Beautiful translation, and I really enjoyed that there were two more poems that were contemporaries of Gawain, and possibly maybe might have been written by the same poet. I just wanted to spend some time with my best friends, Gawain and the Green Knight. In my mind they’re in love. I could elaborate, and perhaps I will.

Such a lovely collection of fourteenth century gems! Sir Gawain is a delight, of course, as is this version of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth, but it is Pearl that has swept me away.

I've heard about the Pearl Poet since high school, but for some strange reason had never read the Pearl Poet's Pearl. I'm reading it as a father's (or mother's) consolatory thoughts after losing a toddler daughter to death. The narrator runs his mind through the Scriptures, starting in Matthew and then going back to Genesis and on to Isaiah and Revelation, gaining knowledge and comfort along the way. The little allegories within are beautiful, especially the little girl as the Pearl of Great Price. In the background always seems to be King David's consolation that though his dead son can not come back to him, he will go to the son. I like all the Anglo-Saxon-based words that Tolkien uses, with the addition of a scattering of Latin and French. Now I plan to read John Steinbeck's The Pearl, which was inspired by his studies of the fourteenth-century manuscript.

In the immortal words of Tim Robinson’s Carmine Laguzio, this book is interesting. It’s an undeniably quirky story espousing some compelling conversations around chivalry and traditional Christian moralism. I think my gripes are more of personal taste than the substance of the text itself.

If you are looking for deep literary symbolism and rich networks of linguistic meaning, this text doesn’t quite scratch that itch. It’s rich with descriptions, but ones that really just capture the imagistic realities of the world the book takes place in. The symbols are straightforward and explained quite directly. It’s like looking at a beautiful puzzle that is framed with the pieces glued in place. Not bad, but not inherently gripping beyond its immediate aesthetic presence.

The messages and themes are similar in this way. Rooted firmly in Christian morals of honour and fidelity, the text uses Gawain and his temptations to see where Knighthood and those morals collide. This plays out predictably with God ultimately being the answer and repentance being the response to all sins. But don’t beat yourself up, Gawain. We would all take the pretty lady’s magical green sash.

All jokes aside, the lessons just don’t give a lot of connection to modern conversations. Unlike Shakespeare and other timeless authors whose themes transcend time, this is very much a snapshot of the Author’s period. Nothing wrong with that, but again, more of an interesting locale that one passes through on their way to more exciting places.

All and all, something outside my comfort zone and typical purview. A nice vacation into the times and thinking of a fantastical yore.

გავეინი და სერ ორფეო კაი იყო, Pearl-მა იმდენად შემაღონა რელიგიური განხილვებით რომ ნახევარი დავსკიპე -.-

This is Tolkien's translation of the Middle English poems of the same name of which I shall especially detail the one about Sir Gawain (King Arthur's nephew).

The poem is a late 14th-century chivalric romance. It starts at a New Year's Eve celebration in Camelot where a green knight arrives and offers a game: one of the king's knights shall take his axe and strike him once and in a year and a day that same knight shall come to the green chapel and receive the same blow then.
The rest I shall discuss in spoiler brackets because while all of the events are important, it might be too spoilery for some potential readers:
Arthur himself wants to accept since no knight comes forward, but Sir Gawain accepts in his uncle's place. He then beheads the green knight. But that doesn't kill him. Rather, he takes his head and rides off.
A year later, Gawain goes off to the green chapel to honor the promise. Nearby is a castle and the lord and his wife welcome him there. Since it's a few days until the appointment, Gawain stays at the castle and agrees to a pact with the lord: everything the lord catches in the forest during his daily hunts in exchange for whatever Gawain is "given" during the same day. It's an odd bargain but it soon becomes clear that there might be a plan behind it because the lady of the castle visits Gawain every night, trying to seduce him. He never lets it go farther than a kiss or three and dutifully kisses the lord in exchange for the game the next day. However, on the last night, the lady hands Gawain a sash that supposedly makes him invulnerable. Nervous of the blow he is to receive the next day, he accepts the sash and doesn't tell the lord about it before going off to the chapel. There, the green knight appears and swings the axe twice before dealing what would be a killing blow. Thanks to the sash, it's only a nick and that only because the supposedly noble knight wasn't truthful but cheated regarding the bargain. Humiliated and humbled, Gawain is told that the whole affair was a trick played on him and Arthur by Morgan le Fay and that he shouldn't be too hard on himself. He returns home and tells the king as well as the other knights who, from now on, wear green sashes as a reminder to always be honest.

The poem thus deals with the themes of honor, integrity, honesty and - let's face it - intelligence. Oh, and seduction (temptation, actually, in different forms).

I liked how the knights were NOT ideal here. Gawain is the youngest of the knights at the Round Table and I get why he was forgiven in the end. Nevertheless, a reminder for the future was definitely necessary.

As for the translation itself, it was brilliant. I mean, Tolkien was a linguist so I expected nothing less, but I was really surprised how he managed to simultaneously make it understandable to modern readers and yet also keep the style of these old romances. He really was a master.

The same goes for the other two poems in this book that were equally interesting, adventurous and full of moral lessons (without appearing too preachy).

Moreover, this edition is a wonderful gem on the shelf. It doesn't have any illustrations apart from the illuminations at the beginning of each poem, but it still gives you that certain feeling when picking it up.

”through many marshes and mires, a man all alone,
troubled lest a truant at that time he should prove
from the service of the sweet Lord, who on that selfsame night
of a maid became man our mourning to conquer.”

Christmas is the backdrop of this wonderful tale. It has all the qualities of a good story. The plot is good in and of itself. And who doesn’t love a knight in shining armor? It is insightful, commenting on man’s flaws yet encouraging him in them. It takes a minute to get used to the constant alliteration, I think, but it is so worth the effort.

Sir Gawain is eating dinner with King Arthur, when in marches a green knight. The knight challenges everyone in the hall, but only Gawain, the smallest, most witless of knights, answers the challenge. The whole scene reminded me of David and Goliath, from the challenge, to the point where Gawain cuts off the knight’s head. I could not have been more wrong, though. What happens when Goliath simply picks up his head and strides out of the camp? David’s search for Goliath will change him. It strikes at the heart of what it meant to be a knight, what it means to go on a quest, what it means to be flawed, and what it means to be sought and found.

This particular edition also contains the poems “Pearl” and “Sir Orfeo”. I was not as enthralled with either of these. In particular, I was looking forward to an English rendering of the Orpheus myth. However, the author changed the ending. In my opinion, this caused it to lack the punch of the original tale. So, 5 stars for Sir Gawain, and not as many for the other two. ☺

*rating for pearl*

not as big of a fan of this translation. while the subject matter was interesting and i enjoyed the poetic forms, it felt a bit overwhelming, and really needs your undivided attention.

polskie tłumaczenie mi bardzo nie siadło

Finished the title story only.

“Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” plot was filled with adventure. The Green Knight challenged King Arthur to a beheading game. The game’s main purpose was to test strength and chivalry. King Arthur had one strike with the Green Knight’s axe to kill him. He could keep the axe if he succeeded, but if not the Green Knight would get the same opportunity in a year and one day.
The main characters were all very unique. The Green Knight was also the king of the green chapel, he transforms between the two. King Arthur is the king of Camelot. He is very powerful and shows great chivalry. Sir Gawain was a greedy man that wanted to look good by stepping up and taking the king’s place.
The setting began on Christmas in the 11th century. They were at Camelot, King Arthur’s castle. The rest of the story was at the Green Knight’s chapel. They both took place around Christmas a year apart.
The main theme of “Sir Gawain and The Green Knight” was Chivalry. The whole point of the game with the Green Knight was to test Sir Gawain’s Chivalry. The three attempted blows to Sir Gawain’s neck by the Green Knight was to show how he displayed chivalry.
I would recommend this book to seniors and above. The whole plot was really good and it taught great lessons. Sir Gawain was turned into a better person because of this game. This is not the easiest to read so that’s why I made the grade level so high. I enjoyed this reading.

not what i was expecting, but throughly enjoyed! such vivid images and page turning narratives… makes me want to read more medieval stuff

You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.

Translated by J.R.R. Tolkien from Middle English and edited by his son Christopher Tolkien, this book contains three classic poems with the rhymes and alliterative schemes of the original stories of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl, and Sir Orfeo. It also includes Tolkien’s lecture at the W.P. Ker Memorial on Sir Gawain and a piece titled Gawain’s Leave-Taking at the very end of the book. Scans of the original manuscript by J.R.R. Tolkien are also printed on the inside of the front and back cover, for fans to inspect to one’s heart’s content.

The story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight begins at Camelot on Christmas, when King Arthur demands that he witnesses a marvel of chivalry before he begins to feast. It is then that the Green Knight appears with a challenge where the mysterious knight allows himself to be struck once by a battle-axe by anyone of the Round, only if that person would allow that he may return the blow a year hence. Of all those present, it is Sir Gawain who bravely accepts this proposal and what follows is a trial unlike any other that will challenge Arthur’s brave favourite and his morals, values, and beliefs. The story of Sir Orfeo is a retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice with a powerful relationship at the heart of this tale. The story of Pearl follows a man mourning his baby daughter who then falls asleep and dreams of meeting her in a mysterious land.

Considering that these are poems from the fourteenth century, it is impressive how J.R.R. Tolkien managed to translate them in a way that they become quite accessible to general readers. However, the main attraction here remains Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, while the other two poems included in this book are quite boring to plough through. Pearl and Sir Orfeo are still great additions to this book, giving readers the chance to discover classic tales by an unknown author. The most relevant addition, however, is the lecture by J.R.R. Tolkien on Sir Gawain, which easily completes the original story with a dissection of its key ideas.

In fact, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight reads quite wonderfully, with beautiful verses that are more often than not effortless to follow. The themes of temptation and courtesy are also cleverly explored as the story sheds light on the divergence of values within Sir Gawain as moral laws battle out laws of courtesy. While difficult to relate to, it is this journey on which this knight is sent to his trial that makes the gist of this story and proves to be enrapturing in itself. While a supernatural twist early in the story might misdirect readers into believing they are about to indulge in a legendary fantasy tale, this remains a great Arthurian story for readers to discover.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is an intriguing study of knightly virtue and manners, as King Arthur’s brave favourite accepts a mysterious knight’s ultimate trial.