Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Signet Classics) [Paperback]

Anonymous (Author), Burton Raffel (Translator), Neil D. Isaacs (Afterword)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0451528182 | ISBN-13: 978-0451528186 | Publication Date: November 7, 2001

King Arthur's Knights of the Round Table are in the middle of a Christmas feast when a green-skinned knight offers them a simple but deadly challenge. A challenge the brave Sir Gawain quickly-and fatefully-accepts. Brilliantly translated by distiguished poet Burton Raffel, this is a lyrical, accessible version of one of the most beloved tales in Arthurian literature.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Burton Raffel has taught English, Classics, and Comparative Literature at universities in the United States, Israel, and Canada. His books include translations of Beowulf, Horace: Odes, Epodes, Epistles, Satires, The Complete Poetry and Prose of Chairil Anwar, From the Vietnamese, Ten Centuries of Poetry, The Complete Poetry of Osip Emilevich, Mandelstram (with Alla Burago), and Poems From the Old English and The Annotated Milton; several critical studies, Introduction to Poetry, How to Read a Poem, The Development of Modern Indonesian Poetry, and The Forked Tounge: A Study of the Translation Process; and Mia Poems, a volume of his own poetry. Mr. Raffel practiced law on Wall Street and taught in the Ford Foundation’s English Language Teacher Training Project in Indonesia.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Signet Classics (November 7, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451528182
• ISBN-13: 978-0451528186
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #759,614 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, January 17, 2006

By 

George Byron "George Byron" (Johnson City, TN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Signet Classics) (Paperback)

The story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is perhaps the most authentically English of all the King Arthur tales. Most of the Arthurian mythos was largely a largely French creation, when the Norman conquerors discovered a few old Celtic legends about Arthur and wove them into a dynamic myth of chivalric idealism. The story of Sir Gawain is regarded by most scholars as a much purer version of those Celtic stories, as well as a much more nuanced synthesis of Celtic cultural heritage with Christian ideals. J.R.R. Tolkien was fond of citing it as one of his very favorite stories and deepest influences.

Raffel's translation is sure to endear itself to any fan of fantasy, medieval literature, or the King Arthur stories. It flows with the simple beauty of a dream, and the purity of heart of Gawain himself. Do yourself a favor and spend an hour or two reading this.

23 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Raffel triumphs again, October 1, 2000

By 

Orrin C. Judd "brothersjudddotcom" (Hanover, NH USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Mentor) (Perfect Paperback)

This 14th Century poem is one of the earliest known works in English. Its provenance is a mystery because literally nothing is known of the poet. It is written in a unique dialect of Middle English and is pretty much unread in the original. This verse translation by Burton Raffel is terrific and does much to elevate the work to the level of Beowulf & Chaucer.

At Christmas time, a Green Knight enters Camelot and challenges any Knight of the Roundtable to smite him with one blow of a battle axe. The only catch is that one year hence the smiter must receive a similar blow from the Green Knight. Sir Gawain volunteers for this strange duty. He beheads the Green Knight who thereupon picks up his laughing head and reminds Gawain of his obligation & tells him to find him in exactly one year to receive the blow.

The enchanting adventure leading up to and inculding their subsequent confrontation is beautifully rendered by Raffel. The poem is exciting, humorous & deals with great themes: courage, honor, etc.

GRADE: A+

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, May 20, 2001

By 

xxxJohnnyBlaze - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Mentor) (Perfect Paperback)

I was required to read this book in college ... and I loved it. A tale of courage, the knights code of moral and adventure, this book is not only an adventure story but a depiction of the human condition. Selfishness and fear can ruin our moral constitutions. The knight was a tower strength and courage yet the book brought to focus his fears and his selfishness.

I'm sure there are deeper levels of analysis for this book - good books often do.

- johnny -