The seafarer essaysin the seafarer, translated by burton raffel, an old sailor expresses his emotions about his life on the sea and how he is affected in a sorrowful way. My modern english translation appears on the right. Those who are not only interested in old english literature but also charmed by burton raffels masterful translation should pick up signets 1999 reprint of raffels beowulf. The seafarer poem project gutenberg selfpublishing. Kennedy the wifes lament, translated by ann stanford reading warmup a read the following passage. Pdf the seafarer translated by burton raffel giacomo. The speaker of the seafarer announces that he can make a true song about himself and the suffering he has endured while traveling over the ocean in the middle of winter. Poems and prose from the old english pdf free download epdf. In fact, because shmoop s anglosaxon is a little rusty, too, well be using this translation for our summary and analysis.
Aug 27, 2010 posted by kevin august 27, 2010 2 comments on the seafarer audio recording a lot of people have been coming finding this site while looking for information about the anlgosaxon poem, the seafarer. Gordon produced the first modern scholarly edition focused the seafarer in 1960. Burton raffel s translation of the seafarer isone of several attempts to capture the feeling and style of the old english poem. In contrast the first voice is full of sadness and hopelessness. The seafarer summary the speaker of the seafarer announces that he can make a true song about himself and the suffering he has endured while traveling over the ocean in the middle of winter. Bitter breastcares have i abided, known on my keel many a cares hold, and dire seasurge, and there i oft spent narrow nightwatch nigh the ships head. What is strong throughout the first part of the poem. In the seafarer, translated by burton raffel the lines that best represent heroism are this tale is true and mine. The seafarer ppt 1 the seafarer translated by burton.
Burch the seafarer is an old english anglosaxon poem whose author is unknown. View the seafarer ppt 1 from english 1010 at ellicott senior high school. The seafarer a new freely downloadable translation. Old english, the earliest ancestor of modern english, is the name given to the. It tells how the sea took me, swept me back and forth in sorrow and fear and pain showed me suffering in a hundred ships in. Jan 21, 2017 images have been used for illustrative purposes. It tells how the sea took me, swept me back and forth in sorrow and fear and pain. Beowulf audiobook translated by burton raffel youtube.
The poem is told in two distinctly different voices. The seafarer translated by burton raffel the seafarer, an anonymous poem of uncertain date, was found in the so. The first response of the seafarer to the sea was his physical safety in there, because cold and the freeze of water that got inside his boat was affecting him, to the point were he felt his feet almost frost, with barely any movement like the feel of chains. The seafarer is an old english poem by an anonymous poet. The version by raffel seems less foreign and confusing, but it loses some of its complexity and overall poetic feel. Burton raffel reads lines 86315 chapters 14, 399455 chapter 6, 710836 chapters 1112, and 4582 chapter 20. Beowulf is an old english epic poem written anonymously around 975 ad. What attractive power does the sea have on the seafarer in the seafarer. It snowed from the north, binding the earth in ice. See a complete list of the characters in beowulf and indepth analyses of beowulf, grendel, hrothgar, unferth, wiglaf, grendels mother, and the dragon. Read another modern english translation, such as that of j.
I have concluded with line 99, as did pound, for artistic coherence, and from lack of sympathy with the undistinguished ending of the manuscript. What gives a man or a woman their identity in this society. Storms, on the stonecliffs beaten, fell on the stern. In addition to these and other secular poems, the exeter book contains religious verse, nearly 100 riddles, and a heroic narrative. How do the qualities that define them express the values of. The seafarer is a 124line poem written in old english that scholars often view as a companion piece to the wanderer. The seafarer, an anonymous poem of uncertain date, was found in the so called exeter book, one of the four important collections of anglosaxon poetry that have survived.
The seafarer translated by burton raffel online text. The seafarer is one of the most famous anglosaxon elegies and is found only in the exeter book. The seafarer is an anglosaxon poem found in the exeter book, or the codex exoniensis, which was transcribed by christian monks in the tenth century. Exeter book the seafarer summary and analysis gradesaver. The original anglosaxon poem, generally categorized as an elegy or lament, appears on the left. How do the qualities that define them express the values of our culture. Considerably longer than the seafarer elegy, this epic narrates the exploits of some of the great heroes of the germanic tribal past. Compare the two versions of the seafarer by raffel and pound and give reasoning for why one is a better translation, in terms of preserving the anglosaxon poetic tradition and the overall feel of the poem. The anglosaxon poem the seafarer translated by burton raffel narrates a mans physical journey to the sea and also his spiritual journey. Pdf the seafarer translated by burton raffel giacomo demarchi. It has most often, though not always, been categorised as an elegy, a poetic genre commonly. Regardless, the expression of strong emotion is the key. Books like the seafarer by anonymous suggested reading. The seafarer, translated by burton raffel the wayfarer, translated by charles w.
Blog assignment the seafarer translated by burton raffel. This is a ppt that i use to walk through the seafarer anglo saxon elegy with students. For further study the seafarer was first discovered in the exeter book, a handcopied manuscript containing the largest known collection of old english poetry, which is kept at exeter cathedral, england. Bibliographytranslation of the seafarer by burton raffeltranslation of the seafarer by. The seafarer translated by burton raffel on page 79. Burton raffel translates from the old english the wanderer this lonely traveller longs for grace, for the mercy of god. The seafarer is an old english poem giving a firstperson account of a man alone on the sea. The seafarer translated by burton raffel composed by an unknown poet part of the exeter book the exeter book was given to. He remembers terrible cold and loneliness, and hearing the sounds of seabirds instead of the mead hall. Fatalism was a common belief in anglosaxon poetry and life in general.
Namedatethe seafarer, translated by burton raffelthe wanderer, translated by charles kennedythe wifes lament, translated by ann stanfordselection. This would involve a fictional speaker and a subject that may be loss other than death. Test for the seafarer translated by burton raffel on the line provided, write the letter of the best answer to each of the following items. Bibliographytranslation of the seafarer by burton raffeltranslation of the seafarer by ezra pound. Comparison of translations of the seafarer by burton. The exeter book was given to exeter cathedral in the 11th century. Even in its translated form, the seafarer provides an accurate portrait. These two voices speak in different tones and they also speak of very different things. Poems and prose from the old english t r a n s l a t e d by b u r t o n raffel e d i t e d by a l e x a n d r a h.
The speakers feelings for the sea are best described as. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Read an overview of the entire poem or a line by line summary and analysis. It contained a collection of anglosaxon manuscripts. I set the first half of the poem in burton raffels magical translation for acting cello, and a film version of the piece is nearing completion. Well give you the original, but if your anglosaxon isnt up to snuff whose is, really. Burton raffel reads lines 86315 chapters 14, 399455 chapter 6, 710836 chapters 1112, and 4582. How does the poem begin this tale is true and mine. Burton nathan raffel april 27, 1928 september 29, 2015 was an american translator, a poet and a teacher.
Comparison of translations of the seafarer by burton raffel and ezra pound essay sample. Seafowls, loudness was for me laughter, the mews singing all my meaddrink. The seafarer translated by burton raffel this tale is true, and mine. Burton raffel translates from the old english the wanderer. The seafarer translated by burton raffel10 donow 1.
All three poems survive in the exeter book, a manuscript of anglosaxon poems produced by a single scribe around a. The seafarer translated by burton raffel the seafarer, an anonymous poem of uncertain date, wasfound in the socalled exeter book, one of the four important collections of anglosaxon poetry that have survived. How to preserve the initial sense while translating. In this restructured and greatly expanded version of burton raffels outofprint. Documents for beowulf translated by burton raffel full text. It tells of smashing surf when i sweated in the cold of an anxious watch, perched in the bow. Posted by kevin august 27, 2010 2 comments on the seafarer audio recording a lot of people have been coming finding this site while looking for information about the anlgosaxon poem, the seafarer.
The seafarer has its origins in the old english period of english literature, 450. Use a separate sheet of paper for your written answers. Can be considered an elegy, or mournful, contemplative poem. I can tell the true riddle of my own self, and speak of my experiences how i have often suffered times of hardship in days of toil, how i have endured cruel anxiety at heart and experienced many anxious lodgingplaces afloat, and the terrible surging of the waves. Klinck included the poem in her compendium edition of old english elegies in 1992. Hardcore enthusiasts of old english literature and burton raffel will also want to read poems and prose from the old english, translated and edited by burton raffel with the editorial assistance of alexandra hennessey olsen in yale university presss 1998 reissue of an entirely restructured and expanded version of raffel s outofprint classic. He longs for happiness but is unable to find it in a world controlled by fate. In the seafarer, translated by burton raffel, an old sailor expresses his emotions about his life on the sea and how he is affected in a sorrowful way. Posted by kevin august 27, 2010 2 comments on the seafarer audio recording. The wanderer this lonely traveller longs for grace, for the mercy of god.
Comments about the seafarer by ezra pound jim fitton 22018 4. What does it mean to be alone in a world blown clear of love. It tells how the sea took me, swept me back and forth in sorrow and fear and pain, showed me suffering in a hundred ships, 5 in a thousand ports, and in me. Hard core enthusiasts of old english literature and burton raffel will. Pound does a superior job of mixing anglosaxon tradition with modern english words. Hardcore enthusiasts of old english literature and burton raffel will also want to read poems and prose from the old english, translated and edited by burton raffel with the editorial assistance of alexandra hennessey olsen in yale university presss 1998 reissue of an entirely restructured and expanded version of raffels outofprint. Theres a lot of alliteration in anglo saxon poetry.
The poem consists of 124 lines, followed by the single word amen and is recorded only at folios 81 verso 83 recto of the exeter book, one of the four surviving manuscripts of old english poetry. The 124line poem is told from the point of view of a lonely seafarer. Translated by burton raffel the seafarer 1st hour genius. The poem consists of 124 lines, followed by the single word amen and is recorded only at folios 81 verso 83 recto 1 of the exeter book, one of the four surviving manuscripts of old english poetry.
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