A review by dr_matthew_lloyd
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl and Sir Orfeo by J.R.R. Tolkien

adventurous challenging mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I'm not going to beat around the bush about this: my preferred translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is that by Simon Armitage. That might be because I listened to that version and read this one, but I wanted to get it out there. That being said, it's not just the translation that makes this poem worthwhile. The story, the setting, the poetry of the original infuses the translation and makes it all the more enjoyable. Then, there's Tolkien's essay on the poem. Now, I have to say I find Tolkien's essays to generally be long-winded. Much of what I got out of the W.P. Ker Memorial Lecture (which I read first) was conveyed more briefly in the introduction. But I think what I got out of it was worthwhile.

This volume also includes Tolkien's translations of Pearl, a poem he believed to be by the same poet as Sir Gawain, and Sir Orfeo, a medieval retelling of the myth of Orpheus that is really quite inventive. Pearl is moving, a story of loss, grief, and comfort. Sir Orpheo is fascinating and exciting, and I really rather liked it.