Old High German was spoken between the eighth and eleventh centuries, and a small but significant body of its literature has survived. This anthology brings together editions and translations of about a dozen poetic works, spanning subjects from religious devotion to historical narrative.
Excerpt:
The translations offered are intended to keep as close to the originals as possible in line for line renderings, while conveying at the same time some indication at least of the poetic form. This is, of course, an entirely hubristic aim, and it is either a help (by permitting a certain freedom of approach) or an additional hindrance that, as noted, many of the texts survive in a somewhat parlous state.
Who is this book for?
This collection of Old High German (with a couple of Old Saxon) poems will be valuable for anyone studying medieval Germany and its literature. The texts range widely in genre and subject, including a heroic tale, Christian verse, charms, and an account of a battle against the Vikings. It would also work well as a student reader.
Old High German Poetry: An Anthology
Edited & Translated by Brian Murdoch
Uppsala Books
ISBN: 978-1-961361-27-0
Old High German was spoken between the eighth and eleventh centuries, and a small but significant body of its literature has survived. This anthology brings together editions and translations of about a dozen poetic works, spanning subjects from religious devotion to historical narrative.
Excerpt:
The translations offered are intended to keep as close to the originals as possible in line for line renderings, while conveying at the same time some indication at least of the poetic form. This is, of course, an entirely hubristic aim, and it is either a help (by permitting a certain freedom of approach) or an additional hindrance that, as noted, many of the texts survive in a somewhat parlous state.
Who is this book for?
This collection of Old High German (with a couple of Old Saxon) poems will be valuable for anyone studying medieval Germany and its literature. The texts range widely in genre and subject, including a heroic tale, Christian verse, charms, and an account of a battle against the Vikings. It would also work well as a student reader.
The Editor
Brian Murdoch is an Emeritus Professor of German at the University of Stirling, who has done several translations of medieval texts. This includes Waltharius: The Latin Epic of Walther of Aquitaine and Three Political Tales from Medieval Germany.
You can learn more about this book from the publisher’s website.
You can buy this book on Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
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