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Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
- Narrated by: Simon Armitage
- Length: 2 hrs and 28 mins
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Ancient, Classical & Medieval Literature
Non-member price: $20.28
Publisher's Summary
A complete and unabridged recording of Simon Armitage's hugely successful translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, read by the author. When the mysterious Green Knight arrives unbidden at the Round Table one Christmas, only Gawain is brave enough to take up his challenge.... This story, first told in the 1400s, is one of the most enthralling, dramatic and beloved poems in the English tradition.
Now, in Simon Armitage, the poem has found its perfect modern translator. Armitage's retelling of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight captures all of the magic and wonderful storytelling of the original while also revitalising it with his own popular, funny and contemporary voice.
Simon Armitage was born in West Yorkshire in 1963. In 1992 he was winner of one of the first Forward Prizes and a year later was the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year. He works as a freelance writer, broadcaster and playwright and has written extensively for radio and television. Previous titles include Kid, Book of Matches, The Dead Sea Poems, CloudCuckooLand, Killing Time, The Universal Home Doctor, Homer's Odyssey and Tyrannosaurus Rex versus The Corduroy Kid.
Critic Reviews
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What listeners say about Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Mark
- 29-12-2019
I’m glad I read and listened to it but I’m more thankful that it’s now over!
Whilst I appreciate that Simon Armitage has translated this classic old English poem into a contemporary voice and I enjoyed his playful alliterations and poetic reading, I found part 3 - by far the longest section at 51 minutes - so tiresome, repetitive and predictable that it counter balanced any other charm to the point where finishing the poem was as much a trial as Gawain’s own quest.
I question whether it has any value for me beyond a museum curiosity.
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- Anonymous User
- 09-01-2019
A great translation
Simon Armitage's translation of "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" is mesmerising and elegant. The power and beauty of the celebrated romance of the Middle Ages live within this translation of the 21st century, and still it speaks to us with its mysticism, vibrant sensuality, heroism and ultimately with its medieval humanism. Simon Armitage's translation echoes the poetic voice and rhythm of the original version of the poem.
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- Pagespinner
- 07-11-2017
Armitage's Triumph
It was with some misgiving that I chose this recording, for two reasons. Firstly, this is perhaps the greatest poem in the English Language, but it was written in the Fourteenth Century in alliterative verse, a form which had then been traditional for over 700 years, but was soon to be displaced by foreign ones. For this the Gawain Poet's contemporary, Geoffrey Chaucer, can be held partly responsible.
The result is that any translation which tries to capture the mediaeval English risks sounding silly or artificial, but to Armitage's great credit he has adapted the alliterative technique so well that the story flows naturally and convincingly, something that its other translators don't always achieve. Moreover, the set pieces of the source - such as the opening ones of the epic sweep of the founding of Britain, Christmas at Camelot, the Green Knight's challenge, the passing of the year and the ironic arming of Gawain - almost hold the impact of the original. This is a tremendous tale, whose narrator has a knowing grasp of relationships, morality and the trials of adolescence, and whose plot contains twists and turns almost worthy of a modern psychological novel. Armitage, it must be admitted, does it proud in this version.
Secondly, one of Armitage's trademarks, a quite mournful delivery with falling cadences, could have undermined his material. In fact, perhaps because he has confidence in his interpretation of the lines, perhaps because his West Yorkshire timbre captures something of the Cheshire-Derbyshire dialect of the source, it somehow works. No matter how familiar you might be with the story you will find yourself close at Gawain's side as he overcomes perils both external and internal, and the narration serves rather than hinders this relationship.
It is not entirely perfect - Armitage's mangling of the odd French phrase does the author some mischief, and there is the occasional infelicitous choice of words - but the achievement is such a labour of love - an overwhelming triumph, even - that these minor faults (like Gawain's) are easily forgiven. I don't believe Armitage has yet to record his translation of Pearl, which is from the same manuscript, but if he does he has won over this customer at least.
32 people found this helpful
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- fiona hargreaves
- 20-04-2020
Great story, but gruesome hunting descriptions
the gruesome hunting descriptions made it an uncomfortable listen at times. The language was poetic and wonderful.
2 people found this helpful
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- Kindle Customer
- 17-10-2020
Hear it as poetry, not a foreign language exercise
As a student I read this in the original. It was enjoyable but a bit of a struggle. Listening to this translation put me closer to the experience of the first audience.
1 person found this helpful
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- MrsAmazon
- 11-04-2021
wonderful
amazing, in awe of Armitage's translation and epic delivery. highly recommended. thoroughly enjoyable story.
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- Amazon Customer
- 13-01-2021
Poor sound
Sounded like the Narrator was in a tin can
Not sure of the literal translation
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- Richard
- 28-12-2020
Beautiful poetic translation Zed
Beautiful poetic translation and brought to life by Simon Armitage in an authentic northern accent.
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