Rarely, if ever, in the past 600 years, have such public readings been given. Banned into obscurity under the tyrant Henry Bolingbroke, the poem only re-emerged in the 19th century, and did not appear in print until the 1890s. Since then there have been numerous stage productions, a feature film, radio performances (recently an abridged version by Sir Ian McKellen), and an opera by Sir Harrison Birtwistle. These have all made use of so-called “translations”
Wynne-Simmons has found this assumption to be completely untrue, and that audiences are well able to understand and be deeply moved by the power of the original verse. He says, “There was a time when the plays of Shakespeare were thought to be too difficult, and had to be brought up to date, or even translated into rhyming verse. We are making the same mistake with the Pearl/Gawain poetry. Fortunately the poems were never intended to be read in books, and when they are read aloud, the sound and rhythm of the language does so much to convey the meaning, that it is surprisingly easy for listeners to make good the odd word which is no longer in common use.”
Wynne-Simmons feels that it is a sad fact that translations are now standing in the way of a full appreciation of a poet who many now regard as the equal of Shakespeare. He goes on to say that “almost any translation of “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” is bound to be successful, as the original is a work of such towering genius. Written for the Christmas Feast of the Knights of the Garter, an annual event begun in 1350 under the Black Prince, this was the one poem which most clearly defined the meaning of chivalry, and gave rise to the philosophy which became known as “Renaissance Humanism”. It is one of our very greatest national treasures.”
Robert Wynne-Simmons is the writer of the classic horror film, “Blood on Satan’s Claw”, and director of the cult Irish movie, “The Outcasts”, and of the series of supernatural TV dramas, “When Reason Sleeps”. His plays, “Kurtz” and “The Deluge” were first performed in London last year. He is presently at work on a third play, “Green Grass Falls”, and two new feature films, “Waste” and “The Bridge”. He is also a composer, and has composed music for the Pearl Poetry, and a song cycle, “My Vagrant Muse”, to the lyrics of John Clare.
