Part 15 (1/2)

_Method of Translation._

The translation is intended for 'the general reader' and for the 'aid of students of the poem.' --Preface to second edition.

The translation is a literal line-for-line version. Of this feature of his work Professor Garnett says:--

'This involves naturally much inversion and occasional obscurity, and lacks smoothness; but it seemed to me to give the general reader a better idea of the poem than a mere prose translation would do, in addition to the advantage of literalness. While it would have been easy, by means of periphrasis and freer translation, to mend some of the defects chargeable to the line-for-line form, the translation would have lacked literalness, which I regarded as the most important object.' --Preface to the first edition.

_Nature of the Verse-form._

'In respect to the rhythmical form, I have endeavored to preserve two accents to each half-line, with caesura, and while not seeking alliteration, have employed it purposely wherever it readily presented itself. I considered that it mattered little whether the feet were iambi or trochees, anapaests or dactyls, the preservation of the two accents being the main point, and have freely made use of all the usual licences in Early English verse.... To attain this point I have sometimes found it necessary to place unemphatic words in accented positions, and words usually accented in unaccented ones, which licence can also be found in Early English verse.... While the reader of modern English verse may sometimes be offended by the ruggedness of the rhythm, it is hoped that the Anglo-Saxon scholar will make allowances for the difficulty of reproducing, even approximately, the rhythm of the original. The reproduction of the sense as closely as possible had to be kept constantly in view, even to the detriment of the smoothness of the rhythm.' --Preface to the first edition.

EXTRACT.

III.

Hunferth's taunt. The swimming-match with Breca. Joy in Heorot.

IX. Hunferth then spoke, the son of Ecglaf, Who at the feet sat of the lord of the Scyldings, 500 Unloosed his war-secret (was the coming of Beowulf, The proud sea-farer, to him mickle grief, For that he granted not that any man else Ever more honor of this mid-earth Should gain under heavens than he himself): 505 'Art thou that Beowulf who strove with Breca On the broad sea in swimming-match, When ye two for pride the billows tried And for vain boasting in the deep water Risked your lives. You two no man, 510 Nor friend nor foe, might then dissuade From sorrowful venture, when ye on the sea swam, When ye the sea-waves with your arms covered, Measured the sea-ways, struck with your hands, Glided o'er ocean; with its great billows 515 Welled up winter's flood. In the power of the waters Ye seven nights strove: he in swimming thee conquered, He had greater might. Then him in the morning On the Heath.o.r.emes' land the ocean bore up, Whence he did seek his pleasant home, 520 Dear to his people, the land of the Brondings His fair strong city, where he had people, A city and rings. All his boast against thee The son of Beanstan truly fulfilled.'

_Criticism of the Translation._

The translation, in its revised form, is throughout a faithful version of the original text. The fault of Garnett's translation is the fault of all merely literal translations--inadequacy to render fully the content of the original. The rendering may be word for word, but it will not be idea for idea. Examples of this inadequacy may be given from the printed extract. 'Grief' in line 502 is a very insufficient rendering of _aef-unca_, a unique word which suggests at once vexation, mortification, and jealousy. Had the poet simply meant to express the notion of _grief_, he would have used _sorh_, _cearu_, or some other common word. In line 508 'pride' hardly gives full expression to the idea of _wlence,_ which signifies not only _pride_, but _vain pride, of empty end_. In line 517 'conquered' is insufficient as a translation of _oferflat_, which means to _overcome in swimming, to outswim_.

Examples of this sort can be brought forward from any part of the poem.

At line 2544 Garnett translates--

Struggles of battle when warriors contended,

a translation of--

Gua ... onne hnitan fean

Here 'hnitan fean' refers to the swift clash in battle of two armed hosts, a notion which is ill borne out by the distributive 'warriors'

and the vague 'contended.'

At line 2598 we find--

they to wood went

for

h? on holt bugon,

which, whatever be the meaning of 'bugon,' is surely a misleading translation.