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Loading... The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun (original 2009; edition 2009)by J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (Editor)
Work InformationThe Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún by J. R. R. Tolkien (2009)
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3/31/22 Another December, another Tolkien finished off my TBR! I had a lot more fun with last year’s Sir Gawain than I had with attempts to read more of the expanded Middle Earth stories, so this year I picked this collection which focuses on Tolkien’s adaptation of two Norse poems: the legends of Sigurd and Gudrun. Both of these poems are at least vaguely familiar to anyone who has dealt with Norse legends previously, but I found it fun reading Tolkien’s versions as his language is accessible, readable, and imbues the stories with a sense of gravity and adventure that is necessary in any retelling of these sorts of epic stories. As explained in the introductory material, the plot of the poems is less important than the feeling that they inspire, and it is that which Tolkien does so well. He explores themes of character, politics, and Norse society, all wrapped up in a mythological frame that is impossible not to be drawn into - even if we can’t remember all the small details of each poem. Much of the book was taken up with explanatory material, which was useful in getting a broader sense of the epic poems as a whole and making sense of the publication. Tolkien’s son Christopher, the editor, makes it clear that the poems are not finished (though relatively polished) pieces ready for publication, but they show Tolkien’s deep interest in the Nordic cultures and mythology that went to so much inspire his own writing which gives readers a deeper understanding of where his stories came from. Even if one can’t be bothered with all of Tolkien’s writing (and I admittedly am not a fan of the Hobbit nor of the expanded Middle Earth stories), the book still serves as an interesting version of some of the Norse myths and legends. A good read, but only because I knew the story already having read [b:The Saga of the Volsungs|593109|The Saga of the Volsungs|Anonymous|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327881867s/593109.jpg|180373] immediately before it. I fear it may be a bit obtuse for anyone who comes at it freshly. I especially enjoyed Tolkien's careful attention to the meter and alliteration. Christopher Tolkien provides a brief introduction about the meter (and other considerations); however, a bit longer introduction can be found in Tolkien's essay "On Translating Beowulf" in [b:The Monsters and the Critics and other Essays|7339|The Monsters And The Critics And Other Essays|J.R.R. Tolkien|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327944948s/7339.jpg|2964050]. Eski İskandinav destanlarını çok fazla şey öğrendim.Kitapta destanlar kısmı çok güzel ve akıcıydı ama destanların açıklama kısımlarında çok sıkıldım artık bitsin istememe rağmen açıklamalar okunmadan da destan çok iyi anlaşılmıyor.Destanları J.R.R Tolkien derlerken açıklamaları babasının ölümünden sonra Christopher Tolkien yazmış.Allah herkese Christopher Tolkien gibi evlat nasip etse kimse bu dünyadan gözü açık gitmez.
Nearly every parent, at one time or another, has had the experience of seeing a son or daughter eagerly unwrap a new toy, only to find that the child greatly prefers the box to the gift itself. This new poetry collection by John Ronald Reuel Tolkien . . . is a lot like the disappointing toy in the great box. To put it simply: The poetry is pretty bad, but the explanatory material that surrounds it--written by Ronald himself and his son Christopher--is good. Unlike the low-rent fiction published under the names of such long-dead authors as Ian Fleming and V.C. Andrews, there's no doubt about the provenance of the poems in the collection. But by Christopher Tolkien's own account, there's no evidence that the elder Tolkien ever intended to have this work published, either. . . . I've read substantially all of Tolkien's source material--some of it in the original languages--and still had to reread several times just to follow the plot. At more than one point, Christopher Tolkien's notes have to clarify who is taking a particular action and what is going on. Without them, the poems are almost impossible to decode. And sometimes it's pretty clear that the elder Tolkien simply left certain parts to finish later. . . . Tolkien scholars and ardent Lord of the Rings fans may gain some insights into his fiction from reading these poems. The notes provide a very good introduction to the tradition that the elder Tolkien wrote in and, in any case, they're long enough to probably justify a look at the book. But the poems, while somewhat promising, are still in rough draft. although Tolkien's meditations on Eddaic and heroic poetry are interesting, and although reading this book will certainly bring you closer to a number of interesting topics (the Volsung saga and the transmission of Old English and Old Norse poetry in particular)—it isn't in its own right a very effective piece of writing. Belongs to Publisher SeriesTascabili [Bompiani] (1143) ContainsIs a retelling ofDistinctions
Tolkien's version of the great legend of Northern antiquity. In the first part, we follow the adventures of Sigurd, the slayer of Fafnir, and his betrothal to the Valkyrie Brynhild. In the second, the tragedy mounts to its end in the murder of Sigurd at the hands of his blood-brothers, the suicide of Brynhild, and the despair of Gudrún. No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)821.912Literature English & Old English literatures English poetry 1900- 1900-1999 1900-1945LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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