Getting geeky about Chaucer, from a comment on chris-the-cynic's "Stealing Commas" blog

[predatrix]

She was talking about a small audio clip from the General Prologue

Comments

[watervole]

"Alliterative hammer-blows" It really is too. Totally different rhythm to Shakespear, almost addictive.

[predatrix]

Yes--Shakespeare's blank-verse is mostly rhythmical in the "off-stress-off-stress-off-stress-off-stress-off-stress(off)" with only a few missing.or reversed feet. In alliterative verse, as long as there are the four beats carrying the main sense on the alliterated words, the rest of the line can do what it damn-well likes.

Chaucer is nearer Shakespeare, similarly in iambic pentameter with occasional unusual feet to get the reader on their toes.

[watervole]

Is there a good translation in modern English that keeps that alliterative rhythm?

[predatrix]

I haven't read a modern translation, although Tolkien came up with one.

The version of "Gawain" by modern poet Simon Armitage (published 11 years ago, so only available on Amazon secondhand) is by all accounts excellent for carrying both the rhythm and the meaning very strongly.