is amazing: "... War took off some, / carried them on their course hence; one a bird bore / over the high sea; one the hoar wolf / dealt to death; one his drear-cheeked / earl stretched in an earthen trench.") a lot of variety, including some entertaining riddles, and really captures the feel of the old english in modern english. also has great introductions to each selection. recommended.

Let me first say that this is a great introductory work and I think very highly of it. However, this collection's title is sort of a misnomer. It should really be called "Introducton" or "excerpts from Pre-Norman English Writings". To think of all of the work as poetry is sort of strange since nearly all writing from the area in the time period was written in a metered fashion. Regardless of this, the book provides great insight into the Anglo-Saxon literature of pre-Norman times including pieces of the works of Bede. It seems that there is actually more notes and explanation than is there source material (actual writing from the time period)and this is very useful in reading this book and will help in understanding other writings of the period as well. We are seldom exposed to this sort of writing in our schooling so a little explanation is key to gathering any sort of understanding of the people that wrote it. To dive right into the source material without some background would be meaningless.

The finest (and longest) piece of writing in the book is "The Battle of Maldon" which describes a Viking raid on an English coastal village. It is spectacular and gripping writing and to our sensationalist minds this work is well within our comfort level with plenty of violence and horror. Again the notes to this piece are great.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants some to learn more about early medieval writing and pre Norman England. It is not the world easiest stuff but it isn't that difficult either. This book is great because it is so difficult to come across works of this era is actually quite difficult. If you like this book check out Bede's "Ecclesiastical History of England" it's a little more difficult but again very rewarding.

- Ted Murena

Reading Anglo-Saxon literature can be for modern readers like listening to fingernails scratched on a blackboard. A mind conditioned to democracy, fair play and (public) modesty recoils at primitive sensibilities embodied in the heroic ideal -- where childlike loyalty to one's tribal lord is paramount and boasting about one's prowess is considered good manners. An excellent introduction to this anthology prepares new readers for the Anglo-Saxon world and world-view.

If we take Alexander at his word that "The excuse, ultimately, for a book of this sort is a conviction on the part of the author that some early English poems deserve to be read by those who do not make their living out of the subject, that what is excellent should be made current," these poems call for a more liberal translation. Alexander gamely tries to retain the sound of the originals, but sacrifices some of the empathy he could have inspired in an amateur audience.

Realism has conditioned modern readers to expect literary characters of more than one dimension, containing qualities both noble and despicable, and situations that are morally questionable. Most of these poems leave little room for ambiguity -- the good are good, the evil are monstrously evil.

The two most appealing poems for the modern reader may be "The Dream of the Rood" and "Deor." The first poem recounts the crucifixion from the persona of the cross. It is hard to read the line "They drove me through with dark nails" without admiration for the poet. "Deor" is the lament of a court poet whose role has been usurped by another. His plight is sympathetic.

Tales of battle and adventure abound. Perhaps the greatest adventure story is the survival of the poems themselves. They were recounted by memory for generations, transcribed by monks who layered Christian morality on top of pagan ideas, survived Viking raids and library fires as charred manuscript scraps. Old English is a language as alien to modern English as the surface of Mars is to Earth. Despite the difficulty of translation and difference of perspective, it is worth looking backwards to read these poems. If for no other reason than they are ours.