Customer Reviews

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: A New Verse Translation

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Since I suspect they will have similar audiences, I feel I should state right off the bat that W. S. Merwin's translation of "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" is not quite at the level of Seamus Heaney's "Beowulf". Heaney created an absolute masterpiece; the type of translation that comes along only once every few generations, and which completely redefines the view of the subject matter. The difference between the two translations lies in Heaney's ability to capture the meter and rhyme of "Beowulf" without being slavish to the original structure. Merwin has followed a similar approach in his translation, and while the language is beautiful, I didn't sense the same ancient vibrancy I got from Heaney's work.

That said, this book is more than worthy of the five-star rating that I gave it. Merwin's use of language is absolutely superb, and the resulting translation is a remarkable tapestry of images. In particular, he deftly captures the underlying tension and eroticism that forms such a key element of the story. Gawain's struggle to remain true to his code is rendered perfectly, and sets a mood of self-doubt that perfectly offsets his outward frivolity.

Since I have already mentioned "Beowulf" I might add for those unfamiliar with "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" that it is much more subtle than the former. While "Beowulf" is undeniably open to interpretation (indeed there is a wealth of fascinating scholarship surrounding it), its basic elements are much more straightforward. At its heart, as Tolkien espoused so brilliantly, "Beowulf" is a story about monsters, and what they mean in our world. On the other hand, "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" is more interested in exploring the ideals of chivalry and courtly love. While there is a fair bit of gore, it strikes me as being more of the hook to keep the reader engaged, rather than the core element of the story. Finally, in it's conclusion, "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" is far more vague than Beowulf.

Merwin has produced as a translation of the highest quality. While perhaps less "poetic" than some of its predecessors, it is written in a language that captures the full beauty and vibrancy of this remarkable poem. While a mere 84 pages in length (not including the opposing pages in Old English) this is a tale rich in metaphor that is a delight to read, and that will leave you pondering its meaning.

Merwin follows up his translation of Dante's Purgatorio with this rendering of Gawain and the Green Knight. The translation appears on the right hand side, the original middle English on the left. For anyone who had to memorize the first part of Chaucer's Prologue to the Canterbury Tales (and kind of enjoyed it), this reproduction of the original is great. As a matter of fact, and I didn't realize this until reading the intro here, Chaucer and this author (who is also The Pearl author) were writing basically as contemporaries.

The story of Gawain and the Green Knight is a foundational one in western civilization, maybe not ranking as high up there as the quest for the grail, but still echoed and repeated in writing (see Iris Murdoch's novel The Green Knight for example).

Merwin renders the tale in wonderful language and form. While I'm not a medievalist, I have a friend who is. She stole the book out from my hands...even though I wasn't even close to done...and insisted on keeping it for a few days. She handed it back to me saying it was one of the most faithful renderings of the sense of the original she had encountered. (A plea to Mr. Merwin: please move on next to a translation of the Paradiso!).

As a translator myself (currently working on a translation of Le Conte du Graal from the old French), I am in awe of Merwin's fluid rendering of this middle English tale. He uses a true vernacular style and vocabulary, giving non of the false archaism with which translations of works of this period are generally imbued. It's clear that he is a poet first, and a translator second.

But he also avoids the tack chosen by Seamus Heaney in his Beowulf; Heaney delighted in using obscure words from time to time, which does not fit with the context of such works. These tales were declaimed, read out loud, and to groups of people who were certainly not learned. What may seem obscure in the original - or what may have an obscure equivalent today - shouldn't sound as such in a translation. These tales need to be rendered in contemporary language, as they were heard in the contemporary languages of their originators.

On the down side, Merwin seems to fall into the trap of false cognates - words that, while spelled the same, have different meanings today. A few examples:

On page 27, Gawain says "And if my request is improper, I ask this great court not to blame me." The middle English word, blame, is closer to today's "censure", "criticize", or even "find fault with". Given the vernacular treatment of this translation, the reader is more likely to seize the first meanings that come to mind when reading. Blame does, indeed, hold the meaning that is used in the original, but it is far from the most common usage of the word.

Again on page 27, king Arthur say to Gawain, "Take care, cousin." The original word, cosyn, means kinsman, and was often used to denote a niece or nephew (and, indeed, Gawain, on the previous page, points out that Arthur is his uncle). So the use of cousin here is incorrect, since the relationship between the two men is not that of cousin, but clearly of uncle and nephew.

He also succumbs to the tyranny of the original word order, and the desire to leave no word untranslated. On page 27, he translates, "The blood gushed from the body," which has a "the" too many. English doesn't need an article before a non-count noun like "blood", though this article exists in the original text.

All in all, in spite of the minor translator's nits, this is a brilliant work. It reads smoothly and fluidly, and renders the energy and wonder of this tale. If only more medieval works were translated this well, readers would discover how much amazing literature there is from this period.

I'm giving it 5 stars in spite of my reservations; Merwin deserves it for achieving such clarity.

Merwin has risen to the challenge, and, unlike Gawain, he has prevailed triumphantly on the first stroke.

A new, exciting translation of the Arthurian legend, SIR GAWAIN & THE GREEN KNIGHT reads excitingly crisp and vibrant. A story with equal parts chivalry, temptation, redemption, and romance, Merwin's GAWAIN deserves to be read by a far wider audience or, even better, deserves a touring one-man roadshow presented theatrically. Easily explored in a single sitting, this clever tome should be required reading for any serious explorer of mythology, real or even the realms of pure fantasy.

Highest recommendation!

The world of Arthurian Knights is long lost to us. They are lost to us as commonly read literature, and more importantly, lost to us as inspirational reads. While I was a child in the recent, but last generation, Arthurian legends still had gravitas. Whether in the form of the Once and Future King, or the more arcane Parsifal, these stories were read or read to me as moral allegories. Perhaps in this politically correct universe, they seem an anachronism.

First of all, these stories are simply fun to read. They can be read as adventure stories.

Second of all, Western morals have not changed very much since 800 AD, The same romantic intrigues and aspirations to higher standards pervade us as much now as then,

Third, the themes described in these books manifest themselves in most modern fiction.

This current edition of Sir Gawain and The Green Knight is superbly translated. It IS a fun read. The author has a feel for modern English. You do not need to have a degree in Medieval Lit to follow the story (although some background in such would not hurt anyone).

And, finally, this is a great mystery/thriller. There are twists and turns that would make Josephine Tey proud.

While I'm not able to comment on other translations with any expertise, I found this translation to be excellent. The story still carries all the power with some moving verse (not too mention, of course, the plot line). This will be a translation I return to again and again as the beauty of the language makes this worth lingering over.

The author of this little masterpiece is unknown. This story - or 'romance' if you like - was found in a little manuscript that was written in c.1380. There are three other stories in that manuscript presumably by the same author.

King Arthur, his wife Guinevere, and the Knights of The Round Table are celebrating Christmas and New Year at the famous castle 'Camelot'. One evening a huge knight on horseback bursts into the Hall during dinner, brandishing a large and fearsome battle-axe. Everything about him is green, not only his armor - as one might expect - but also his face, his hair, and even his horse. He has come in peace as he is advertising more than once. In short he says: who is bold enough to step forward and try to chop my head off with this battle-axe? But after one year and a day it will be my turn to deal a blow. Gawain, one of the Knights of The Round Table, steps forward, takes the axe and beheads the Green Knight. As if nothing happened the Green Knight picks up his head, takes it under his arm and the head says: a year and one day from now it will be my turn to give you a blow. You have to promise that you will come looking for me. You can find me at the Green Chapel ( It's almost a joke but who knows? Maybe this is all just a joke ). If you survive my blow I will give you a great reward. The Knight doesn't want to say where the Green Chapel can be found. It's far away from here but you will find people who can show you the way. And remember, you promised. And so the adventure begins for Gawain. He has to go without a companion. He stands on his own for that was a part of the deal.

This Fantasy element is the only one in the story. Everything else is realistic. That could be an indication that some scholars are right when they say that the Green Knight is a symbol for the reviving of Nature after the winter. There is a parallel between this symbolism and Gawain who's becoming more mature as the story unfolds. Throughout the story he's tempted in many ways to betray his vow of chastity and loyalty to the Virgin Mary, and near the end of the story he's tempted into cowardice. After all is said and done Gawain has a more realistic view on knighthood. He becomes adult and reaches a new stage in his life just like the revival of Nature by the Green Knight.

One of the things I like in this medieval romance are the hunting scenes described very vividly and in great detail. It starts with a description of the animal they want to hunt down: its strong and weak points. During the chase it is as if you can hear the horns blow and the shouts of the hunters, the barking of the hounds and the grunting of the wounded animal and it ends with the cutting of the meat after the bowels are given to the hounds as a reward.

I ordered this book as a gift for my father, so I have only skimmed through it. I purchased it based on reviews others had given it. I chose it because on the right side of the book reads the original text and the left side contains the translation. I wanted him to be able to have both versions in one book and this book has both. I received it two days after ordering it and the price was unbeatable. I'm very satisfied and would order from this person again.

i rate this book higher based on its foreword which, as a lecture, would provide a semester's worth of knowledge and recommended reading. a must for fans of arthurian legend (or fans of tolkien, who was a "great scholar of the Arthurian cycle"), and for those interested in welsh history and literature, poetry, troubador lore, linguistics, or the middle ages.

the translation itself i'm not qualified to judge; the _new york review of books_ "hails [Merwin] as one of the finest of our poets [and] a skilled and sensitive translator." J.D. McClatchy cover-blurbs the translation as being written with "clarity, ingenuity, and force."

as for the plot, it's great stuff: courtly knight of the round table honorably and courageously accepts what appears to be a pact of certain death, honorably averts the importunate seductions of his host's wife, agonizingly tells a white fib because doing so is the only thing that may save his life, and . . . i leave the rest for the reader to discover.

In this Middle English tale, Sir Gawain is a noble who is approached one day by a green knight. He is offered a challenge: The green knight would take a blow to the neck from Gawain, and exactly one year later, the green knight would give Gawain a blow to the neck. Gawain accepts. He chops the Green knight's head off. The green knight picks up his head, and tells gawain to kepp his promise. The story goes on to tell of the epic journey Gawain faces while on his journey to keep the pact. It is well written, but over descriptive. I would recommend this book to anyone with too much time. otherwise, a good story.