From the first settlements of the 5th century until 1150 AD, the English language and that spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons in this period are referred to as Old English or simply Anglo-Saxon. The influence of Christianity on Anglo-Saxon writing was established early, as the first complete composition was a code of laws written by England's first Christian king (Simpson 6). Of course, since literacy of this time was limited primarily to church servants, the popularity of religion in Old English works continued (Simpson 7). Along with elegiac tendencies, a fusion between Christian and heroic ideals, exile or separation from one's "lord and kin", the powerful return of spring and above all the search towards enlightenment and attaining one's true heavenly home are themes traditional features in Old English. poetry. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Although the Anglo-Saxon language is also called Old English, it is very different from the English language spoken today. Without translations, Old English, which is more closely related to Icelandic or German especially in terms of grammar, is difficult to decipher; Old English authors also often made up words. Translated poems with the same title maintain the same content, plot, main themes, etc., but may vary somewhat from one translation to another. While a translated edition may appear to emphasize a certain motif, a translation of the same text by a different specialist may emphasize something else. Of the surviving Old English works, most of the poetry comes from just four manuscripts (Norton 8). Among these four manuscripts, The Sailor, whose author remains unknown, many different translation editions exist today. The 124-line poem is told from the point of view of a lone sailor. The speaker describes a life of hardship as he travels alone across the ocean, left to endure danger and hardship, never returning to his homeland. The Seafarer's Voyage is intended as an extended metaphor for the challenges in the life of a committed Christian trying to reach heaven. Like most translations of Old English literature, The Seafarer varies slightly in word choice and syntax between editions. Although each variation of The Seafarer maintains a religious theme of traditional Anglo-Saxon beliefs and emphasizes the effort needed to reach heaven, an anonymously translated edition found on Anglo-Saxon.net, an individual translation by Burton Raffel and The Edition Kluge, published by Project Gutenberg, places a different emphasis on engaging in the journey to reach heaven. First, the anonymous edition of The Seafarer found on Anglo-Saxon.net strongly emphasizes the importance and recognition of God's power and will through a positive and sincere outlook and tone. The difference in word choice in this translation compared to the Raffel and Kluge editions of The Seafarer creates a personal feeling and tone of hope in emphasizing God's amazing glory. Phrases in the Kluge edition of The Seafarer such as "dear to his Lord" (41) and the positive descriptions of God's work, all vary slightly from the other two translations, but demonstrate differences in where the individual translation's emphasis lies. According to the Kluge edition, line 42 of the anonymous translation of The Seafarer describes the man as "so dear to his lord", unlike the translation of "so graced by God", found in the Raffel edition. Although the choice of worddoes not differ drastically, in the wording of “so dear to” and in the affirmation of “his” lord, instead of the less personal wording, “so graced by” simply an undefined God, the first translation begins to seem more personal and delicate: create a link between what the speaker believes is the relationship between man and God. While “so graced by God” may be an equally positive statement, the wording implies isolation and a solitary self. The simple statement “from God” also creates greater distance between man and his creator than the anonymous translation, “his lord.” Along with the heartfelt and inspiring emotion of the beginning of line 42, the anglosassone.net translation goes on to further explain, in lines 42-43, "so dear to his lord that he never has a care in his sailing." The Kluge edition, while equally comforting and personal in claiming the man as “so dear to his lord” in line 42, stops there without further elaboration. The translation of lines 42-43 in the anonymous edition not only creates a closer bond in man's personal connection with his Lord, but also continues a more positive tone and hopeful outlook towards his spiritual journey and relationship with God in the reassuring conclusion that man do not worry. The conclusion of lines 42-43 in the Raffel edition, "so graced by God, that she feels no fear as the sails unfurl," still describes encouraging possibilities, but unlike the anonymous translation, which states that men will have nothing of to worry about in general, Raffel's translation can only promise that there will be no fear. Subsequently, in opposition to the more positive outlook and hopeful approach towards challenging Christian commitment and the power of God, the edition of The Seafarer translated by Burton Raffel, who is also known for his translation of Beowulf, reveals a darker tone and reflects on the same journey of a spiritual disciple with a darker and more cautious outlook. The melancholy and mournful tone of Kluge's translation provides the most heavily elegiac feeling of the three different translations. For example, although suffering in the life of a committed Christian is a primary influence in all translations of The Seafarer, the harsher choice of words and more discouraging statements evident in Raffel's edition create a striking contrast with the choice of more hopeful words and lighter suggestions than the other two translations. First, although in all translations of The Seafarer line 56 describes the hardships of a man in exile, small differences in word choice reveal a markedly different tone and attitude in Raffel's translation and the other two editions. Compared to the lines in the anonymously translated version which suggest "in worldly things what some then endure", and Kluge's edition which also uses "endure", in the equivalent context, Raffel's translation, "In ignorant ease, that that the rest of us suffer,” draws attention as a more negative representation of the speaker. Although the use of both "endure" and "suffer" can imply similar meanings, the more severe connotation and definition of "suffer" contributes to the darker tone. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “endure” as “to face or accept (something unpleasant)” and “suffer” as “to submit to or be forced to endure.” Although the verbs and statements of the verses are similar, Raffel's translation highlights the more brutally elegiac tendencies of the different editions. The negativity in the tone and the implication of unavoidable pain are confirmed in the difference in statements in the editions. The dark tone of the elegy appears almost desperate in the Raffel edition's choice of words, and the differencebetween editions in terms of opinions/suggestions versus statements produces an equally discouraging impact. While lines 67-68 of the anonymous edition found on Anglo-Saxon.net translate: "I do not believe that the riches of the world will last forever", the same lines of Raffel's edition simply state: "The riches of the world do not even reach to Heaven nor remains.” Since Kluge's translation ends at line 64, no equivalent translation of these lines is available. The anonymous translation offers the opinion “I do not believe,” leaving room for hope or interpretation equivalent beliefs, lines 67-68 of Raffel's edition more definitively states the limited status of world riches as an indisputable fact, leaving no possibility for hope or improvement Although there is no radical difference in wording between editions , the harsh expressions of Raffel's translation combined with the cynical and declarative statements, rather than the suggestions or opinions found in the other two editions, highlight the severity of the suffering assured to those who do so. do not practice spiritual discipline. Finally, the abridged edition provided by Project Gutenberg – the Kluge edition – was the most immediately unique translation of the three editions of The Seafarer. Although nearly half as long as the poem's full version, Kluge's translation offered an equally valuable comparison because of the immediately notable differences. The first obvious difference in this translation is the persistence of alliteration. According to The Norton Anthology of English Literature, alliteration, along with synecdoche, metonymy, figurative language, and irony, is a traditional feature of Anglo-Saxon poetry. Unlike the complete translations found on Anglo-Saxon.net and the Raffel edition, where only a few instances of alliteration can be found, the Kluge edition is unmistakable in its persistent use of alliteration. The alliterative verse recognizable as a major component throughout the Kluge edition shows that in most cases it calls attention to the natural aspects of the Christian expedition towards enlightenment. "The flow of the waves" (6) "painful and sad on a frozen sea" (14), "leaves the land and longs for the sea" (43), and "That I feel the terrors of the tossing waves" (35), are just a few of the many examples of the emphasis on nature and the impact of the natural world. In addition to creating a focus on nature, the abundant alliteration also gives this edition a sense of simplicity. Coupled with less elaborate and more direct discourse, the Kluge edition, while equally focused on the power of God in man's attempt to reach heaven, also emphasizes the simplicity of spiritual discipline. Since God is suggested as the only constant and unchanging entity in the world, the Kluge translation focuses on the necessary retreat from the typical comforts of life to pursue a devout Christian's transitory journey into nature. Anglo-Saxon folk themes and the traditional foundation of Christianity in Old English poetry are the basis of each translation of the Anglo-Saxon poem The Seafarer. While the emphasis of each translation may vary, the seafarer's story and beliefs remain constant, particularly the belief that man must work toward enlightenment through sacrifice and commitment. The seafarer explains the wonder and power of God and the possibilities that the Lord can bring, as optimistically pointed out in the anonymous translation on Anglo-Saxon.net. As highlighted in Raffel's translation of The Seafarer, the speaker explains the inevitable hardships and suffering one must endure on the journey to enlightenment. Finally, as is the focus of the Kluge edition of the 2015.>.