Innumerable Stars

Summary: You may be familiar with the Greek myth of Orpheus, who entered the Underworld to bring his beloved Eurydice back from death (and even if you don’t know it, you might be noticing similarities between a certain man and half-Maia of Silmarillion fame).  ‘Sir Orfeo’ is a Middle English poem which relocates the story to England and weaves in elements of Celtic myth and folklore.  Tolkien’s translation of the poem was published together with ‘Sir Gawain and the Green Knight’ and ‘Pearl’, plus his commentary on all three texts.

 

Why should I check out this canon? You’ll spot plenty of familiar Middle-earth motifs in this text; opportunities for crossover shenanigans are plentiful!  There’s some fascinating stuff to play around with in terms of the nature of Faery (let’s just say the Otherworld depicted in this poem is a startling departure from the takes on Faery that we might be more familiar with these days – the perilous realm indeed).  If you’re artistically inclined then there are some amazing scenes and images just crying out to be illustrated.  It’s also a great text for examining how myths evolve over time and absorb influences of the cultures retelling them.

 

Where can I get this? Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, together with Pearl and Sir Orfeo was first published in 1975, so there are several editions available – try your preferred bookshop, online retailer, or public library.  (If you feel like treating yourself, or someone else with a love of Tolkien or Medieval literature, there is an absolutely gorgeous 2020 hardcover edition complete with slip case.)   The 1975 edition is available as a PDF on the Internet Archive.

 

What fanworks already exist?  The Tolkien version isn’t tagged separately on AO3, but there is one three-sentence fic that crosses the poem with Farmer Giles of Ham.  So if you’re looking to break new ground with your IS fanworks this year, check this text out!