What a wonderful story! I loved reading Bede in graduate school, but Layamon is new to me. I can feel the life-force in those venerable inscriptions of his name and place and profession and paternity. For a priest, he seems not quite to have trusted the ineffable. Oh, the darned fury to write things down!
Yes, and for a priest, he really enjoys describing violence. It’s a weird poem. It’s sort of a translation of Wace (which is a poetic translation of Geoffrey of Monmouth), but he expands the Arthurian section to double the length. He seems to be trying to imitate Old English verse, and in so doing he invents his own, singular poetics.
Oh, wow - thank you!
What a wonderful story! I loved reading Bede in graduate school, but Layamon is new to me. I can feel the life-force in those venerable inscriptions of his name and place and profession and paternity. For a priest, he seems not quite to have trusted the ineffable. Oh, the darned fury to write things down!
Yes, and for a priest, he really enjoys describing violence. It’s a weird poem. It’s sort of a translation of Wace (which is a poetic translation of Geoffrey of Monmouth), but he expands the Arthurian section to double the length. He seems to be trying to imitate Old English verse, and in so doing he invents his own, singular poetics.
Wow. That must have made for wonderful dissertation research. Sounds toothsome! :-)
Love Pier's work - how did you come across it?
Your posts are always a treat, John. Ellen's work also looks right up my alley.
Thanks, Kathleen! Pier is a good friend. Our dogs meet regularly for playtime.
Even better! So nice to have a story behind a connection.