Thursday, July 17, 2008

Chaucer Audio Files

Those teaching English Literature might find this interesting.

Chaucer Metapage Audio Files

Listen to excerpts of the Canterbury Tales, Troilus and Criseyde, and other poems by Chaucer read in the middle English.

Newly added:

Norton Old and Middle English Audio Files

This has Beowulf read by Seamus Heaney, as well as other cool texts.

8 comments:

Mrs. Gibbons said...

Rillene...you're awesome. This will be so good for my class, cause God knows I can't speak any middle English. Thanks.

RilleneN said...

Awe, shucks.

Kerri Russell said...

I will be teaching Brit lit to, but I don't think we will be doing Chaucer (even though we should). It seems like we go from Beowulf right into Macbeth. So what are your ideas on Beowulf.

I also have the prologue of Canterbury on CD, and the Miller's tale on iTunes in Middle English.

Kerri Russell said...

I spoke Middle English once or twice!

RilleneN said...

http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/nael/NOA/audio.htm

Kerri--check out this Norton site. Some interesting audio recrodings here--Middle English stuff too.

I love the Seamus Heaney translation of Beowulf--the best I've read as far as making the story come alive. Ther are some audio recordings of him reading from it on this site as well.

Kerri Russell said...

Thanks guys--this site is great!

Kerri Russell said...

I would totally use this site if it was the translation our text books use. I've been told that the Seamus Heaney translation is the best (and I'm sure it is), but high school textbooks don't use it (probably copyright or royalties). Our poor students will never be able to experience good literature!

RilleneN said...

You know, you could talk about the fact that these are translated texts, and that since we all make text connections of one sort or another--text to self, to world, to text--it stands to reason there will be differences. It might be kinda cool to conpare some. They could follow the text in the book while listening to Heaney's version then discuss the differences and evaluate whether or not they are significant. If so why and if not, why not.