Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a classic piece of literature that is often interpreted by modern day writers. The interpretations often allow a new audience access to the story, but there are drawbacks to there being such a vast number of interpretations. Each version has differences from the original story, the newer versions may be easier to read, but they give readers a lackluster literary experience that is easily forgotten. I believe that Marie Borroff’s translation is superior to Simon Armitage’s, as the former withholds more of the literary elements of the original story, while yet still being easy enough to understand for most readers. While both translations use alliteration, Borroff interpretation uses it much more effectively.
