Overall, this is an excellent introduction to English runes. The author clearly describes what runes are, what they meant, who carved them, how scholaOverall, this is an excellent introduction to English runes. The author clearly describes what runes are, what they meant, who carved them, how scholars interpret them, etc. He lists the runes of various groups across different time periods and regions, and he matches each one to the letter used in transliterating. He tone is easy, and his writing is clear even for people who have not previously studied runes or Old English. His work is clearly divided into chapters by topic, so there is a chapter on cryptic runes, and a chapter on ecclesiastical rune-stones, and so on. His maps showing the locations of different findings, as well as the section of photographs, lend even more background to a well-organized volume. As the title suggests, he focuses specifically on English runes, but he also isn't afraid to describe other runic traditions when doing so will help paint a more complete picture. He gives plenty of context for his conclusions. So all of that is good.
In general, information is only as good as its source, and since so much runic interpretation depends on the biases of the scholar, it is necessary to examine that scholar in depth. R. I. Page evidently agrees with this, since he is self-aware enough at the beginning to state that he tends toward the skeptical side of runic interpretation. He does not claim to be always right, or even always completely objective, and he is very open about the difficulties of some interpretations, right from the beginning. This type of honesty comes as sort of a breath of fresh air, and it helps me at least to know where he's coming from in all this. Moreover, throughout the book, he'll make sure to mention differing opinions. He'll describe an inscription, mention that so-and-so scholar thinks XYZ, while such-and-such believes it means ABC, and that he thinks the first one is right. So that is also good.
However—could you tell a "however" was coming?—I am seriously wondering if he started to get tired while writing this. About halfway through, the tone changes a little bit, and his remarks get a little more snide. At one point, he references another professional's opinion of a word's meaning, adding that people who would believe her would tend to believe anything. At first, I thought it might be a form of sexism, that he was disparaging the scholarly efforts of his female peers, but he seems equally dismissive of some of the men in the field. He'll quote some opinions, say that they're completely wrong, and then never speak of them again. On the one hand, I understand that this is meant to be a general overview, and that he can't take the time to outline his reasoning on every point. On the other hand, it felt a little abrupt. He made one very troubling comment about religion that didn't belong in a history book. His opinions about all things runic come so strongly to the center that it's hard to get a sense of the whole picture. It's hard to understand what alternatives exist beyond simply agreeing with him in all things.
And just when I thought I'd had enough, he landed his final insult—on himself. For being so old-fashioned and out-of-date that it was up to his readers (the next generation of scholars) to do even greater things than he. So yes, he was a bit harsh and cold, but he was just as likely to turn that on himself as on others.
Does anyone escape from these judgments and insults? Yes. The readers. Page is insanely protective of those who read his books. Remember how I said that it was okay not to have a background in this? That if you were picking the book up cold, he'd still explain things okay? I stand by that. Furthermore, to people like myself who have dabbled in Old English, the runes seen here are very intimidating. Even transliterated, they don't make sense. Page is absolutely reassuring. He'll say things like "If this section seems confusing to students of Old English, it's because these runes are much older than the manuscripts, and they're in the Northumbrian dialect." That's a paraphrase, since I don't have the book in front of me at the moment, but you get the idea. He anticipated confusion, anxiety, and feelings of being overwhelmed, and he put those all to rest. At times, reading this book felt like someone next to me, holding my hand and saying "Of course it looks tough, but it's not so difficult. Start here, and read this section, and you'll understand." And then he made a completely inappropriate comment about Christianity, and I was unsure, all over again, what to think about this enigmatic author....more
What a pleasure to listen to this series of lectures! Drout covers the history of the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, beginning with their migration into BWhat a pleasure to listen to this series of lectures! Drout covers the history of the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, beginning with their migration into Britain. Drout’s love for this culture really shines through, and his excitement is both genuine and contagious. If his goal was to teach history, he succeeded; if his goal was to get people excited, well, he succeeded there, too. A few of the events he described were things I’d read about before, but he put a unique spin on them. For example, I had already read about the custom of passing a lyre around a hall so that people could take turns singing. But Drout made me laugh when he described this as “Medieval Karaoke Night” and then added the disclaimer, “I am not making this up.” What a fun way of looking at it! It’s so lovely when the author’s personality shines through.
He describes different facets of Anglo-Saxon life, from the extreme amount of labor that was involved in making a book, to the relatively poor living conditions of the masses, to the king who lamented that most of his people never bothered to learn a language other than English. Drout tells of the heroes and the idiots who shaped the course of British history, and he traces the development of certain ideas and practices across the centuries. He traces the fall of this culture, which was conquered and, in many respects, completely destroyed by William.
My two favorite elements of this lecture series are both literary. I enjoyed learning about King Alfred, who pushed for books in the vernacular, who fostered increased literacy among his subjects and his court, and who worked as both translator and author. And I absolutely adored Drout’s in-depth look at a variety of works of literature. Not just Beowulf—although that is, of course, the subject of one lecture—but also many of the great works of that period. “The Wanderer,” “The Seafarer,” “Judith” (he uses the phrase “Braveheart speech” to describe this warrior woman), religious poetry, wisdom poems, “The Dream of the Rood,” King Alfred’s writings, and more: Drout paints a vivid portrait of these and other writings, and he offers in-depth literary analysis. As if that weren’t enough, he also reads from these texts in the original Old English, which is such a beautiful and melodic language.
All in all, highly informative. A well-rounded picture of many different elements of this particular history and culture....more
A nice overview of runes. Different chapters by country/region, which gave me a far more complete picture overall than some other, more English-centriA nice overview of runes. Different chapters by country/region, which gave me a far more complete picture overall than some other, more English-centric runic books I've read. This is a quick read that packs a lot of information into a few pages. Not dry, not dense, and filled with clear photographs and large drawings, this book is sure to interest anyone who is curious about this ancient writing system....more
This was a wonderful book—a great introduction to an ancient writing system, with enough linguistic, geographical, historical, and cultural detail to This was a wonderful book—a great introduction to an ancient writing system, with enough linguistic, geographical, historical, and cultural detail to offer readers a sense of the scope of runology (without overwhelming them). If it weren't for the last chapter, this book would be a solid 5-star that I would recommend to all my friends.
In the last chapter, Findell explores some modern ideas associated with runes, such as the relatively recent construct that runes are magical (or have the innate ability to work magic). He outlines the use of runes in the occult, particularly in the racist political extremism that characterized the Nazi party, as well as with certain "New-Age or pagan magic." And, he sort of blames this magical interpretation on J. R. R. Tolkien.
I agree that it is sad that a beautiful linguistic aspect of runes may be largely ignored by modern people. I have not encountered that, but I am not a runologist; I assume that Findell has witnessed this himself. But linguistics was the whole point for Tolkien, too. He was a philologist who was very much interested in ancient languages, cultures, and mythology, and it was language that inspired his fiction in the first place. His use of runes in the stories is NEVER in a magical context, and the characters who study them are the ones who (like Tolkien and Findell) are interested in foreign languages and peoples. To his credit, Findell does temper his statements with the comment, "It would obviously be unjust to draw direct parallels between fantasy literature, modern paganism and political extremism." But then he continues, "In their use of runes, though, these three areas of culture are informed by a shared set of (thoroughly modern) ideas. The most important of these are that runes are inherently magical." Tokien may be responsible for reawakening an interest in runes, from an archaeological and linguistic standpoint. He may also be responsible for inspiring other fantasy authors to use runes in their stories, much in the same way that The Lord of the Rings has inspired most fantasy books that came after it. But to trace the runes-as-magic theory back to a man whose intellectual pursuits never mixed the two? Someone whose fantasy works explored runes (as well as Old English, Welsh, Gaelic, and Finnish, for the record) for their linguistic qualities alone? I doubt it was Findell's intent to cast aspersions on Tolkien, and certainly other fantasy writers may have taken runes further and used them in fictional spells. But I think Findell is generalizing a little too much here; painting with too wide a brush for so sophisticated a point.
Still, though, I thought this book was an amazing introduction to runology, and it was very readable and interesting. I didn't know much about runes going in, but Findell did an amazing job of laying the groundwork. He also handled the complexities of runes quite clearly....more
I borrowed this from the library, and I liked it so well that I bought my own copy. It’s definitely worth having on hand. It’s divided into two parts,I borrowed this from the library, and I liked it so well that I bought my own copy. It’s definitely worth having on hand. It’s divided into two parts, a grammar and a reader.
Grammar: This section is straightforward and quite brief. As such, it does not weigh us down with all the complexities of the language. Many of the other books I’ve read have long grammar sections at the beginning, while the readings are brief and often relegated to the appendix. This approach is different, as it lays out only the basics that are needed for comprehension, and then it lets readers dive right in to the selections. As fond as I am of grammar, I must say that I found this approach refreshing. After all, language isn’t learnt in a vacuum; it’s an ongoing, practical experience. This was also the approach favored by Thomas Jefferson, an early champion of the Old English language in the United States. Jefferson believed that the best way for students to learn Old English was to give them reading material and let them have a go at it. I have read several books that teach Old English, but this one’s heavy focus on the texts themselves makes it, perhaps, the most interesting way to learn.
Reader: This is possibly the richest collection of Old English texts that I’ve ever had the pleasure to read. There is some history, lifted directly from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, as well as the Preface written by King Alfred the Great to Pope Gregory’s Pastoral Care. The poetry section begins with the oldest poem in the English language and continues to include such classics as “The Dream of the Rood,” “The Seafarer,” and “The Wanderer.” Poetry describing battles, religious poems, elegies, wisdom poems, riddles—this collection includes the major Old English genres in a single slender volume.
What makes this book different from the others: I have read several books on Old English, but I’ve never read one quite like this. For one thing, it is rare in a grammar book that the author’s personality shines through, but one’s does, and it’s charming. For example, in the preface, Diamond writes, “In order to keep this book simple, it has seemed best to dispense with notes, which students are unlikely to consult anyway.” And Diamond has done some things a bit different: “Because beginners in a language have enough trouble without being obliged to wrestle with a shifting and often irrational orthography, all Old English texts are presented here in regularized spelling.” I also greatly enjoyed the Modern English translations to all the Old English texts. Diamond says, “Because it is a waste of time for students to guess and to wonder if they have hit upon the correct translation, all Old English texts are here provided with literal facing-page translations.” I found this side-by-side translation immensely helpful. Confident that I knew the correct meaning, I was able to read it slowly and carefully, paying attention to the case and syntax. I think I learned more this way, knowing what it meant and trying to discern why, than I did from other Old English books, trying to figure out what. Finally, this book has provided more information about pronunciation than any other book I’ve read. Here, the book provides a different form for the letter G when it distinguishes between the different ways it’s pronounced in different words. Other books include diacritical marks for the letter G, so that by itself isn’t unusual. However, Diamond also distinguishes between the thorn and the eth, using the thorn only for voiced sounds and the eth only for the unvoiced. I’ve never seen this before—certainly the scribes of the Middle Ages used the two letters interchangeably—but as a modern reader, I greatly benefitted from the visual aid with regard to pronunciation.
All in all, an excellent aid that gives its readers the chance to learn the language by reading original writings in Old English, rather than by reading about Old English. Smart, practical, and endlessly engaging....more
A solid introduction that can easily be used by someone with no prior knowledge of Old English. Baker’s book is well organized, easy to reference, andA solid introduction that can easily be used by someone with no prior knowledge of Old English. Baker’s book is well organized, easy to reference, and for the most part, clear with its explanations. I have read several books on the Old English language, and this is easily one of the best. It has different chapters on different parts of speech; he uses headings and subheadings to make it easy to go back and check something. He incorporates “minitexts” throughout, which are short, usually only about a paragraph in length. He has longer texts at the back. The glossary is clear and complete, telling not only a word’s meaning, but also to which category it belongs (e.g., “class 3 verb,” “weak adjective”).
The biggest problem with it is its online component. It is designed to be used side-by-side with online elements, which means that it is incomplete on its own. Sadly, of the three URLs listed, none worked. Whatever website he had intended is gone, and the university that had been hosting it seems to be no longer connected to Baker or his book. This meant that a lot was missing from my experience. Some things, such as the audio files for pronunciation, cannot exist in book form, for obvious reasons. But some of the absences irritated me. One of the chapters begins with the instruction to stop reading, go online, and print a chart that lists the different verb forms, pronouns, etc. It’s apparently just one page, a quick reference sheet. If it’s just one page, couldn’t he have put it in the book, too?
Good news, though! It looks as though the online content migrated to a different site. I’m guessing that the later editions of this book list the current URL, and that my experience would only apply to people who use the first edition. However, it seems like some of the content has changed, for both the books and the site. Some of the online things my book tells me to use aren’t there, and some of what is online is slightly confusing because it doesn’t follow the layout of the first edition book. (So Mr. Baker, if you’re reading this, maybe you could put some explanations on the site, too?) Something simple, like “The second syllable is emphasized because the first syllable is a prefix” or whatever the reason is. Don’t get me wrong; the site is great. It’s full of practice exercises, and it tells me whether my answers are right or wrong. It’s glorious! It’s like one of those educational computer games that kids play in grade school computer labs. It’s fun, like a game, but still informative. It’s a way to test yourself and see how much you understand the topic. But sometimes, even having read this book, I’m still not sure WHY some answers are what they are. (But hey! This is still miles beyond the other resources out there, so I’m not complaining!) I suspect that my confusion has less to do with the format of the site, than with the different layouts of the earlier edition of the book. I think the site is a better fit for the current edition.
I suspect that if I had the most recent edition, this would easily be 5 stars. Even without the online portion, it’s a solid 4.5. Lots of good information, and not overwhelming for a novice. I highly recommend this to anyone studying Old English....more
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