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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Not a 'must-read' but defenitely a central text to understand the roots of fantasy and British comedy. Simon Armitage made this purposely silly by using playful words, slang and euphemisms. The meter is masterful and mesmerizing so this story just sings. It's a lot of fun, probably too much fun for what it was intended to be. And it gives you a lot of what you expect from an Arthurian tale: lore, magic, banter, talk of virtues, and a bit of bravado and bravery.
It depends quite a bit on archetypal writing, so there's a lot of familiar patterns. But in one big way this texts jumps off the page: the tendency toward sudden moments of darkness.
Please ignore any comparisons with Tolkein, Seamus Heaney and Dorothy Sayer, Armitage isn't a highbrow translator like them. He's more playful and childlike. Biographers call him "boyish". But... if you dig into it, he has darkness, too, because prior to becoming a poet he was a parole officer. You can't ignore his serious, real-world cargo, but basically he sounds a bit like Simon Pegg and Mel Brooks.
It depends quite a bit on archetypal writing, so there's a lot of familiar patterns. But in one big way this texts jumps off the page: the tendency toward sudden moments of darkness.
Please ignore any comparisons with Tolkein, Seamus Heaney and Dorothy Sayer, Armitage isn't a highbrow translator like them. He's more playful and childlike. Biographers call him "boyish". But... if you dig into it, he has darkness, too, because prior to becoming a poet he was a parole officer. You can't ignore his serious, real-world cargo, but basically he sounds a bit like Simon Pegg and Mel Brooks.
Entertaining old translation of a clever story about honor and bravery. Why was the knight green though. I am still wondering this
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love Simon Armitage's alliteration and reading
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
So I'm not much of a reader of medieval poetry or romance. I've read The Song of Roland and Beowulf, of course, but I'd be lying to say I feel confident interpreting the work. That said, a few thoughts (replete with spoilers):
* I totally saw it coming that the king was the Green knight. I probably knew that somewhere deep down in my grad-school memory, but I didn't actively remember it. That said, when the Queen offered Gawain her magic girdle, I was like "Booyah! That's the Green Knight's protection." Nailed it.
* The hunting and excitement were amusing, but it made me wonder why everybody thought Gawain was so great. By my reckoning, the king went out hunting every day while Gawain slept in and fended off the king's randy wife. Of course, the whole test was devised by her for, um, no reason at all as far as I can see.
* Arthur and his round table must have been one badass bunch of dudes. Picture it, somebody rides in during Christmas dinner and says "Check out my big ol' axe! If somebody chops at me with it, I'll return the blow one year from now." The knights take him up on it and, after Gawain chops off his head, are surprised to find him taunting them and riding out. They laugh about what a great day it is. I'm sorry, if I see some dude's head get cut off and then he gets up and says "no problem," I don't put that in my "great day" column.
* There's an awful lot of space given to preparing Gawain's horse for the road and the sacrifices and prayers said on his behalf. I'm reminded of Eric Havelock's Preface to Plato which suggests that these long passages in poetry are actually bits of instructions, important knowledge embedded into the poem. Like the advice for card sharps built into "The Gambler." My Kenny Rogers knowledge tells me when to walk away, and when to run.
* The Green Knight's kind of a dick at the end. First he starts to swing the axe and, when Gawain winces, taunts Gawain about being Chicken. Then he swings it again and stops just to, um, wind him up some more. Finally, he gives Gawain a little nick on the neck and then says "FOOLED YOU!"
The Librivox reader, mj, does a fine job with the text, though there are a few fits and starts as she stumbled over a few passages. Otherwise, well done.
* I totally saw it coming that the king was the Green knight. I probably knew that somewhere deep down in my grad-school memory, but I didn't actively remember it. That said, when the Queen offered Gawain her magic girdle, I was like "Booyah! That's the Green Knight's protection." Nailed it.
* The hunting and excitement were amusing, but it made me wonder why everybody thought Gawain was so great. By my reckoning, the king went out hunting every day while Gawain slept in and fended off the king's randy wife. Of course, the whole test was devised by her for, um, no reason at all as far as I can see.
* Arthur and his round table must have been one badass bunch of dudes. Picture it, somebody rides in during Christmas dinner and says "Check out my big ol' axe! If somebody chops at me with it, I'll return the blow one year from now." The knights take him up on it and, after Gawain chops off his head, are surprised to find him taunting them and riding out. They laugh about what a great day it is. I'm sorry, if I see some dude's head get cut off and then he gets up and says "no problem," I don't put that in my "great day" column.
* There's an awful lot of space given to preparing Gawain's horse for the road and the sacrifices and prayers said on his behalf. I'm reminded of Eric Havelock's Preface to Plato which suggests that these long passages in poetry are actually bits of instructions, important knowledge embedded into the poem. Like the advice for card sharps built into "The Gambler." My Kenny Rogers knowledge tells me when to walk away, and when to run.
* The Green Knight's kind of a dick at the end. First he starts to swing the axe and, when Gawain winces, taunts Gawain about being Chicken. Then he swings it again and stops just to, um, wind him up some more. Finally, he gives Gawain a little nick on the neck and then says "FOOLED YOU!"
The Librivox reader, mj, does a fine job with the text, though there are a few fits and starts as she stumbled over a few passages. Otherwise, well done.
sir gawain is such a knight perhaps the knightliest knight there ever was. certainly a knight of middle english literature
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