Customer Reviews

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

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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).

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.

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