There is much to be gained from interpreting the tenthcentury exeter book riddles as a characteristically biographical group of texts. The ninetysix anglosaxon riddles in the eleventhcentury exeter book are poems of great charm, zest, and subtlety. The riddle was a major, prestigious literary genre in anglosaxon england, and riddles were written both in latin and old english verse. Most of the editors have been shy about their double meanings. The original exeter book resides in you guessed it exeter castle in the united kingdom. In scholarly use, it is more commonly called old english. The storm riddles have pride of place not only because they stand first in the exeter book, but also because they outrank all the rest in poetic merit. Anglosaxon riddles of the exeter book wikisource, the free. Exeter book riddles 1, 2, 3, 25, 44, 45, 47, 72 summary. Many of the exeter book riddles, particularly the first three the storm riddles, god unleashes natures fury at his will, testing the mettle of his subjects on earth. The exeter book contains the largest collection of anglosaxon poetry and was given to the cathedral by leofric, exeter s first bishop.
The riddles in the exeter book were probably authored by multiple people and are difficult to date. In many cases, answers are just provisional, and still the subject of some discussion. Exeter book riddle 9 in old english anglosaxon youtube. The best anglosaxon riddles and kennings kenning definition, history and examples riddle definition, history and examples this page collects some of the very best anglosaxon riddles and kennings.
The exeter riddles have been translated and published more than any other old english text and therefore invite extended study muir. To learn more about riddles in the middle ages, please see. After much discussion, the consensus now is that 1 is a separate riddle and 2 and 3 are a single riddle by a. Obscene is a troublesome word for both legal and lay minds, but there is nothing uncertain about these few anglosaxon riddles which go under that name.
The history of the anglo saxons is the history of a cultural identity. Reading the exeter book riddles as lifewriting the. The anglosaxon riddles contained in the exeter book were probably written in the early eighth century. The exeter book of riddles is a relatively recent anglosaxon book it was discovered when another book was taken apart for rebinding, these riddles had been preserved by being destroyed by being recycled into book binding materials. The damage to the manuscript offers several possible reconstructions of the riddle s final lines. Here are two of these anglosaxon riddles, both in old english and translated into modern english. The consensus of opinion is that these riddles use the language of double entendre.
The language of the anglosaxon riddles is often difficult, and even those who are fairly familiar with old english cannot read them readily. It seems likely they were composed in the 700s when riddles were popular in english monasteries. Riddle 43s commentary is once again by the terribly clever james paz, lecturer in early medieval english literature at the university of manchester. The anglosaxon riddle poems from the exeter book translated and illuminated by bertha rogers. The exeter book, exeter cathedral library ms 3501, also known as the codex exoniensis, is a tenthcentury book or codex which is an anthology of anglosaxon poetry. Craig williamson ed, the old english riddles of the exeter book. Exeter book riddles riddle numbers are taken from muirs exeter anthology 1994, though i follow williamson in considering the first three as parts of a single riddle riddle songs of the storm. The exeter book riddles in context the british library. Perhaps the most enigmatic cultural artifacts that survive from the anglosaxon period are the old english riddle poems that were preserved in the tenth century exeter book manuscript.
These riddles were translated by nancy porter stork in her book through a gloss darkly. Every time a work is analyzed or interpreted, we get a little closer to figuring it out simply by producing new ideas and applying different lenses. For a full site on this dubious literary genre, a medieval organization called the kalamazoo riddle group has the exeter books anglosaxon riddles. We do not have the names of any of these poets, though there is no reason to doubt that some may have cunningly hidden their names in the text.
The elements of anglosaxon wisdom poetry in the exeter. A few of them are poetical in the best sense of anglosaxon poetic style, as good as anything outside the heroic style of the beowulf. Exeter book riddles anglosaxon narrative poetry project. The first stage of this part of the angosaxonriddles provides the anglosaxon texts of all the riddles in the exeter book, accompanied by translations, as those appear in craig williamsons two important books. Riddle numbers are taken from muirs exeter anthology 1994, though i follow williamson in considering the first three as parts of a single. The exeter book riddles in my anglosaxon literature recommendations blog post, i gave an overview of the exeter book riddles and included some of my favourites.
Here is a list of solutions for the exeter book riddles as numbered in the translation. The riddles were kept in a book named, the exeter book. The sexual riddles of the exeter book simon fraser university. There are ninetyfive riddle poems in the exeter book. Anglosaxon riddles of the exeter book9 wikisource, the free. Exeter book riddle 44 according to the numbering of the anglosaxon poetic records is one of the old english riddles found in the later tenthcentury exeter. The divine connection was likely how the anglosaxons dealt with the devastation they faced at natures hands. Anglosaxon poets would recite songs, stories, and riddles.
The most famous anglosaxon riddles are in old english riddles and found in the tenthcentury exeter book, while the preeminent composer of latin riddles was the seventh to eighthcentury scholar aldhelm. The term anglo saxon is popularly used for the language that was spoken and written by the anglo saxons in england and eastern scotland between at least the mid5th century and the mid12th century. In analyzing riddle 12, i am hoping to contribute meaningfully to our understanding of anglosaxon england as a whole, the riddles in the exeter book, and the ox riddle. The riddles are of particular interest to students of old english poetry and anglosaxon culture, to archeologists, anthropologists, and folklorists. The riddle or, as they are sometimes called by academics, enigmatica is a developed form in anglosaxon poetry, the most important collection of riddles being the exeter book.
This list of work on the riddles attempts to be comprehensive after 1977, the publication of craig williamsons the old english riddles of the exeter book, chapel hill. Perhaps it is plausible i am merely reading these double entendres into the text. Anglosaxon riddles of the exeter book, 1963 online. Anglosaxon riddles of the exeter book paull f baum. Riddle numbers are taken from muirs exeter anthology 1994, though i follow williamson in considering the first three as parts of a single riddle riddle songs of the storm which of you heroes is so sharpwitted. This simple, oneline poem is a good example of anglosaxon prosody and the riddle. Obscene riddles of the exeter book everything english. The lack of riddles in the beowulf, junius, or vercelli manuscripts makes the interpretation of the riddles in codex exoniensis a unique challenge. Anglosaxon riddles of the exeter book wikisource, the. They are written in the style of anglosaxon poetry and range in topics from the religious to the mundane. Nearly all the riddles that have survived are preserved in the exeter book, a tenth century miscelaney including such old english masterpieces as the seafarer and the wanderer. Riddle 7 the exeter book anthony wilson september 7, 20 october 5, 2017 education.
Search for library items search for lists search for contacts search for a library. If multiple possibilities are possible, ill give the best or most likely. The elements of anglosaxon wisdom poetry in the exeter book riddles. Produced at some point in the late 10th century, the manuscript written mainly in old english and exclusively in verse brings together poems as short as one line and as long as 25 pages. There may have been an attempt to assemble 100 riddles in the exeter book like in some latin collections. They comprise a rich source of information for the study of anglosaxon concepts of life courses and life stages, but have yet to be treated as such despite current enthusiasm surrounding the study of historical life cycles. I imagine that solving riddle 43 would have been fairly easy for most anglosaxon readers of the exeter book, especially if were to picture this riddling taking place in a monastic. The riddles are one of the most wellknown works in the exeter book, and they focus on an eclectic mix of themes. The two dumb creatures in the second line are two sticks rubbed together to make a flame or two stones struck together to make a spark.
Below, ive included some of the best anglosaxon riddles from the exeter book, followed by the most commonly proposed solutions. The ninetyodd riddles in anglosaxon which have come down to us in a single manuscript are naturally a miscellaneous collection of varying merit. Among the other texts in the exeter book, there are over ninety riddles. Two historical riddles of the old english exeter book. Exeter book project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. The bookworm riddle can be found in the exeter book, one of the greatest literary treasures to survive from anglosaxon england. Exeter book riddles, however, has lead me to conclude that the sexual. The exeter book, a late tenthcentury manuscript of early old english poetry, is an anthology of religious homiletic verse, elegiac poetry, and ninetyone lyric riddles. The bibliography in that volume is adequate for anyone undertaking to read everything relevant to the riddles. In some very few instances, my idea of the solution differs from the generally accepted range. Young, nanglosaxon family law, in essays in anglosaxon law macmillan and.
Its from the red book of exeter, which contains many anglosaxon riddles and is one of four surviving anglosaxon prosody manuscripts. Thp5 sexual riddles of the exef er book the exeter book contains six riddles with explicit sexual content. Shielded behind glass it will be a little hard to place ones pint of guinness on its covers once more. Elliott van kirk dobbie and george philip krapp eds, the exeter book. With all this time now on his hands he decided he would translate these anglosaxon riddles, known as the exeter book, and given to exeter cathedral library by bishop leofric in. Riddle 66 from the exeter book, read in the original old english. In this weeks dispatches from the secret library, dr oliver tearle ponders some of the best of the anglosaxon riddles from the exeter book as ive remarked before, its a sobering thought that all of the anglosaxon poetry that has survived is found in just four manuscripts which escaped the. Clever, challenging, and notoriously obscure, the riddles have fascinated readers for centuries and provided crucial insight into the period. The best anglosaxon riddles interesting literature. I became a translator of anglosaxon riddles and kennings after falling in love with wulf and eadwacer, a stunning ancient poem from the exeter. The old english riddles of the exeter book chapel hill.
Give or take a few short poems, whether or not theyre riddles is an open question. Below are links to texts of the riddles accompanied by translations. Though some of the best have been translated in scattered places, and there is a prose lineforline translation in the e. New york, 1936, aspr 3 henceforth cited as kd, and i shall follow common practice in referring to. Two dumb creatures make him grow bright between them.
Exeter book riddles solutions here is a list of solutions for the exeter book riddles as numbered in the translation. It is one of the four major anglosaxon literature codices, along with the vercelli book, nowell codex and the c. Anglosaxon riddles are part of anglosaxon literature. Use the buttons on the right to navigate to each set of riddles. Exeter book riddle 74 and the play of the text anglo. Kalamazoo, michigan, hosts the nations big medieval convention every year. I imagine the compiler of this collection transcribed or copied both oral and written riddles, perhaps adding some of his own in. Exeter book riddles solutions anglosaxon narrative.