aesopsdaddy's review against another edition
5.0
My favourite Medieval writer. Not a fan of a lot of texts I read during the term on this period but this poem packed such a poignant punch; I’m rarely moved by antique texts such as this due to the language which can seem foreign, so this is rare. However, Heaney’s translation is fantastic and captures the brogue of the tragedy well. I’d still recommend reading Henryson’s text afterwards in a Scottish accent and the Middle Scots language will come to life. Though to appreciate it proper you probably would need to read Chaucer’s Troilus and Criseyde or Shakespeare’s version to get a sense of the story (or at least a summary) since he carries on the plot, if you’re looking to delve into some old English texts, look no further than this. By no means a long read and there’s a handful of fun fables to wash the heartache down with.
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