Eyrbyggja Saga (review)

Reviews 163 Although the normal reviewer's quibbles about misprints might be raised, there are in fact very few. The complaint might be made that variants are not listed at the foot of the page but at the back of the book, an arrangement probably determined by the printer rather than by the editor. This convention hardly seems productive in the present instance. Ogilvie-Thomson has performed her editorial task, one demanding both sustained attention to detail and thoughtful wide-ranging analysis, in the best traditions of contemporary scholarship. This edition is convincing proof of the new knowledge to be attained through re-editing of texts already available in early modem editions. Cheryl Taylor Department of EngUsh James Cook University of North Queensland Palsson, H. and P. Edwards, trans., Eyrbyggja Saga, rev. ed., London, Penguin, 1989; paperback; pp. viii, 177; 1 map; R. R. P. AUS$10.99. Eyrbyggja Saga belongs to the genre of Old Icelandic family sagas, or Islendingasdgur, which probably comprise that section of Old Icelandic literature most familiar to non-specialists. Eyrbyggja Saga has long been a favourite among the sagas, in particular with writers of the 19th century. It has attracted several translations, of which this edition represents the most recent English version, ranging from WUliam Morris and Eirikr Magnusson's most entertaining version, The story of the Ere-Dwellers (1892), written in their pecuUar mix of pseudo-archaic English-Scandinavian, to the precursor of this Penguin edition, the 1972 Palsson and Edwards translation. In 1972, no particular comment was made concerning the differences between that and the 1959 Schach and Hollander edition, but for 1989, 'extensive revisions' have been made. The most obvious change is the inclusion of a Glossary of personal names, Bibliographical notes, and a map of the West coast of Iceland, bringing this edition into Une with the format of other Penguin saga texts. The other major revision is of the verses, all of which now follow the Icelandic more accurately, Une by Une. Happily, the meaning remains clear, a great boon to the amateur translator! The Introduction and footnotes have no significant changes. Other than this, most revisions are quite subtle and mainly reflect an effort to render the Icelandic into a more sophisticated and formal English style than that of the 1972 edition, especially in terms of conjunctions. There is a marked preference for the use of word order such as 'with w h o m ...' rather than 'who ... with', a less colloquial phraseology, for example, 'which explains why ...' rather than 'and that's why ...', and an elimination of contractions, for example, 'would let no one ...' rather than 'wouldn't let anyone ...'. A more modern and succinct idiom is preferred, for example, 'things were so overcast', rather than 'it brought with it so much darkness', yet at the same time, the syntax has occasionally 164 Reviews been changed back to mirror more closely that of the Icelandic, although not at the expense of natural English expression. The vocabulary remains fairly static, with most changes reflecting a now closer relationship between the English and Icelandic word. Some changes seem unnecessary, as in the case of 'mate' preferred over 'friend' for 'fylgdarmaflr'. The spelUng of names is unchanged except for the female patronymic as in 'Sur's-daughter', rather than 'Sur's Daughter'. On the whole, these 'extensive revisions' have made the text seem more fluid and less consciously translated, while retaining a subtle sense of the Icelandic syntax. The glossary and map make it easier to follow the somewhat complex interwoven strands of plot, and the notes provide an undaunting yet broad selection of critical works in a range of languages. This edition represents a welcome, andtimely,addition to the Penguin Classics range of Icelandic texts, and one that wiU be useful to both amateurs and students of this splendid saga. Louise A. Trott Department of EngUsh University of Sydney Parker, A. A., The mind and art of Calderdn: essays on the Comedias, ed. D. Kong, Cambridge, C. U. P., 1988; cloth; pp. xiv, 417; R. R. P. A U S $ 136.00. A review of this book is in essence a critical summary of a lifetime's work on...