The Anglo-Norman Voyage of Saint Brendan

Written in the Anglo-Norman dialect of Medieval French, the 'Voyage of St. Brendan' is an important example of early twelfth-century literature. This new edition fills a longstanding need for an accessible text of this fascinating voyage-tale, the first French narrative poem to take its inspiration from Celtic legend. Benedeit’s poem is an imaginative reworking of a Latin original, based ultimately on Irish sources, which dates back at least to the tenth century and which was widely copied throughout medieval Europe. In our own day it has inspired a dramatic crossing of the Atlantic in an oxhide boat to show that already in the sixth century the historic Brendan could have reached America.
This edition presents a clear and concise account of the Brendan legend, and of the place of the Anglo-Norman version in the wider European tradition. The surviving manuscripts, the versification and the linguistic characteristics of the text are described. There follows a synopsis of the narrative and an evaluation of its literary qualities. Ample explanatory notes and a complete glossary are provided to enable those with little previous knowledge of Medieval French to appreciate this unique story of exploration and adventure set within the framework of a spiritual odyssey.