Sir Orfeo

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Cord Hurn
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Sir Orfeo

Post by Cord Hurn »

The final poem in the book of Tolkien translations Sir Gawain and the Green Knight/Pearl/Sir Orfeo tells a more basic story of loss and recovery than the other two poems, and has a more basic rhyming scheme.
I found it easier to read than the other two poems, but also easier to forget the details after I'd read it.
In his translation of the old poem [i]Sir Orfeo[/i], J.R.R. Tolkien wrote:Sir Orfeo was a king of old,
in England lordship high did hold;
valour he had and hardihood,
a courteous king whose gifts were good.
His father from King Pluto came,
his mother from Juno, king of flame,
who once of old as gods were named
for mighty deeds they did and claimed.
Sir Orfeo, too, all things beyond
of harping's sweet delight was fond,
and sure were all good harpers there
of him to earn them honour fair;
himself he loved to touch the harp
and pluck the strings with fingers sharp.
He played so well, beneath the sun
a better harper was there none;
no man hath in this world been born
who would not, hearing him, have sworn
that as before him Orfeo played
to joy of Paradise he had strayed
and sound of harpers heavenly,
such joy was there and melody.
I think Tolkien must have liked the rhythm of a poem such as this, because it's echoed in some of his own poems like "Gil-galad was an Elven-king/ of him the harpers sadly sing".
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Cord Hurn
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Post by Cord Hurn »

The plot, basically is that another king of great power in a secret kingdom some where near that of Orfeo's desires his wife Heurodis, and this other king brazenly kidnaps her and foretells her he will take her again when he wishes, away from her own husband and kingdom.
In lines 131-174 of the Tolkien translation of the poem [i]Sir Orfeo[/i] was wrote:[Heurodis to Orfeo]'Nay, nay, sir, words avail thee naught
I will tell the how this woe was wrought:
as I lay in the quiet noontide
and slept beneath our orchard-side,
there came two noble knights to me
arrayed in armour gallantly.
"we come", they said, "thee swift to bring
to meeting with our lord and king."
Then answered I both bold and true
that dared I not, and would not do.
They spurred then back on swiftest steed;
then came their king himself with speed;
a hundred knights with him him and more,
and damsels, too, were many a score,
all riding there on snow-white steeds,
and white as milk were all their weeds [clothes];
I saw not ever anywhere
a folk so peerless and so fair.
The king was crowned with crown of light,
not of red gold nor silver white,
but of one single gem 'twas hewn
that shown as bright as sun at noon.
And coming, straightway he me sought
and would I or no, he up me caught,
and made me by him swiftly ride
upon a palfrey [small saddle-horse, especially for the use of women] at his side;
and to his palace thus me brought,
a dwelling fair and wondrous wrought.
He castles showed me there and towers,
water and wild, and woods, and flowers,
and pastures rich upon the plain;
and then he brought me home again,
and to our orchard he me led,
and then a parting this he said:
"See, lady, tomorrow thou must be
right here beneath this grafted tree,
and then beside us thou shalt ride,
and with us evermore abide.
If let or hindrance thou dost make,
where'ere thou be, we shall thee take.
and all thy limbs shall rend and tear--
no aid of man shall help thee there;
and even so, all rent and torn,
thou shalt away with us be borne.'"
A gutsy villain. for certain. And it doesn't look like there's any way to stop him from getting what he wants. Except of course, for the obvious plot device of Orfeo using his harping skills to charm the other king and get her back. It's no surprise that that's what happens.
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Post by Cord Hurn »

What I found less predictable about this poem's plot was that Sir Orfeo abandoned his kingdom and left his young steward in charge while he wandered as a shaggy vagabond with his harp for ten years, looking for his wife. Then after he has found her and won her back, he shows up again in his kingdom as an unrecognizable figure, leaving his wife at an inn at the edge of his capital city, while he seeks out his ruling steward. But his loyal steward recognizes his master's harp, even if he cannot recognize Orfeo.
In lines 530-576 of the Tolkien translation of [i]Sir Orfeo[/i] was wrote:The steward looked and looked again;
the harp in hand at once he knew.
'Minstrel," he said, 'come, tell me true,
whence came this harp to thee, and how?
I pray thee, tell me plainly now.'
'My lord,' said he, 'in lands unknown
I walked a wilderness alone,
and there I found in dale forlorn
a man by lions to pieces torn,
by wolves devoured with teeth so sharp;
by him I found this very harp,
and that is full ten years ago.'
'Ah!' said the steward, 'news of woe!
'Twas Orfeo, my master true.
Alas! poor wretch, what shall I do,
who must so dear a master mourn?
Ah! Woe is me that I was born,
for him so hard a fate designed,
a death so vile that he should find!'
Then on the ground he fell in swoon;
his barons stooping raised him soon
and bade him think how all must end--
for death of man no man can mend.
King Orfeo now had proved and knew
his steward was both loyal and true,
and loved him as he duly should.
'Lo!' then he cried, and up he stood,
'Steward, now to my words give ear!
If thy king, Orfeo, were here,
and had in wilderness full long
suffered great hardship sore and strong,
had won his queen by his own hand
out of the deeps of fairy land,
and led at last his lady dear
right hither to the town's end near, and lodged her in a beggar's cot;
if I were he, whom ye knew not,
thus come among you, poor and ill,
in secret to prove they faith and will,
if then I thee had found so true,
thy loyalty never shouldst thou rue:
nay, certainly, tide what betide,
thou shouldst be king when Orfeo died.
Hadst thou rejoiced to hear my fate,
I would have thrust thee from the gate.'
Then clearly knew they in the hall
that Orfeo stood before them all.
This poem seems more for children than is the case for Sir Gawain or Pearl, so maybe that's why I like it less than those other two poems, but it probably has a longer heritage, because it sounds like something adapted from a Greek legend.


Of the three poems Tolkien translated in his book Sir Gawain and the Green Knight/Pearl/Sir Orfeo, I like Sir Gawain the best, because it has the most intriguing plot and I feel I get to know the characters the best in that poem.
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Post by Skyweir »

Beautifully critiqued Cord Hurn 👌 a delightful read ♥️ thank you
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keep smiling 😊 :D 😊

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Cord Hurn
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Post by Cord Hurn »

Thank you, Skyweir, for the compliment and for your interest! 8)
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