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Reviews
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl, and Sir Orfeo by J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien
izar's review against another edition
3.0
A REVIEW OF EACH OF THE POEMS
Sir Gawain and The Green Knight ⭐⭐⭐
as simple and somewhat repetitive as it may be, it has been interesting to read something related to the Arthurian Cycle, also, the unlikely roundness of its main character is sort of new to see in these knights' stories.
Pear ⭐⭐
The beginning stanzas are heartbreaking, however, the poem is more about the Christian doctrine than just a lament over the grief of the character’s baby, and it is rather boring (?)
Sir Orfeo ⭐⭐⭐
Look, this is more personal and the only reason I’m writing this review here which I don’t normally do. I was excited to read this medieval retelling of the Orpheus myth, as it has been my favourite story forever. It started and it was going marvelously for the most part, the verses were great and the atmosphere the poem was conveying reminded me a lot of the pre raphaelite art. THE PROBLEM COMES WITH THE ENDING. I understand it is a retelling, that changes are acceptable and maybe society demanded that type of happy ending (I AM FULL DEFENSOR OF THAT!!!!), but to write a happy ending for this exact story is not understanding the myth. Orpheus losing Euridice is the VITAL and SOLELY purpose of the story, the fact that even though our objective is near it is not ours yet and we have the need to keep trying to obtain it. It is also why this specific myth gets so many retellings and why these NEED to have that ending, it is the reflection of the human spirit, to keep trying even though we fail, to keep telling the story, even though the main pair separates. I might be overdramatic over this but this is my shit idc.
Sir Gawain and The Green Knight ⭐⭐⭐
as simple and somewhat repetitive as it may be, it has been interesting to read something related to the Arthurian Cycle, also, the unlikely roundness of its main character is sort of new to see in these knights' stories.
Pear ⭐⭐
The beginning stanzas are heartbreaking, however, the poem is more about the Christian doctrine than just a lament over the grief of the character’s baby, and it is rather boring (?)
Sir Orfeo ⭐⭐⭐
Look, this is more personal and the only reason I’m writing this review here which I don’t normally do. I was excited to read this medieval retelling of the Orpheus myth, as it has been my favourite story forever. It started and it was going marvelously for the most part, the verses were great and the atmosphere the poem was conveying reminded me a lot of the pre raphaelite art. THE PROBLEM COMES WITH THE ENDING. I understand it is a retelling, that changes are acceptable and maybe society demanded that type of happy ending (I AM FULL DEFENSOR OF THAT!!!!), but to write a happy ending for this exact story is not understanding the myth. Orpheus losing Euridice is the VITAL and SOLELY purpose of the story, the fact that even though our objective is near it is not ours yet and we have the need to keep trying to obtain it. It is also why this specific myth gets so many retellings and why these NEED to have that ending, it is the reflection of the human spirit, to keep trying even though we fail, to keep telling the story, even though the main pair separates. I might be overdramatic over this but this is my shit idc.
setlledbullet9's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
scastricato1's review against another edition
2.0
I actually only read sir Gawain and the green knight. This was just not really my cup of tea. Fun plot twist but I was also really bored and the poem is only a hundred pages so that’s not a good sign
lizzye33's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
ronanmcd's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
It's ok. It's a medieval poem. I didn't expect much more than I got. The motivation of the characters is a little confusing, maybe I need to brush up on my chivalric ideals. Or maybe not.
cultneophyte7's review against another edition
4.0
I've always been fascinated by Arthurian legends, ever since childhood. And when the talk followed the A24 trailer reveal, I found myself wanting to read this Middle English romance which I had never really gotten around to. Unsure which translation to go for, Professor Tolkien's seemed like as fine an option as any, because, well, you can't really go wrong with one of your favorite wordsmiths. This despite a close friend heavily pointing me towards Samuel Armitage's rendition instead.
This was lovely, to put it simply. Tolkien's poetry at his finest, it was lucid and flowery at the same time. And it just flowed. Made me realise how much I've missed reading Tolkien, and poetry to a larger extent, two things that need to change soon. As for the tale, there's not much to be said, for it is a classic. I found myself getting increasingly anxious as to what lay in store for Gawain, despite already having an inkling of what was to entail. Great tale, brilliantly narrated. And now I'm actually pretty excited for the A24's horror take, for if there was one story that could benefit from that spin, it would be this.
Didn't read Pearl or Sir Orfeo, but might soon.
(Off topic, but I'm just realising with all the Arthurian wordplay prevelant in Wheel of Time, Gawyn was a take on Gawain? A lot of similarities in the characters too, more than a lot.)
This was lovely, to put it simply. Tolkien's poetry at his finest, it was lucid and flowery at the same time. And it just flowed. Made me realise how much I've missed reading Tolkien, and poetry to a larger extent, two things that need to change soon. As for the tale, there's not much to be said, for it is a classic. I found myself getting increasingly anxious as to what lay in store for Gawain, despite already having an inkling of what was to entail. Great tale, brilliantly narrated. And now I'm actually pretty excited for the A24's horror take, for if there was one story that could benefit from that spin, it would be this.
Didn't read Pearl or Sir Orfeo, but might soon.
(Off topic, but I'm just realising with all the Arthurian wordplay prevelant in Wheel of Time, Gawyn was a take on Gawain? A lot of similarities in the characters too, more than a lot.)
bluelilyblue's review against another edition
3.0
Tolkien's translation of Sir Gawain is not the best out there (although he tries to keep the alliterative verse that the original poem employs)--a better verse translation, I would say, is Marie Borroff's and can be found in the Norton Anthology.
Pearl was a bit of a snore. I can appreciate it as a highly intellectual piece of writing, but as someone who's not that big of a Bible connoisseur, the parables and references went right over my head. The message it seems to put forward (that parents should not mourn their dead babies because..... um.... they're in a better place now?) doesn't impress me all that much. Or at all.
I liked Sir Orfeo! Myth reimaginations were as common back in the Middle Ages as they are now (perhaps even more so?). Obviously, it makes me painfully aware of how little we know of Medieval culture and just how much we have to infer, suppose, and imagine in order to understand these literary works. It's fun to read and fun to break down and analyse!
Pearl was a bit of a snore. I can appreciate it as a highly intellectual piece of writing, but as someone who's not that big of a Bible connoisseur, the parables and references went right over my head. The message it seems to put forward (that parents should not mourn their dead babies because..... um.... they're in a better place now?) doesn't impress me all that much. Or at all.
I liked Sir Orfeo! Myth reimaginations were as common back in the Middle Ages as they are now (perhaps even more so?). Obviously, it makes me painfully aware of how little we know of Medieval culture and just how much we have to infer, suppose, and imagine in order to understand these literary works. It's fun to read and fun to break down and analyse!
7vite's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0