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sevenlefts's review against another edition
3.0
A wonderful idea -- presenting Anglo-Saxon poems in the original side-by-side with their modern translations. Each poem translated by a different author -- some with more experience with Old English than others. I think it is so awesome that something like this exists.
Some of the poems really held my interest, while others did not. While the originals must have read as poetry, Anglo-Saxon meter is based more on alliteration, which can be hard to convey in translation -- with the result being that many of the translations didn't read as poetry to me. But the topics really resonated -- fear, glory, love, faith, and all the other things that make up lives, both then and now.
My favorite entries were the riddle hoards -- I'd gotten quite far through the book before realizing the answers were in the back. My success rate at guessing the answers was pretty abysmal. I especially appreciated the ones that lead one to believe one thing, but were really about another. Let's just say the one about something swinging by a man's thigh was not what I (or you!) thought it was.
For those interested, some of the poems in the book can be heard in the original at Poems Out Loud. They're wonderful to listen too -- it sounds like something that should be understandable, but isn't quite.
Although I'm not sure I can grasp all the wonderful things this book does, but I'm glad I read it.
Some of the poems really held my interest, while others did not. While the originals must have read as poetry, Anglo-Saxon meter is based more on alliteration, which can be hard to convey in translation -- with the result being that many of the translations didn't read as poetry to me. But the topics really resonated -- fear, glory, love, faith, and all the other things that make up lives, both then and now.
My favorite entries were the riddle hoards -- I'd gotten quite far through the book before realizing the answers were in the back. My success rate at guessing the answers was pretty abysmal. I especially appreciated the ones that lead one to believe one thing, but were really about another. Let's just say the one about something swinging by a man's thigh was not what I (or you!) thought it was.
For those interested, some of the poems in the book can be heard in the original at Poems Out Loud. They're wonderful to listen too -- it sounds like something that should be understandable, but isn't quite.
Although I'm not sure I can grasp all the wonderful things this book does, but I'm glad I read it.
abetterjulie's review against another edition
5.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this collection. With the information I've learned over the last few months from the History of English podcast, I was able to understand context better than maybe someone who would be coming to these poems unknowingly. The psychology of a warrior mindset combined with the conversion to Christianity is endlessly fascinating to me. When you add in riddles and charms, I'm sold.
Having the poems translated by different people is a stroke of genius. It makes the collection as a whole more accessible. I read from first page to last - straight through without growing bored or feeling weighted down by the tone. I will add here that the religious section is a bit tough if you aren't of that mindset. I may have skimmed some of the more fawning works.
I did get online and find various oral renditions in the Old English. Some of them were better than others, but all of them made me wish I could read the original included in the book.
Having the poems translated by different people is a stroke of genius. It makes the collection as a whole more accessible. I read from first page to last - straight through without growing bored or feeling weighted down by the tone. I will add here that the religious section is a bit tough if you aren't of that mindset. I may have skimmed some of the more fawning works.
I did get online and find various oral renditions in the Old English. Some of them were better than others, but all of them made me wish I could read the original included in the book.
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