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Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

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Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

By: Simon Armitage - translator
Narrated by: Simon Armitage
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When the mysterious Green Knight arrives unbidden at the Round Table one Christmas, only Gawain is brave enough to take up his challenge . . .

This story, first told in the 1400s, is one of the most enthralling, dramatic and beloved poems in the English tradition. Now, in Simon Armitage, the poem has found its perfect modern translator. Armitage's retelling of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight captures all of the magic and wonderful storytelling of the original while also revitalising it with his own popular, funny and contemporary voice.

©2007 Simon Armitage (P)2008 Faber Audio Ancient, Classical & Medieval Literature Classics European Literary History & Criticism Poetry World Literature Funny
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Critic reviews

"Armitage makes it utterly, even compulsively readable, and as fresh as it must have been in 1400." (Sunday Herald)

"Terrific." (Independent on Sunday)
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Wonderfully accessible and enjoyable translation. Read excellently by the author. A great Christmas listen. Highly recommend

Fantastic translation

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Was ok, im glad it all tied in at the end as it seemed to take a major deviation. Quite preachy and old fashioned but had some fun phrases in places

Oldie

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Love it and Simon’s narration might not be to everyone’s liking but I felt that it added greatly to the experience

Excellent book

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love his accent translation and reading , as atmospheric as the tale itself, a perfect match.
The bloody hunting and butchery descriptions have a disgusting beauty.

incredible

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Somehow never had read this during years of studying English literature and thought it might be more a ‘good to have read it at last’ rather than the ‘I absolutely love this in every way’ experience it was. Armitage captures both the literary/oral tradition of the time (the triple alliterations for example) and the vernacular of now, which really gave a sense of how captivating such a tale would have been for listeners at the time (and showing how it remains so too with much to speak to today). In short I enjoyed this take and the reading so much and listened on a long drive through Northumbria which felt just right. This just unfurled in my visual imagination and has resonated long after. One of my favourite listens.

Beautiful version and reading

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