Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Piers the Ploughman

by William Allan Neilson, William Langland, Kenneth Grant Tremayne Webster

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Genres: Classics, Poetry, Fiction, Classic Literature

76 pages, Hardcover

Published May 23, 2016

About the author

William Allan Neilson (28 March 1869 – 1946) was a Scottish-American educator, writer and lexicographer, graduated in the University of Edinburgh in 1891 and became a Ph.D. in Harvard University in 1898. He was president of Smith College between 1917 and 1939.

Neilson was born in Doune, Scotland and he emigrated to the United States in 1895, being naturalised 3 August 1905. He taught at Bryn Mawr College from 1898 to 1900, Harvard from 1900 to 1904, Columbia from 1904 to 1906, and Harvard again from 1906 to 1917. Neilson was author of a number of critical works on William Shakespeare, Robert Burns and the Elizabethan theatre, editor of the Cambridge and Tudor editions of Shakespeare (1906, 1911) and editor of Webster's New International Dictionary, Second Edition (1934). Less known is his translation of the famous late 14th century Middle English alliterative chivalric romance Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

- Wikipedia

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sir Gawain takes King Arthur’s place in a challenge posed by a mysterious green knight. His quest leads him to strange places where all is not as it seems.

[Brendan · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Timons Esaias · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read both of these poems several times, beginning in my college years, including reading all of Gawain in the original. I am systematically going through my Riverside Literature Series volumes of poetry, and thought it would be interesting to see how they were taught a hundred years ago.

The support material for this volume is fairly thin. There's a joint Introduction (Webster does Gawain, Neilson does Piers) of just seven pages. This is followed by four sections of "Fytte the First" of Gawain in the Middle English, with several footnotes, to give the student a sense of the original, then there's that translation. "Piers" has no example, and precious few footnotes. It is not even explained that it's abridged, except for ellipses.

Both translations are fairly good, and muddles or alternate readings are often noted. I'm not sure how readily a student would take to them, though, given the limited explanation and support.

These are classics, and I'll skip detailed critique. Briefly: "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" is an early Arthurian tale, recounting a New Year's quest that begins when a green giant shows up at the Court and dares anybody to strike him with his ax. Arthur accepts, Gawain begs to take the risk instead, and he cuts the giant's head off with a single blow. The giant then picks his head up, and rides off into the night; but Gawain has pledged to find his Green Chapel a year later, and take the same blow himself. Complications and temptations ensue.

Piers Ploughman is a dream, all hip-deep in analogy and didactic allegory. It's basically an early version of Pilgrim's Progress. For the modern reader it's far less entertaining, though the craft is arguably superior.

If you're going to read just one translation of Gawain, I suggest Tolkien's. I don't have a recommendation on Piers. This volume is really for historical interest only (or if you're wisely, like me, collecting the Riverside Literature Series), to be honest.

[Alexandria Morrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, what an interesting poem! I have never read anything with magic and enchantment before. The downfalls of Sir Gawain make it a realistic plot while playing into the magic of the Green Knight. Also, although King Arthur is not the center of the poem, the poem does giv insight in his kingdom, round table, and court. I would recommend this poem to any literature student trying to widen their literary horizon.

[Bill Tillman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not all translations are equal. This one was good but not great.

[Cerri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was surprisingly fun to read (even though I'd still like to see other, supposedly better translations). I'm glad I gave it a chance. :)

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

great translations of both, readable and entertaining retellings, 4 stars bc I just didn't enjoy PP as much. another read of it may change my mind.