| Back to Review Index | Go to the Home Page |
2004 to March, 2005 E-Text from Project Gutenburg.
It's a long, long text, so I may have a lot to say about it. First of all, perhaps I should go through the tale of how I came to be reading it: I was talking with my colleague, Patricia, and asking who the big French Classic writers were, such as the counterpart of Shakespeare. She named a little this and that, and then spoke of "Le Cid." -as the Great Work of the French Language. This, of course , caught my attention, so I started looking about for an English translation about this "Cid."
What I eventually found, was on a website called
http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/OMACL/, which was split up into the three parts. This was a nice Webpage, with useful information, and some texts, but I prefer Project Gutenburg. That's all there is to it. So, when I reached one minor annoyance, I switched to PG, (where, originally, I couldn't find this text.)
It was, indeed, a long text. And, There was a surprise in it for me. After I'd read about half of the way through, or more, Patricia asked how I was enjoying it, and how far I'd gotten. I gave her an idea of it, and she gave me a funny look. So, I explained more clearly, and added in lots of the details of that part, and a summery of what came just before. -And we ended up working out, that This "The Cid," which I was reading, picked up the story exactly where the Giant French Classic leaves off.
The Cid that she knows is all about How and Why he is Banished from Spain. And that which I read, starts with his leaving, and saying nothing about Why at all. It just says that he does it with regret, and without animosity to the King. So, then my book is all about his time in exile, and his slow reinstating to the favour of the King, and the marrying of his Daughters.
The entire Legend, (If the reader of this is interested in the origin of this book,) is more or less the National Folk-hero of Spain. It sounds as though he's one of the most popular characters of 1000 years ago, who was then put into countless tales and ballads.
The writing style was clear, and if not firey, and sublimely inspired, it was well formed, and did an admirable job of carrying the story on, and not being obtrusive. (Which could have happened if... the verse was awkward, or changing, or what not.) -It remaned in 7 iambic feet throughout. (for those who care, or can understand that statement.)
Well though, what did I actualy THINK of it? It was good. Not "Oh Wow!"-Recommend-it-to-every-one-I-Know kind of good, but ... "good." The tale is... Folk Legend. Certainly large parts of it are true. The characters, (Main Characters,) are of the highest Moral standards, and honest intentions. There are interesting twists in the plot, which keep me interested. And there are some colorful descriptions too. (Although mostly about wars, and assorted Battles, Which I don't appreciate SO much, seeing as I'm against excessive Violence. But... The writings about the Spoils of these wars, of the Gold Brocade, and the noble steeds, and decorative armour, and trappings, and legendary weapons... are nicer. They have little to nothing to do with actual aggression.)
Like most folk-tales, this has a number of smaller stories woven into the large tapestry of the Over-all-tale. But, all are very closely woven, so it's more like... the Chapter, where one of his men goes into town, to borrow money from an old friend, that would get into trouble, if he openly helped the Cid, who'd been banished. Or the Chapter of the Clever tactics that were used to take such-and-such a fortress from the Moorish people. The had nothing to do with the central plot, but they... were still nice to have in there, and to read.
I guess that if I was a clever person, I could now make a comparison between how the Authors dealt with Battles in this book, and in Homer's The Iliad. I am not focussed enough at the moment to do that, nor am I in such an academic mood. But, I will mention that I found there to be much less Blood, and specific description of blow by blow warfare. Alright: at the End of the Cid, there's six people fighting together. And in that, it's described which strikes whom, with what, and how the armour of the defender held up. What it didn't have, was a poetic epithet to each, "So Joe-Blow spilled his blood over the sword, up to the hilt, as well as all about on the ground, and was left lying in the red tinged dust." (There seemed to be a lot of such descriptions in the Iliad.) Another difference that I felt, was that the fact this was in verse, (which the Iliad was not -in the translation that I read.) The poetic form in which the battles are told, made it much more bearable, and... muted. It was less... in my face; violent. And, being none to fond of violence, I felt that this was a beneficial thing.
I'm all the more curious to read the French version of the early history now, but I don't know if I'll ever find a good translation of it, in verse. And I REALLY couldn't say that I expect I'll ever know the language well enough to read this 300 year old poetry. Ah well. There are plenty of other books I can read in the meantime. Perhaps now... A German Classic Author? Schiller Possibly???