An Analysis of Ezra Pound’s The Seafarer

Since its appearance, Pound's translation of the Old English poem, The Seafarer, has occupied a significant place in literary history and criticism. Among established descriptions in Anglo-Saxon studies, the original has been called "an indestructible tribute to the mariners of England." Pound's work adds to this tribute in a new way, making important statements concerning the history of language and literature of the sea. At the same time, Pound's translation explores the concept of literary "indestructibility," raising implications about how "texts" acquire meaning. By studying the different ways Pound attempted to bring Anglo-Saxon language to the present in The Seafarer, this thesis aspires to reckon with not only the categorical conflicts of Pound's early translation, but also the importance that it represents to Pound's means of redefining English poetry. This thesis conducts an analysis of Ezra Pound's 1911 translation of the Anglo-Saxon Seafarer poem emphasizing Pound's inventive use of unfamiliar language serving to challenge the accepted academic role of the translator.