Sir Gawain and the Green Knight [Paperback]

J. R. R. Tolkien (Editor), E. V. Gordon (Editor), Norman Davis (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Quite simply the best edition there is!"--Nancy P. Stork, Stanford University

From the Back Cover

The study of Sir Gawain, the finest of all the English medieval romances, was signally advanced by the publication in 1925 of the edition by the late Professors Tolkien and Gordon. This remained the most widely used text of the poem; but after forty years the time came for revision.

The new edition pursues the aim of the first--to present an accurate text pleasantly, with sufficient apparatus to enable a reader to understand the rich but difficult language, and so to reach for himself an informed appreciation of the poem. The text, and the uniquely full glossary, were revised to take account of recent views. The Introduction, Notes, and Linguistic Appendix were largely rewritten; and the book was entirely reset.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 2nd edition (December 31, 1968)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0198114869
• ISBN-13: 978-0198114864
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #440,579 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great ME text, October 30, 2003

By 

"blanchefleur" (JPN) - See all my reviews

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

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is one of the most famous Middle English works. This edition contains NOT Tolkien's TRANSLATION, but the original MIDDLE ENGLISH TEXT with his (and late prof. E.V. Gordon's) glossary and notes.
Their edition was published in 1925, and revised by Norman Dabis in 1967. It still remains the most authoritative and standard text. I strongly suggest that students who study this alliterative poem buy this great Middle English text. The language is quite difficult so you also need Tolkien's Present Day English translation version (on HarperCollins, Ballantine Books,etc).

5.0 out of 5 stars Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, May 4, 2011

By 

Don G. Baumhardt (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

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

The standard text for serious aficionados of "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight," edited by
JRR Tolkien--cf Lord of the Rings. It still has the same green cover and illustration that it had
35 years ago in my Pearl Poet class! It presents the Middle English text without the accompaniment of a modern English translation. However, 61 pages of detailed notes and 68 pages of extensive glossery make this book
well worth having for those who want the experience of reading the original text. A lot is lost in translation,
even within the same language. Going from Middle English to Modern English is a lot like drinking warm coke
that's been left out overnight in a glass--the real essence is gone. So I'd recommend the struggle the text
demands. It's really worth it and Tolkien's notes and glossery are a great help. You can get Tolkien's translation to Modern English in another book, without the Middle English, if you want to have that extra assistance.

1 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, March 12, 2009

By 

Giraud - See all my reviews

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

No problem with this product, except that I didn't expected to see the ANGLO-SAXON original version of the text.