Folio Archives 386: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 2008
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1wcarter
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 2008
The Pearl Manuscript was written about 1400 by an unknown poet or poets. It is a small volume that is now held in the British Library. In 2015 the Folio Society produced a magnificent facsimile of this manuscript, which in its original form is almost undecipherable by the average person, but in translation reveals four beautiful poems : Pearl, Cleanness, Patience and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. It is one of the greatest medieval manuscripts.
By far the most important and interesting of these poems is that describing Sir Gawain’s extraordinary encounter with the Green Knight and his adventures associated with him. The facsimile comes with a translation into modern English by Malcolm Andrew and Ronald Waldron, while this volume is translated by Simon Armitage.
I found Armitage’s translation to be excellent, an easy read with the rollicking rhythm of the original preserved. The story itself is a great adventure and good reading.
The Folio Society also published a translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by Keith Harrison in 1983.
The edition form 2008 reviewed below has xiii + 114 pages and is illustrated with a frontispiece, four full-page and eight part-page two-colour illustrations by Diana Sudyka. The introduction is by the translator, Simon Armitage. It has pale gold endleaves and the page tops are stained red. It is bound in red cloth, the cover blocked in green, black and gold with design by Sudyka. The red slip case measures 34.2x25.9cm.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
The Pearl Manuscript was written about 1400 by an unknown poet or poets. It is a small volume that is now held in the British Library. In 2015 the Folio Society produced a magnificent facsimile of this manuscript, which in its original form is almost undecipherable by the average person, but in translation reveals four beautiful poems : Pearl, Cleanness, Patience and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. It is one of the greatest medieval manuscripts.
By far the most important and interesting of these poems is that describing Sir Gawain’s extraordinary encounter with the Green Knight and his adventures associated with him. The facsimile comes with a translation into modern English by Malcolm Andrew and Ronald Waldron, while this volume is translated by Simon Armitage.
I found Armitage’s translation to be excellent, an easy read with the rollicking rhythm of the original preserved. The story itself is a great adventure and good reading.
The Folio Society also published a translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by Keith Harrison in 1983.
The edition form 2008 reviewed below has xiii + 114 pages and is illustrated with a frontispiece, four full-page and eight part-page two-colour illustrations by Diana Sudyka. The introduction is by the translator, Simon Armitage. It has pale gold endleaves and the page tops are stained red. It is bound in red cloth, the cover blocked in green, black and gold with design by Sudyka. The red slip case measures 34.2x25.9cm.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
2wcarter
The technical problems I had with this review while travelling have now been resolved on my return home and the review is posted above.
3What_What
>2 wcarter: Thanks for sharing!
5Thwack
Thank you for uploading, this is a book I really enjoy bringing out to re-read. Hearing the Green Knight disregard Arthur's knights as "bum-fluffed bairns" brought a smile to my face.
If anybody is thinking of buying this, be aware that it is a red binding and slipcase, not the purplish red show here.
If anybody is thinking of buying this, be aware that it is a red binding and slipcase, not the purplish red show here.
6LesMiserables
Thanks for the baited hook! I bit hard, dropped this from the shelf this evening, and read through in one sitting.
An outstanding tale full of truth and wisdom, and presented in a lovely Folio edition. A handsome combination.
An outstanding tale full of truth and wisdom, and presented in a lovely Folio edition. A handsome combination.
7TonjaE
I have had this book lying down on top of the bookshelf for years! I think I'm inspired to get it down also. Thank you.
8LesMiserables
Illustrations are marvellous. The paper quality is impressive.
