Welcome to day one of the Green Knight Week here at White Rose of Avalon, my Darlings! Today’s post is a review of the Tolkien translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, which I have just re-read for the first time since high school. While I do tend to read the story around the Winter holidays every couple of years (if not annually), I did not own this translation, so I was reading a different one the last several times I read the poem. You see, for my birthday back in September, my husband bought me a copy of the Tolkien translation, so that is why I was able to re-read this translation this year!
Now, I doubt it will be a surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed reading this translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. It is by far the best translation of this medieval poem I have ever read (and I have read a few)! I enjoyed this so much that I actually feel a little bit ashamed that I waited so long to purchase this translation to have in my Faery Library! Alas, that has been rectified, thanks to my thoughtful husband, Andrew. Tolkien was truly a master of the written word, being a polyglot and an expert translator, in addition to being an incredible storyteller and master of the fantasy genre. All of these things are on display in this translation, as it is clear that he not only had love and respect for the source material but also for the original author, whose name has been lost to time.
The cadence of the original alliterative verse is kept well intact, as Tolkien was careful in his translation, making it such a gorgeous poem to read aloud! I will admit that although I had read this translation in high school, I had only ever read the translation, not any of the other materials in Tolkien’s Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. This time around, I read the whole book cover to cover, including the preface and introduction by Christopher Tolkien, who edited this collection of his father’s work, the lecture by J.R.R. Tolkien on Sir Gawain, and his translations of Pearl and Sir Orfeo.
I am so glad that I read the whole book cover to cover this time, as reading the extra materials, especially Tolkien’s lecture, gave me a greater understanding of his viewpoint on the tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight! The other two poems, which are believed to have been by the same poet as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, are lovely in their own right. Pearl is about a man in mourning for his lost daughter and meeting her in a fantasy world (described in very Heavenly terms). Sir Orfeo is a medieval retelling of the classic Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, but this time trading out Hades and the Underworld for a Faery King and the Celtic Otherworld!
In my opinion, this is the definitive translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight! I find so much to love in this tale. This is not a surprise as I have an obsession with all things Faery, with Avalon, Welsh Celtic lore, and the Arthurian legends holding a special place in my heart and my spiritual practices. With all that being said, I have to make this assertion: I do not think I will be re-reading another translation ever again! I hope you have enjoyed reading my rambling thoughts and glowing review of the Tolkien translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Have you read this translation? Do you have a preferred translation of the poem? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Note on Image: The image at the top of the post is the book cover. I found the picture on https://www.amazon.com/Gawain-Green-Knight-Pearl-Orfeo/dp/0358652979.
LINK TO AVALONIAN ROSE FAERY MYSTERIES PATREON: patreon.com/AvalonianRoseFaeryMysteries
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: I am absolutely thrilled to announce that I will be doing my first-ever Herbal Tea Blending Class on December 29, 2024! This is a live event hosted at the shop Phoenix Lane. Here is the link to the event on Facebook if you are interested in learning from me in person: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19hU6vdFm3/
Further Reading
- Sir Gawain and the Green Knight translated by J.R.R. Tolkien, edited by Christopher Tolkien