The Translations of Beowulf Part 24

'Gleichwol wird das Gedicht in deutscher Sprache noch wenig gelesen; und es mag darum gerechtfertigt sein, wenn auch ein weniger Berufener ein Scharflein zum weiteren Bekanntwerden dieses altehrwurdigen Erzeugnisses germanischen Geistes beitragen will.

Derselbe hat in seiner Uebersetzung, von welcher im Folgenden von 3184 Versen nur die ersten 826[1], namlich der Kampf Beowulfs mit Grendel mit vorausgehender Genealogie der danischen Konige, vorgefuhrt werden, alles vermieden, was dem Laien das Verstandnis erschweren konnte. Die am Schluss beigefugten mythologischen, historischen und geographischen Erlauterungen konnen auch denen willkommen sein, welche sich eingehender mit dem Gedicht beschaftigen wollen.' --Einleitung, 4.

_Text Used._

The text used is Heyne's edition of 1873 (see Einleitung, 4).

EXTRACT.

9.

Doch Hunferd, Ecglafs Sohn, der beim Gelage Zu Fussen Hrodgars, seines Herren, sa.s.s, War voll Verdruss, der Ruhm des Beowulf Erregte bittren Neid im Busen ihm.

Er konnte nicht ertragen, wenn beim Volke Ein andrer mehr gepriesen ward, als er.

Voll Aerger sucht' er Handel, also sprechend: 'Du bist gewiss der Beowulf, der einst Im Meer mit Breca um die Wette schwamm?

Ihr ma.s.set damals euch in kuhnem Wagen!

Das muhevolle Werk euch auszureden Vermochte niemand, tollkuhn setztet ihr Das Leben ein und schwammt ins Meer hinaus.

Zerteiltet mit den Armen kraftgemut Des Meeres Wogen, glittet rasch dahin In kalter Flut. Ihr muhtet sieben Nachte Euch ab, und endlich siegte Brecas Starke, Er war dir doch voran an Heldenkraft.

Ihn trug die Flut zur Morgenzeit hinauf Zum Hadoramenstrand. Von dort gelangt'

Er dann zu seiner Burg in Brondingland, Die, starkbefestigt, funkelndes Geschmied, Der Spangen und Juwelen viele birgt.

Es jubelte sein Volk dem Herren zu, Der kuhn sein Wort gelost, nachdem er so Im Wettkampf glanzend hatte obgesiegt!'

_Criticism of the Extract._

The translation is very free. Lines that are obscure in the original are not allowed to be obscure in the translation, even if they have to have a meaning read into them. For example, in the extract quoted above, _beadu-runen onband_ of the original is rendered 'sucht' er Handel,'

thoroughly intelligible, but not accurate. There is at times a tendency to paraphrase, or even to introduce an original sentence into the poem.

An example of this may be seen at the close of the first canto:--

'unerforschlich sind Und dunkel oft die Wege des Geschickes[2].' --Page 5, l. 54.

Words are occasionally omitted. In the extract above _ne leof ne la_ (l. 511) and _sunu Beanstanes_ (l. 524) are omitted in translation.

There are no lines in the original which correspond to the last line and a half of the extract.

Of course by adopting this method of translation the writer attains his purpose. His poem is readable, but readable at the expense of accuracy.

As a paraphrase, the version is commendable; but it is hardly of importance in any other way.

[Footnote 1: According to the Old English text, 836.]

[Footnote 2: The Old English reads:--

Men ne cunnon secgan to soe, sele-r?dende haele under heofenum, hwa ?m hlaeste onfeng. --Lines 50-52.]

GIBB'S PARAPHRASE

*Gudrun and other Stories, from the Epics of the Middle Ages, by John Gibb. M. j.a.pp & Company: London: Edinburgh (printed), 1881.

Gudrun, Beowulf, and Roland, with other mediaeval tales by John Gibb, with twenty ill.u.s.trations. Second edition. London: T. Fisher Unwin, 1884 (1883).

8vo, _Beowulf_, pp. 135-168, with three ill.u.s.trations[1].

A Paraphrase in English Prose.

_Aim of the Volume._

'I have not translated them (the poems) literally, but have told their stories faithfully in simple language, with the special design of interesting young people, although I am not without hope that they will be read by some who can no longer be called young.'

--Prefatory Note.

_Nature of the Paraphrase._

The following parts are omitted: (1) All episodes except the Prolog; (2) All lines that do not have to do directly with the story; (3) All the descriptive adjectives and kennings of the poem.

Gibb seems to care nothing for the beauties of the style. How much he has sacrificed may be seen by noting his rendering of the celebrated description of Grendel's haunt:--

'I know not their home. It is in a dark lake overshadowed by trees. Into that lake the stag will not plunge, even although the hounds are close upon it, so fearful and unholy is the place.'

An ill.u.s.tration of the same thing may be seen by noting the omission of phrases from the swimming-match.

EXTRACT.

But Hunferth, the son of Ecglaf, who sat at the feet of King Hrothgar, was displeased. He was grieved that any hero should come to the land boasting that he could do what no one among the Danes could do. He said scornfully to Beowulf--

'Tell me, art thou the Beowulf whom Breca overcame in a swimming match? I heard the tale. You both ventured out like foolish men among the waves in the days of winter. For seven nights you swam together, but Breca was the stronger. Thou wilt have a worse defeat shouldst thou venture to meet Grendel in the darkness of the night.' --Page 144.

_Criticism of the Paraphrase._

In comparison with the work of Mr. Jones[2], it may be said that Mr.

Gibb's paraphrase is fuller, reproduces more events, and follows more faithfully the original order. He supplies fewer explanatory words and sentences. But, on the other hand, Mr. Gibb's work, unlike Mr. Jones's, has no merits of style--it is all on a dead level of prose. Thus it sins against one of the laws of paraphrase: that the writer, in relieving himself of the exacting duties of translator, must present the story in a more literary and more truly adequate medium. Mr. Gibb's is one of the poorer paraphrases.

_Indebtedness to Arnold._

At page 280 of the concluding chapter, the author speaks of the history and character of the poem. It will be found on reference to this section that the author is a follower of the views set forth in the edition of Mr. Thomas Arnold[3]. It is probable that Mr. Gibb was indebted to this book for much of his paraphrase, but the free character of the version prevents any decision on this point.

[Footnote 1: Woodcuts; two of them are identical with the ones given in the Wagner-MacDowall paraphrase: see infra, p. 130.]

[Footnote 2: See supra, p. 123.] [[Sandras]]

[Footnote 3: See supra, p. 71.] [[Arnold]]