Compare And Contrast Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

Part Four Compare and Contrast
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a widely known story, but since it was written so long ago, its actual text is very different from the english we speak and write in today. Because of this, there are many translations of the story out there. Each translation is a little different depending on the author, and has something unique to offer, but the two translations we focused on were Marie Borroff’s 1967 translation and the more recent translation by Simon Armitage in 2007. Although both of these translations tell the same story, they have some distinct differences, but also some similarities as well. Overall, both of these translations use the poetic devices particular to Sir Gawain, but Burroff’s translation

seems to flow easier and sound more poetic, while Armitage’s is less elegant sounding, but easier to understand.
While reading both of these translations, it is easy to see the use of poetic devices that are particular to the Sir Gawain story.

To start with, they both use the bob and wheel. All throughout their poems they have large stanzas followed by short five line bob and wheel sections, which sort of recap what happened in the large stanzas. In these bob and wheel sections is where rhyme is used. Although both translations seem to stick to a rhyme scheme of having the first, third and last lines rhyme, and then the second and fourth lines rhyme, Marie’s translation seem to do a much better job sticking to it. All throughout Part four of Marie’s translation she sticks to this rhyme scheme perfectly never straying. However, in Simon’s translation, although he seems to use this rhyme scheme as a reference, he sometimes comes up a little bit short rhyming words like ceased and these, and crammed and crowned. Another poetic device that both the translations use is alliteration. Their use of Alliteration is fairly similar, both translation using it often and purposefully, but not in every line. For example Marie’s line “Wild ways in the world our worthy knight rides,” and Simon writes “Gawain on Gringolet, by the grace of God.” Although they may each use the poetic devices a little differently, both translations use many of the poetic devices that are particular to the Sir Gawain

story.
Another thing to consider when reading different translations is the overall ability to understand what is actually happening in the story. While reading the end portion of part four of each of these translations, when Sir Gawain returns home, it was much easier to understand the details of what was going on in Simon’s version. His version is much newer and uses words that are more commonly used today, than those in Marie’s translation. Although Marie’s seems to be slightly more detailed in some descriptions, it is harder to understand exactly what is going is going on. So Although Marie’s translation may sound more poetic and provide more description, if you can figure out what she is talking about, Simon’s translation is definitely the better choice in the way of overall ability to understand.
While reading each of these translations, it is important that you take the good things that they have to offer. For example, Marie’s version offers beautiful writing, with perfect rhyme schemes and lots of detail, and Simon’s although lacking some of the rhyme scheme and detail provides for an easier read overall. So although, each of these translations tell the same story, you can get something very different from reading each of them.