When students cannot easily read a medieval text in its original language (be it Old or Middle English, Old or Middle French), we need to have recourse to translations. But translations vary widely in quality and accuracy, and how well they please their readers. You have seen, for instance, that when we read Chrétien de Troyes's romances, Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart, or Yvain, we used prose translations, even though those texts were originally written in verse form.
Below is an example of some of the great differences that exist in translations of one of the greatest poems of the English Middle Ages, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. I have reproduced here the opening lines and examples of three translations of the text to give you a flavor of some of the difficulties of translation.
Which of the three translations do you prefer? Which of the three translations is your least favorite? Defend your choices, as the discussions come up in class, or post your reactions to the Discussion Board.
One further note: One of the "peculiarities" of medieval literature (and often unsettling for modern audiences) is the fact that there are many variations on the spelling of any given name. (We have seen this already with "Guenevere," for instance). In the Gawain manuscript (the unique copy of the poem that has come down to us), the following spellings for Gawain's name appear: Gawayn, Gawayne, Gawan, Gawen, Gauayn, Gauan, Wawan, Wawen, Wowen, and Wowayn! Is it any wonder, then, that there is going to be an enormous variety in the translations? in interpretations?
1) Since the siege and the assault was ceased at Troy,
2) The walls breached and burnt down to brands and ashes,
3) The knight that had knotted the nets of deceit
4) Was impeached for his perfidy, proven most true,
5) It was high-born Aeneas and his haughty race
6) That since prevailed over the provinces, and proudly reigned
7) Over well-nigh all the wealth of the West Isles.
8) Great Romulus to Rome repairs in haste;
9) With boast and with bravery builds he that city
10) And names it with his own name, that it now bears.
11) Ticius to Tuscany, and towers raises,
12) Langobard in Lombardy lays out homes,
13) And far over the French Sea, Felix Brutus
14) On many broad hills and high Britain he sets,
15) Most fair.
16) Where war and wrack and wonder
17) By shifts have sojourned there,
18) And bliss by turns with blunder
19) In that land's lot had share.
1) Once the siege and assault had done for Troy,
2) And the city was smashed, burned to ashes,
3) The traitor whose tricks had taken Troy
4) For the Greeks, Aeneas the noble, was exiled,
5) For Achilles' death, for concealing his killer,
6) And he and his tribe made themselves lords
7) Of the western islands, rulers of provinces,
8) And rich: high-handed Romulus made Rome
9) Out of nothing, built it high and blessed it
10) With his name, the name we know; and Tirrus
11) Father of Tuscan founded towns;
12) And the Lombards planted a land, and Brutus
13) Split the sea, sailed from France
14) To England and opened cities on slopes
15) And hills,
16) Where war and marvels
17) Take turns with peace,
18) Where sometimes lightning trouble
19) Has struck, and sometimes soft ease.
1) The siege and the assault being ceased at Troy,
2) The battlements broken down and burnt to brands and ashes,
3) The treacherous trickster whose treasons there flourished
4) Was famed for his falsehood, the foulest on earth.
5) Aeneas the noble and his knightly kin
6) Then conquered kingdoms, and kept in their hand
7) Wellnigh all the wealth of the western lands.
8) Royal Romulus to Rome first turned,
9) Set up the city in splendid pomp,
10) Then named her with his own name, which now she still has:
11) Ticius founded Tuscany, townships raising,
12) Longbeard in Lombardy lifed up homes,
13) And far over the French flood Felix Brutus
14) On many spacious slopes set Britain with joy
15) And grace;
16) Where war and feud and wonder
17) Have ruled the realm a space,
18) And after, bliss and blunder
19) By turns have run their race.