Heres a fun party game for the meadhall that gives you a sense of anglosaxon hilarity. However, the exact number is unknown because some pages are illegible or missing. Although the riddle form in general as well as the anglosaxon riddles in particular can he identified with broadly understood didactic functions, several of the exeter riddles appear to be especially interested in the nature of wisdom and in the. The language of the anglosaxon riddles is often difficult, and even those who are fairly familiar with old english cannot read them readily. Ranging from natural phenomena such as icebergs and storms at sea to animal and bird life, from the christian concept of the creation to prosaic domestic objects such as a rake and a pair of bellows, and from weaponry to the peaceful pursuits of music and writing, they are. The most famous anglosaxon riddles are in old english and found in the tenthcentury exeter book, while the preeminent anglosaxon composer of latin riddles was the seventh to eighthcentury scholar. Riddle 43s commentary is once again by the terribly clever james paz, lecturer in early medieval english literature at the university of manchester i imagine that solving riddle 43 would have been fairly easy for most anglosaxon readers of the exeter book, especially if were to picture this riddling taking place in a monastic setting. Sep 10, 2010 verse indeterminate saxon ic eom anhaga iserne wund, bille gebennad, beadoweorca s.
The exeter book riddles in context the british library. Read the fulltext online edition of anglosaxon riddles of the exeter book 1963. Many a fearful fight have i seen, when hope there was none, or help in the thick of it. Craig williamson ed, the old english riddles of the exeter book. The date of authorship of many of the riddles is unclear. In fact, to get started, i read some of these riddles with my students. Exeter book riddles solutions anglosaxon narrative poetry.
Exeter book riddle 6 in old english anglosaxon youtube. Exeter book riddle 5 in old english anglosaxon youtube. Tolkiens riddlepoems in the hobbit, there is an important scene in which bilbo baggins plays the riddlegame with gollum in the orc passages of the misty mountains. Anglosaxon riddles of the exeter book wikisource, the. Dyer anglosaxon riddles translated by michael alexander while most of anglosaxon poetry is serious or even elegiac, the ninetyfive verse riddles found in the exeter book display their interest in cleverness with words. It is one of the four major anglo saxon literature codices, along with the vercelli book, nowell codex and the c. Riddle 7 the exeter book anthony wilson september 7, 20 october 5, 2017 education.
This activity asks students to find examples of kennings, alliteration, and caesuras in 7 anglosaxon riddles found in the exeter book. The best anglosaxon riddles interesting literature. Exeter book riddles anglosaxon narrative poetry project. The language of the anglo saxon riddles is often difficult, and even those who are fairly familiar with old english cannot read them readily. The exeter book, a late tenthcentury manuscript of early old english poetry, is an anthology of religious homiletic verse, elegiac poetry, and ninetyone lyric riddles. Splendidly it hangs by a mans thigh, under the masters cloak. Two dumb creatures make him grow bright between them. Anglosaxon riddles are part of anglosaxon literature.
Here are ten things you should know about the exeter book. In some very few instances, my idea of the solution differs from the generally accepted range. Here are two of these anglosaxon riddles, both in old english and. Chapel hill, nc, 1977, henceforth w in short citations. The translations are mine, so that the clunky literalism is preserved. Physicality and spirituality in riddle 26 university of minnesota. The exeter book was created by the first bishop of exeter in the eleventh century, when he collected poetry and riddles into a single tome. Obscene riddles of the exeter book everything english. The original exeter book resides in you guessed it exeter castle in the united kingdom. Jul 31, 2017 a couple of months ago, i mentioned that i had translated some riddles from the anglo saxon exeter book in order to publicise the anglian strand of the york festival of ideas.
Sep 10, 2010 verse indeterminate saxon mec gesette so. A sampling of the anglosaxon riddles found in the exeter book can be found on page 2. The elements of anglosaxon wisdom poetry in the exeter. It may work as a book of contemporary poetry where the poems have a double purpose i. Tolkien was an expert on the language and poetry of anglosaxon. Sep 01, 2016 the language of the anglo saxon riddles is often difficult, and even those who are fairly familiar with old english cannot read them readily. Among those who have sought to undo the gates of the treasurehouses of the exeter book riddles e.
Aug 03, 2016 here are ten things you should know about the exeter book. Im spending it adapting my doctoral thesis into a book, which is taking up a lot of my writing time at the moment, and i dont have much left in which to write this blog. Their sense of the awesome power of creation goes hand in hand with a frank delight in obscenity, a fascination with disguise and with the mysterious. Obscene is a troublesome word for both legal and lay minds, but there is nothing uncertain about these few anglo saxon riddles which go under that name. Unlike the exeter book riddles, the anglosaxon enigmata are presented in manuscripts with their solutions as their title. The ninetysix anglosaxon riddles in the eleventhcentury exeter book are poems of great charm, zest, and subtlety. It certainly cannot fairly be described as a riposte to the original exeter book of riddles. At the end of the exeter book, there are almost a hundred riddles or enigmata. The two dumb creatures in the second line are two sticks rubbed together to make a flame or two stones struck. Anglosaxon riddles of the exeter book, 1963 online. Not only do we have a good time, students learn and get to hear what constitutes an appropriate riddle. Crossleyholland has translated beowulf and the exeter book of riddles from the anglosaxon.
The riddle was a major, prestigious literary genre in anglo saxon england, and riddles were written both in latin and old english verse. He talks about the assumed dual solution to the double entendre. John donald, two historical riddles of the old english exeter book 2001. The most famous anglo saxon riddles are in old english and found in the tenthcentury exeter book, while the preeminent anglo saxon composer of latin. Below are links to texts of the riddles accompanied by translations. Sep 07, 20 he had broken his leg, he told us, and needed to spend several months recuperating in hospital. Anglosaxon riddles of the exeter book wikisource, the free. Far from being idle brainteasers to divert people for half an hour during their lunch break or provide a topic of conversation at christmas dinner, the riddle, to the anglo saxons, was a serious and enigmatic poetic form, designed to defamiliarise and alienate by depriving a thing of its name or giving an animal a voice with which to. Publication date 1910 topics riddles, english old publisher boston ginn collection robarts. Exeter book riddles, however, has lead me to conclude that the sexual.
This activity requires students to try to provide answers for eight anglo saxon riddles along with the thought process they used to arrive at the answer. It might not be as immediately obvious for a modern. The ninetyodd riddles in anglo saxon which have come down to us in a single manuscript are naturally a miscellaneous collection of varying merit. Two historical riddles of the old english exeter book john donald hosler. In many cases, answers are just provisional, and still the subject of some discussion. Gashed by the iron, gored by the point of it, sick of battlework, battered and scarred. Anglosaxon riddles 2017 festival, the university of york. During the middle ages, scandinavians prided themselves on their intelligence and wit. The somewhat enigmatic character of this poem has given rise to various conjectures.
Following these are a number of shorter religious verses intermingled with poems of. She likens them to the charms, in particular, as well as to the. With all this time now on his hands he decided he would translate these anglo saxon riddles, known as the exeter book, and given to exeter cathedral library by bishop leofric in 1072. Riddles are a quirky part of the anglosaxon literature which survives to us today. The new exeter book of riddles crossleyholland, kevin, sail, lawrence, drew, simon on. Although we ended up selecting three riddles for the festival, i translated ten in total, and produced five finished translations, which are below.
The exeter book was a handwritten manuscript bequeathed to the exeter cathedral library by a bishop named leofric who died in 1072 a. He has collaborated with composers nicola lefanu the green children and the wildman, rupert bawden the sailors tale, sir arthur bliss, william mathias, and stephen paulus. Scholars believe that a number were composed in the the exeter book riddles. It is one of the four major anglosaxon literature codices, along with the vercelli book, nowell codex and the c. They often battled one another with riddle contests. Students are free to model their riddles after the anglosaxon riddles that are preserved in the exeter book.
Riddles make us look at the world around us in different ways, and, as is the nature of riddles, have a hidden meaning. The riddle was a major, prestigious literary genre in anglosaxon england, and riddles were written both in latin and old english verse. Anglosaxon riddles for use with beowulf by britlitwit tpt. Exeter book, the largest extant collection of old english poetry. Some of them are double entendres, such as riddle 25 below. Students are free to model their riddles after the anglo saxon riddles that are preserved in the exeter book. They were written in both old english and latin, and the content can be religious, scholarly, comical or obscene. I use this with the seafarer and background information on the exet. This may be the general character of anglo saxon humor, but fortunately its not the height. Here is a list of solutions for the exeter book riddles as numbered in the translation. The riddles are of particular interest to students of old english poetry and anglosaxon culture, to archeologists, anthropologists, and folklorists. Shielded behind glass it will be a little hard to place ones pint of guinness on its covers once more.
The riddles are of particular interest to students of old english poetry and anglo saxon culture, to archeologists, anthropologists, and folklorists. Obscene is a troublesome word for both legal and lay minds, but there is nothing uncertain about these few anglosaxon riddles which go under that name. Edited with introduction, notes, and glossary, by frederick tupper by tupper, frederick, 18711950. The riddle is usually solved as reed pen, although such pens were not in use in anglosaxon times, rather being roman technology. Most of the editors have been shy about their double meanings. Riddle numbers are taken from muirs exeter anthology 1994, though i follow williamson in considering the first three as parts of a single riddle. Riddles are a quirky part of the anglo saxon literature which survives to us today. The best anglosaxon riddles and kennings kenning definition, history and examples. This is an uncurated book entry from our extended bookshelves, readable online now but without a stable link here. If multiple possibilities are possible, ill give the best or most likely. Tupper, for example, puts the matter delicately, saying of 74 below, that the solution is not the chief concern of the jest. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Young, nanglosaxon family law, in essays in anglosaxon law macmillan and. A book full of ingenious characters who speak their names in riddlesa bookworm, an iceberg, an oyster, the sun and moon and a oneeyed garlic seller are just a few that bear witness to the everyday life and imagination of the anglosaxons.
The exeter book, exeter cathedral library ms 3501, also known as the codex exoniensis, is a tenthcentury book or codex which is an anthology of anglo saxon poetry. The exeter book riddles in my anglosaxon literature recommendations blog post, i gave an overview of the exeter book riddles and included some of my favourites. The two dumb creatures in the second line are two sticks rubbed together to make a flame or two stones struck together to make a spark. For a full site on this dubious literary genre, a medieval organization called the kalamazoo riddle group has the exeter book s anglo saxon riddles. The old english riddles of the exeter book chapel hill.
The ninetysix anglo saxon riddles in the eleventhcentury exeter book are poems of great charm, zest, and subtlety. Home browse books book details, anglosaxon riddles of the exeter book. In the case of the exeter book, monks are responsible for its creation, which is a time and laborintensive operation. The paper investigates the parallels between the old english wisdom poetry and a group of riddles contained in the exeter book.
The first stage of this part of the angosaxonriddles provides the anglo saxon texts of all the riddles in the exeter book, accompanied by translations, as those appear in craig williamsons two important books. Nevertheless, in working with the old english text of the exeter book, i chose to pay close attention to the obscene riddles and how they differ from riddles with the same answer. Use the buttons on the right to navigate to each set of riddles. The bookworm riddle can be found in the exeter book, one of the greatest literary treasures to survive from anglosaxon england. Some of them have been dated as far back as the 7 th century. There are around 100 riddles and kennings in the exeter book, the oldest surviving poetry anthology in the english language. The book was donated to the library of exeter cathedral by leofric, the first bishop. There is no list of upsidedown answers at the end of the exeter book where these riddles are found. Experts have dated the book itself it to around 970 to 990 a. Riddle numbers are taken from muirs exeter anthology 1994, though i follow williamson in considering the first three as parts of a single riddle riddle songs of the storm which of you heroes is so sharpwitted. Tolkien was an expert on the language and poetry of anglo saxon. Thus the ancient custom of riddling was a popular entertainment among anglosaxons. Anglosaxon riddles of the exeter book75 wikisource, the free. Though some of the best have been translated in scattered places, and there is a prose lineforline translation in the e.
The riddles of the exeter book almost 100 riddles solution not given in the title. Anglo saxon riddles are part of anglo saxon literature. Feb 26, 2012 the obscene riddles obscene is a troublesome word for both legal and lay minds, but there is nothing uncertain about these few anglosaxon riddles which go under that name. Working with the anglosaxon riddles proved to be quite a challenge compared to some other old english text i have encounter throughout my course of study.
With all this time now on his hands he decided he would translate these anglosaxon riddles, known as the exeter book, and given to exeter cathedral library by. Anglosaxon riddles of the exeter book 1963, translated by paull franklin baum viii. John porters sparkling translations retain all the vigour and subtly of the original old english poems, transporting us back over a thousand years to the roots of our language and literature. Thorpe, the first editor of the exeter book, recognizing the similarity between the opening of the poem and many of the riddles, interpreted the first portion to l.
Exeter book riddles solutions anglosaxon narrative. Exeter book riddle 74 and the play of the text anglosaxon. Elliott van kirk dobbie and george philip krapp eds, the exeter book. This activity requires students to try to provide answers for eight anglosaxon riddles along with the thought process they used to arrive at the answer. The riddles are one of the most wellknown works in the exeter book, and they focus on an eclectic mix of themes.
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