Welcome to Litsy!

#aprilpoetrychallenge
#nationalpoetrymonth
@wanderinglynn

#green
#sirgawainandthegreenknight

I spent 5.5 months working in this. Piers is important historically, both linguistically and politically. When the peasants revolted in 1381, this work, with its commoner plowman religious hero, was cited. It was popular amongst the underclasses (even if they were largely illiterate). Intellectually it‘s interesting in that it‘s inconclusive. Our author never resolves his issues. But, artistically it‘s only ok. It was work. I‘m glad I‘m done.

Random book from our home library:

📖 Medieval English Verse and Prose edited by Loomis & Willard

★★★★☆

This translation was, at times, both easier and more difficult than others I have read.

p. 14
'Then they showed forth the shield, that shone all red,
With the pentangle portrayed in purest gold.
About his broad neck by the baldric he casts it,
That was meet for the man, and matched him well.
...
For it is a figure formed of five points,
And each line is linked and locked with the next
For ever and ever, and hence it is called
In England, as I hear, the endless knot.'

p. 7
'And so I call in this court for a Christmas game,
For 'tis Yule and New Year, and many young bloods about;
If any in this house such hardihood claims,
Be so bold in his blood, his brain so wild,
As stoutly to strike one stroke for another,
I shall give him as my gift this gisarme noble,
This ax, that is heavy enough, to handle as he likes,
And I shall bide the first blow, as bare as I sit.
⬇️

Started Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: A New Verse Translation by Marie Borroff

Join me on LibraryThing, BookWyrm, & Goodreads @bibliothecarivs.

A fascinating book with a sense of humor! I love linguistic history and this book really delved deep. I learned all kinds of fascinating nuggets. For example, did you know that the “hus” in “husband” and the “house” in “housewife” come from the same thing?! The author did share some opinions that I side-eyed as on the border of TERFy. Note: the title is a little misleading; this book is very specifically about English.

It's that time of the year to re-read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 💚❤️💚
This time around, it's Simon Armitage's revised translation, with lots of luscious illustrations. When I first flicked through this version, it didn't sit well with me, but as I'm actually sitting down with it to read through, it's actually flowing nicely.
🙇🏻🩸🪓🧌

Day 3 of my bookish holiday calendar! Canterbury Tales! 😍📚