Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Newer Edition Available

Bernard O'Donoghue's 2006 translation of Sir Gawain has the lilt one would expect in Irishman to lend the poem. O'Donoghue explains that he chose to render his version in plain modern verse because the "Alliterative Revival" of the original text put more emphasis on rhythmic patterns than on meter or rhyme. The result (which is presented in the traditional format) is a beautiful, immensely readable, and highly enjoyable translation that does no violence to the tone or attitude of the original poem. This one is used by Memoria Press with their Sir Gawain Study Guide.