Which of you heroes is so sharpwitted and so mindcrafty, who can speak. Only four collections of old english verse exist, out of which the exeter book is the largest and most impressive. The exeter book, compiled by 10thcentury clerics, contains a number of surprisingly euphemistic riddles. The seventh and eighthcentury anglosaxon churchmen aldhelm, boniface, hw. 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. Exeter book riddle 44 is one of the old english riddles found in the later tenth century exeter book.
Exeter book riddles 1, 2, 3, 25, 44, 45, 47, 72 summary and. 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. 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. Edited with introduction, notes, and glossary, by frederick tupper by tupper, frederick, 18711950. The exeter books riddles were never published with the answers. Anglosaxon riddles of the exeter book21 wikisource, the. It is probably the oldest surviving book of poetry from anglosaxon england, and contains a fascinating array of old english works, from christian and elegaic poems, to riddles. Exeter book riddles 1, 2, 3, 25, 44, 45, 47, 72 summary.
Mike bintley explores these poems, which include the wanderer and the wifes lament, and highlights the parallels between the elegies and the riddles in the exeter book. Jan 31, 2018 in addition to approximately 95 old english riddles from the exeter book, we have hundreds of latin poetic and prose enigmata by anglosaxon authors that survive in english and european manuscripts. The riddle was a major, prestigious literary genre in anglosaxon england, and riddles were written both in latin. While the poetry of the exeter book is mainly anonymous, some of the authors composing latin riddles are named. Exeter book, or the codex exoniensis, is a 10th century book, or codex, that contains most of the surviving anglosaxon poetry. Housed in exeter cathedral since it was given to the institution by its first bishop, leofric, in the 11th century, the exeter book was written around 970. Riddle numbers are taken from muirs exeter anthology 1994, though i follow williamson in. The exeter book, a late tenthcentury manuscript of early old english poetry, is an anthology of religious homiletic verse, elegiac poetry, and ninetyone lyric. As the oldest extant collection of vernacular riddles in western europe, the ninetyfive old englishriddlesof the exeter book exeter, cathedral library, ms 3501 occupy a unique place within both the history of the genre and the literary heritage of anglosaxon england. Sep 26, 2017 riddle 66 is the second of the three creation riddles in the exeter book riddles 40, 66 and 94.
Riddle 66 is the second of the three creation riddles in the exeter book riddles 40, 66 and 94. Exeter book riddles solutions anglosaxon narrative poetry. The best anglosaxon riddles interesting literature. Aug 03, 2016 here are ten things you should know about the exeter book. Exeter book riddles an open companion for british literature i. Of the four surviving old english poetic codices, only the exeter book contains anglosaxon riddles, 95 in all. The verse riddles of the tenthcentury exeter book, around ninety in number, have on occasion been recognized as tending toward a form of biography. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article requires login. The translations are mine, so that the clunky literalism is preserved. Aug, 2014 anglosaxon riddles of the exeter book 21. Scholars believe that a number were composed in the the exeter book riddles. Exeter book project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks.
Most of the editors have been shy about their double meanings. Buy the old english riddles of the exeter book 1 by craig williamson isbn. Anglosaxon riddles of the exeter book 1963 translated by paull franklin. While certainly not every exeter book riddle contains runes, and indeed most do not, there is a higher frequency of runes in riddles than elsewhere in the extant corpus of old english poetry, suggesting that perhaps runes offered something useful to the playful, puzzling, at times comical, old english riddle. Use the buttons on the right to navigate to each set of riddles.
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. The original exeter book resides in you guessed it exeter castle in the united kingdom. Jun 09, 2010 exeter book riddle 1 in old english hwylc is h. Craig williamson ed, the old english riddles of the exeter book. Exeter dean and chapter manuscript 3501, usually known as the exeter book, was written down by a single scribe no doubt a monk in about 970. Encoded references in exeter book birdriddles medieval. Jun 22, 2016 poetic manuscripts in old english are extremely rare only four survive in the world and the exeter book is the most varied, the best preserved and probably the oldest of them, said.
In some very few instances, my idea of the solution differs from the generally accepted range. The old english riddles of the exeter book by craig. The lack of riddles in the beowulf, junius, or vercelli manuscripts makes the interpretation of the riddles in codex exoniensis a unique challenge. The riddles survive through the exeter book, a manuscript dating back to the year, left to exeter cathedral by its. Exeter book riddles solutions anglosaxon narrative. Thus, the answers in this book are not necessarily what the anglosaxons intended, but just accepted answers. Search for library items search for lists search for contacts search for a library. This is a translation of the 96 anglosaxon poems from the 11thcentury exeter book. The exeter book was created by the first bishop of exeter in the eleventh century, when he collected poetry and riddles into a single tome.
Riddles 1 to 3 are quite clearly thematically linked, and it is because of this that they have also been read as one very long riddle especially because riddle 2 and the sections of riddle 3 begin with the same word. It explores the riddle alongside some of its analogues. Megan cavell explores what these bawdy puzzles tell us about sex and gender in anglosaxon england. Old english riddles from the exeter book book, 1982. There is no list of upsidedown answers at the end of the exeter book where these riddles are found. Publication date 1910 topics riddles, english old publisher boston ginn collection robarts. Although its common to find several riddles with the same answer or which seem to have the same answer the creation riddles are unusual because they are all versions of the same riddle.
Three exeter book riddles are printed in introduction to old english as minitexts i and l. The exeter book riddles of the four surviving old english poetic codices, only the exeter book contains anglosaxon riddles, 95 in all. Yet the poems, drawn as they were from an earlier tradition, predate the exeter book perhaps by centuries. The exeter book, exeter cathedral library ms 3501, also known as the codex exoniensis, is a tenthcentury 1 book or codex which is an anthology of anglosaxon poetry. If multiple possibilities are possible, ill give the best or most likely. The lack of riddles in the beowulf, junius, or vercelli manuscripts makes the interpretation of the riddles in. In working with the old english text of the exeter book, it is important to pay attention to all the riddles and read them as a whole collection. Exeter book riddles anglosaxon narrative poetry project. 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. Jan 17, 2020 in my my most recent blog, encoded references in the exeter book birdriddles, i discuss arcane references in the exeter book riddles and build on a previous piece, reading runes in the exeter book riddles, which explores the cryptic use of runes in this old english riddle collection. The date of authorship of many of the riddles is unclear.
The exeter book is the largest known collection of old english literature still in existence. The exeter book is a 10 thcentury anthology of poetry in old english and is of major importance to exeter cathedral, the cathedral library and english literature itself. The old english riddles of the exeter book and the anglolatin riddle tradition. Riddle numbers are taken from muirs exeter anthology 1994, though i follow williamson in considering the first three as parts of a single riddle. This, of course, throws off the riddle numbering system which you should note is an editorial practice and does not appear in the exeter book manuscript. And depending on who in the scholarly world you talk to, the numbers of riddles, and the translation of those riddles. Unesco lists exeter book among worlds principal cultural. Anglosaxon riddles of the exeter book wikisource, the free. But this is not to say that some of the riddles arent, quite frankly, bawdy and rude. It seems likely they were composed in the 700s when riddles were popular in english monasteries. Being the history of old english from its beginnings to the accession of king alfred new york, ny, 1892, 179. Though some of the best have been translated in scattered places, and there is a prose lineforline translation in the e. And its the exeter book that yields a whole host of smaller masterpieces of old english verse, from the dream of the rood to the battle of maldon to the ruin to the wanderer and the seafarer and the celebrated riddles. The old english texts used on this site appear in professor craig williamsons edition of the old english riddles of the exeter book, chapel hill.
The riddles are of particular interest to students of old english poetry and anglosaxon culture, to archeologists, anthropologists, and folklorists. Copied in the south of england towards the end of the tenth century, they appear to be a compilation of poetic riddles by perhaps. In addition to approximately 95 old english riddles from the exeter book, we have hundreds of latin poetic and prose enigmata by. In this new and revised edition of a popular anvil press classic, michael alexander presents a selection of these ingenious and enigmatic poemswith possible solutions given in an appendixin versions that capture their peculiar, often ribald, suggestiveness and vigor. Exeter book, the largest extant collection of old english poetry. The riddles in the exeter book were probably authored by multiple people and are difficult to date. The exeter book s riddle 33 depicts its subject, an iceberg, as a warrior woman who can cause damage to ships with her physical prowess and powerful curses.
The exeter book is a 10 thcentury anthology of poetry in old english and is of major importance to exeter cathedral, the cathedral library and english literature itself exeter dean and chapter manuscript 3501, usually known as the exeter book, was written down by. This folded stainlesssteel triangular sculpture is the latest addition to exeter high street. This riddle is from the exeter book, circa 960990 a. Williamson, the old english riddles of the exeter book, 16. Obscene riddles of the exeter book everything english. The runes possibly spell out minus the vowel the word hland, the old english word for piss riddle 76. Ranging from natural phenomena to animal and bird life, from the christian concept of creation to prosaic domestic objects, the riddles are full of sharp observation and earthy humour. Many of the riddles in the exeter book bear this out and i am indebted to michael alexander, and his excellent pocket translation of anglosaxon verse, the earliest english poems penguin classics, for this observation. The exeter book riddles in context the british library.
This article discusses the riddle s union of woman and iceberg from an ecofeminist perspective, exploring the deeprooted andro and anthropocentric anxieties that lie behind it. Translating exeter book riddles medieval studies research. The old english riddles of the exeter book and the anglolatin. Dec 06, 2019 in continuing my discussion of cryptic information encoded in runes in the exeter book riddles, in which i argue runic literacy functions as a form of esotericism, i wish to expand the conversation by considering the variety of specialized information contained in a group of old english riddles featured in the collection riddles 710. Jan 31, 2018 the poems in the exeter book known as the old english elegies focus on loss, separation and the transience of earthly things. A little research has indicated to me that there might only be a few older books than the exeter book in the uk. Anglosaxon riddles of the exeter book, 1963 online.
Solutions storm numbered as aspr, but taken as one poem. Sep 01, 2016 the language of the anglosaxon riddles is often difficult, and even those who are fairly familiar with old english cannot read them readily. Anglosaxon riddles are part of anglosaxon literature. Although its common to find several riddles with the same answer or which seem to have the same answer the creation riddles are unusual because they are all versions of the same riddle, just edited a bit. It is one of the four major anglosaxon literature codices, along with the vercelli book, nowell codex and the c.
Some of them have been dated as far back as the 7 th century. Some are obvious particularly if you know something about the object the riddle is about and some are very obscure. Anglosaxon riddles of the exeter book wikisource, the. Leofric, the first bishop of exeter, originally donated it to the library of exeter cathedral. The exeter book varied collection of old english poetry authorship and dating of the riddles unclear. The exeter book otherwise, the book of riddles devonshire. The language of the anglosaxon riddles is often difficult, and even those who are fairly familiar with old english cannot read them readily. Elliott van kirk dobbie and george philip krapp eds, the exeter book.
Sep 09, 2010 exeter book riddle 3 in old english hwilum mec min frea f. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. In many cases, answers are just provisional, and still the subject of some discussion. Peter thomas cathedral librarian gives a short introduction to ms 3501, more commonly known as the exeter book. Shielded behind glass it will be a little hard to place ones pint of guinness on its covers once more.
University of north carolina press, 1977, by the university of north carolina press. Reading the exeter book riddles as lifewriting the. Made by the artist michael fairfax, it has alternate wings with verses from the exeter riddles which date from the circa 960ad, exeter book, the earliest known example of anglo saxon poetry in existence. Two historical riddles of the old english exeter book. The elegies of the exeter book the british library. That leaves the cotton manuscript whose anglosaxon poetry comprises beowulf and nothing more and the exeter book.
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. D clothes make no sound when i tread ground or dwell in dwellings or disturb the flow. The modern sculpture the riddle on exeter high street by michael fairfax, which is inscribed with texts of old english riddles and evokes how they reflect the material world. Join britannicas publishing partner program and our community of experts to gain a global audience for your work.