Dafydd Ap Gwilym: His Poems - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0708316646 ISBN 13: 9780708316641

Publisher: University of Wales Press, 2001

Synopsis

Dafydd ap Gwilym is the most prolific and famous of medieval Welsh poets and perhaps the greatest Welsh poet of all time. In his work he portrays himself as a not too successful lover, a joker, story-teller and a profound observer of the brevity of human life, while his innovative language, subject-matter and poetic technique gave a new dimension to Welsh poetry. Gwyn Thomas provides an accessible English translation of Dafydd ap Gwilym's complete poems which aims not only to give an accurate rhythmic version of the meaning of the Welsh text but also to suggest the complex orchestration of the original material. The poems are annotated to bring out their historical and literary context and the translation is prefaced by an introduction to the poet and his work. This edition of the poetry of Dafydd ap Gwilym will appeal to all those interested in Welsh literature and the literature of the middle ages. It presents a poet who not only integrated European ideas of courtly love with the Welsh bardic tradition, but who, in his depiction of the pursuit of love and his celebration of nature, defines himself as a fascinating individual figure in an age of heavy conventions.

About this title

Review:

'His poems ... have been painstakingly translated with empathy and sensitivity by the scholar and the experienced translator Gwyn Thomas. Without doubt he has set he has set himself a difficult and almost impossible task but undaunted he has done so with integrity, skilful patience, weaving Dafydd ap Gwilym's words into an English harmony.' PQR "...extremely accessible for a range of audiences, from scholars to general readers who enjoy good poetry. Provides an accessible and enjoyable portal into the world of medieval Welsh poetry." Helen Fulton, University of Sydney, Cambrian Medieval Celtic Studies

About the Author:

Professor Gwyn Thomas was Emeritus Professor of Welsh at the University of Wales, Bangor.

About this edition

• Publisher: University of Wales Press
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0708316646
• ISBN 13: 9780708316641
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 352