SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT New Verse Translation by Benedict Flynn

In this Middle English romance, written by an unknown poet in the 14th century, Sir Gawain is challenged by a mysterious visitor to King Arthur's court, setting in motion a series of adventures. The original poem is written in a dialect of northwest England, and there is a hint of that region (almost certainly unintentional) in Jasper Britton's accent during his entertaining narration of this modern translation. Poetry of this period is alliterative, relying on the repetition of initial word sounds rather than rhyme, and this verse form can be cloying to modern ears. But Britton is entirely comfortable with the technique, and he captures the rhythm of the lines without overemphasizing the alliteration. D.B. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2008]