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

Burton Raffel (Translator, Preface), Brenda Webster (Introduction), Neil D. Isaacs (Afterword)

Book Description

Release date: February 3, 2009 | Series: Signet Classics

The epic poem of honor and bravery

Written by an anonymous fourteenth-century poet, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is recognized as an equal to Chaucer’s masterworks and to the great Old English poems, Beowulf included. A green-skinned knight offers the Knights of the Round Table a simple but deadly challenge—a challenge taken on by the brave Sir Gawain. A challenge that will force him to choose between his honor and his life...

@GawainsWorld So listen here, some green man came to the hall and wants someone to cut his head off. Some sort of dare? Could be fun, right?

The deal is I cut off his head now, and he cuts off mine a year later. What a jester, doesn’t he know he’ll be dead?

This goblin fellow is totally dead.

All seemed fine until Ichabod Crane here fell to the floor, stood up, and picked up his head. His head, in his hands. In HIS HANDS!

From Twitterature: The World's Greatest Books in Twenty Tweets or Less

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.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Signet Classics; Reprint edition (February 3, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451531191
• ISBN-13: 978-0451531193
• Product Dimensions: 4.1 x 0.7 x 6.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #37,080 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #28 in Books > Literature & Fiction > British > Poetry
  • #65 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Poetry > Ancient, Classical & Medieval

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful January 17, 2006

By George Byron

Format:Mass Market 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 VINE™ VOICE

Format: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

Format: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 -

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful .. a story of the human condition May 18, 2001

By xxxJohnnyBlaze

Format: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 -

5.0 out of 5 stars Great March 5, 2013

By Tee B

Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book was needed in a college class. Buying the book here saved me quite a bit of money! This book was in excellent condition

5.0 out of 5 stars Required Reading- January 8, 2013

By M. Bowen

Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Required reading for my daughters charter school. They both really enjoyed the book and I am tempted to read myself.

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant May 11, 2012

By Jonathan Homrighausen

Format:Mass Market Paperback

I can't comment on Raffel's faithfulness to the original. But if this were his invention rather than a translation it would be amazing. Raffel's translation style flows so easily yet preserves so much heightened diction and beautiful figures of language. He is to Old English what Robert Fagles was for Homer!

The story itself was also amazing. It tells the story of Sir Gawain facing a mythical green knight. Most of the story he thinks he will die, but the end is a wild surprise. I especially love the castle stay where his lazy, in-bed days are contrasted with the boar and fox hunts. The fox being chased by the hunting-hounds to death definitely evokes what Gawain is facing soon as well. I love the part what David (from the Hebrew Bible) is referred to as a knight - funny lack of historical perspective. All in all a great story. I read it in one day. Loved the religious overtones as well.

15 of 23 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Draws on Celtic myth for a dramatic, moving tale. September 26, 1997

By A Customer

Format:Perfect Paperback

This exciting, powerful myth combines the best of the old Celtic belief in the sanctity of a solemn promise and the Christian ethic of forgiveness. It is moving, dramatic, and inspiring.