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Cambridge Old English Reader

Marsden, Richard

Generations of students have learned to read Old English with the help of the Victorian reader by Henry Sweet. A new reader, therefore, is timely, particularly one that is based on the premise that students should be given every encouragement. Marsden's reader is based around 56 texts, including educational treatises by the likes of Aelfric and Alfred, laws and extracts from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, psalms and Biblical texts, homilies, saints' lives and sermons, epics and dramatic poems, reflections and laments. Each text is preceded by a discussion of its provenance, with page by page notes and translations of the more difficult words. The book concludes with a reference grammar and a full glossary. It is arguable that while Marsden's approach will make it easy for students to read and enjoy Old English texts, it does remove much of the hard work and, therefore, the satisfaction of actually learning and understanding this most appealing and dramatic of languages. 532p (Cambridge UP 2004)

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