Richard Ringler

Richard Newman (Dick) Ringler was an exceptional man. Curious, energetic, warm. It was a blessing to get to know him after my husband Arnor and I moved to the United States with our young family in 1988 to study at UW. Dick was a professor of English and Scandinavian studies at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. We continued meeting him after we moved back home, in connection with our many mutual interests. The founding of University of Wisconsin Alumni Association, Iceland chapter in 2000 was among them. Dick visited Iceland on numerous occasions while working on Icelandic Online, a cooperative language learning project created in cooperation between UW and the University of Iceland, which is still going strong and evolving. Peter Gorman and Ken Frazier from UW library were happy team mates on this task. Dick was a great admirer of Icelandic romantic poet Jónas Hallgrímsson, and visited the sites which inspired Jonas in his writing. He felt that the English speaking world should become aquainted with this remarkable poet, which he found to be comparable to Wordsworth. His book, Bard of Iceland, published by the University of Wisconsin Press, with translations of Jonas‘s poetry and prose is in itself a monument and a treasure. The Icelandic nation is fortunate to have such a monument crafted by Dick Ringler, an exceptional translator and a poet. The book was quickly out of print, and therefore we arranged for it to be reprinted in Iceland, published by Forlagið press, with a photo taken by Dick of Hraundrangar, the picturesque homestead of Jónas Hallgrímsson. Dick was able to attend with his wife Karin, a celebration as the book came out in Iceland in 2010. There he heard for the first time his translations of Jónas sung out loud, when a school choir directed by Þórunn Björnsdóttir performed them to the accompaniement of Víkingur Heiðar Ólafsson pianist. Dick´s translations of Jonas Hallgrímsson are so good, that each one can be sung to the original songs as well and in the original language, without hesitation. On the occasion of Dick‘s eightieth birthday, in January 2014, we celebrated in Hannesarholt culture house in downtown Reykjavík by hosting a sing-along in Dick‘s honour, as guests sang his translations together, preceeded by one verse in Icelandic, with lyrics on a screen so everyone could join in. We are going to repeat this, in Dick‘s honour, on Saturday April 27th at 5 PM Icelandic time where translations from Bard of Iceland will be sung. Direct streaming will be put out on Hannesarholt facebook page. With respect and gratitude for a beautiful friendship, on behalf of myself and my family, I send Karin, Tamsie, Thor and their families our heartfelt condolences at the passing of Dick Ringler, who gave so much to Iceland and to all who knew him. Ragnheiður Jóna Jónsdóttir (Ragga)

In memory of Dick from Marty and Nick.

He was the best professor I ever had. I was privileged to be one of a dozen students in his English classics 4 year honors program at UW Madison and to write my undergraduate thesis on the lyrics and music in Brecht's 3 Penny Opera under professor Ringler's supervision. His technique of having us write imitative paragraphs of ancient sagas and novels was invaluable in teaching us to absorb and analyze writing styles. I owe him my career as a technical writer and novelist. His love of Icelandic culture was catching and my husband and I are finally going there this summer. I grieve Professor Ringler's passing and will never forget him.

Dick Ringler made an early and positive influence on my life. I studied under him in 1966 and 1967, visited Washington Island with him, family and friends, and drove together through surging rivers in the barren center of Iceland. We lost touch, but the connection has endured.

I took Dick Ringler's Beowulf course and as much Old Norse with him as I could cram into my time at Madison (as well as a summer course in RLS). He was undoubtedly one of the very best teachers I ever had, and a very memorable man. Þa gyt hie him asetton segen gyldenne heah ofer heafod, leton holm beran geafon on garsecg. Him wæs geomor sefa, murnende mod. Men ne cunnon secgan to soðe selerædenne, hæleð under heofenum, hwa þæm hlæste onfeng.