idnib Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/mar/19/jrr-tolkien-beowulf-translation-published Here's a link to a well-known lecture of Tolkien's about Beowulf: http://teacherweb.com/NJ/DeptfordTownshipHighSchool/MrMosiondz/Tolkien-Beowulf-the-Monsters-amp-the-Critics.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 So exciting!! I know dd is going to want a copy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/mar/19/jrr-tolkien-beowulf-translation-published Anyone else think that Simon Armitage's comments sounded pretty snotty? Implying that the reason Tolkein didn't publish it himself was because he didn't think it was good enough... referring to his translation of Gawain as "linguistic chicanery" ... saying he can picture Tolkein's Beowulf on the shelf at Waterstone's (a chain like Barnes & Noble) next to the boxed DVD of Game of Thrones? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 Anyone else think that Simon Armitage's comments sounded pretty snotty? Implying that the reason Tolkein didn't publish it himself was because he didn't think it was good enough... referring to his translation of Gawain as "linguistic chicanery" ... saying he can picture Tolkein's Beowulf on the shelf at Waterstone's (a chain like Barnes & Noble) next to the boxed DVD of Game of Thrones? I didn't reD the article. But dd and I read Tolkien's recently released partial Fall of Arthur plus all of the commentary/comparisons of individual lines, translations, etc. I would definitely say Tolkien probably doubted its being good enough. As far as the comment about Gawain, I love the Tolkien translation, but I do not know enough to judge its actual value. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeindeed Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 I'm looking forward to this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. A Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 I'll be excited to read this! Thanks for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted March 20, 2014 Author Share Posted March 20, 2014 Anyone else think that Simon Armitage's comments sounded pretty snotty? Implying that the reason Tolkein didn't publish it himself was because he didn't think it was good enough... referring to his translation of Gawain as "linguistic chicanery" ... saying he can picture Tolkein's Beowulf on the shelf at Waterstone's (a chain like Barnes & Noble) next to the boxed DVD of Game of Thrones? Yes, absolutely. When I read the article before posting it I was skimming by the end but I went back and read it and I agree with you. Very backhanded, no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 Even if his points about Tolkein's translations have merit, I think he could have made them in a less sniffy way — e.g., saying that Tolkein's translation of Gawain takes more liberties than his own, or whatever. I just thought his overall tone, especially the comment implying that the popularity of the Hobbit & LOTR movies was the main reason for publishing the Beowulf translation, and that it basically belonged in the same category as the Game of Thrones DVDs, was just snide. Like "I, Simon Armitage, am a true poet and scholar; Tolkein was just a popular novelist." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin'sMom Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 I love Seamus Heaney's translation. I have the book and also the audio CD, which I could listen to all day, every day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 Ds's eyebrows popped, "That's gotta be good." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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