5-Medieval lyrics. The pearl and Gawain poet, courtly love and medieval romances, Arthurian cycles PDF

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Literatura Inglesa FILOLOGÍA Ana Álvarez QuintasMEDIEVAL LYRICS. THE PEARL- AND GAWAIN- POET. COURTLY LOVE AND MEDIEVAL ROMANCES. ARTHURIAN CYCLES.GEOFFREY OF MONMOUTH (died 1155) Historia regum Britanniae (History of the Kings of Britain), published ca. 1135- Supposedly, a translation form a “very ...

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Literatura Inglesa

FILOLOGÍA

Ana Álvarez Quintas

MEDIEVAL LYRICS. THE PEARL- AND GAWAIN- POET. COURTLY LOVE AND MEDIEVAL ROMANCES. ARTHURIAN CYCLES.

GEOFFREY OF MONMOUTH (died 1155) Historia regum Britanniae (History of the Kings of Britain), published ca. 1135-1139 Supposedly, a translation form a “very old bool in the British tongue” British “history” from the settlement by the Trojan Brutus, great-grandson of Aeneas, and Corineus, founder of Cornwall, who exterminate giants inhabiting Britain, to Arthur’s conquests, the work’s climax. --> brought the figure of Arthur into European literature. JOHN GOWER (1330?-1408) Gower’s three main works: 1.Speculum Meditantis (or Mirour de l’Omme) -

In french Exposition of vices and virtues Poem of almost 30000 lines

2.Vox Clamantis -

In latin About the various misfortunes which happened in England in the time of king Richard II, including an allegory of the peasants’ Revolt

3.Confessio Amantis -

In English Structure of an allegorical Christian confession

THE PEARL- AND GAWAIN- POET (late 14th century) British Library MS Cotton Nero A. x. contains four poems: Pearl, Cleanness, Patience and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight -probably a member of a court, familiar with court life, customs, and entertainment -a contemporary of Chaucer, but wrote in a dialect much less modern THE PEARL POEM A dream poem about grief and loss The speaker, distraught at the loss of his “perle”, falls asleep and wakes in a garden with a stream. --> he sees a beautiful maiden in white robes stitched with pearls – his dead daughter The poem ends with the dreamer’s vision of heavenly Jerusalem and of his daughter as a bride of Christ SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT

Literatura Inglesa

FILOLOGÍA

Ana Álvarez Quintas

-Romance--> episodic poetry dealing with chivalry and the adventures of knights in warface as they rescue fair maidens and confront supernatural challenges. -Medieval romances resembled the earlier chansons de gestes and epics -Standard plot: a single knight seeking to win a scornful lady’s favor by undertaking a dangerous quest. -Medieval romances often focus on the supernatural, which originates in magic, spells, enchantment, and fairy trickery. -Different traditions and subject matters: Rome and Greece (the Trojan war, Thebes, mythological figures, and the exploits of Alexander the Great), Britain (Celtic strories about Camenlot, King Arthur, and his knights of the round table) or France (Charlemagne, Roland, and his knights). SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT: Main characters: King Arthur -legendary king of Britain -husband of Guinevere -uncle of Gawain -over the famous knights of the Round Table at Camelot -brave, courageous, chivalrous Sir Gawain: -Arthur’s nephew and one of the most loyl, brave knights -follows the chilvarous code (humility, piety, integrity, loyalty, honesty) -courtly lover -one flaw: loves his life so much thet he will lie to protect it (obviously breaking the code) The green knight: -huge man with big muscles/carries a huge axe -he says he comes in friendship but proposes that someone step forward to play the “beheading game” -he expects the knights to be courageous and step forward to play TWO MAJOR THEMES 1. Chilvary From the French word chevalier -> a horseman, a knight or a gallant young man It refers to the codes of conduct, including courtly love, with values including honor, bravery, courteousness and honesty

Literatura Inglesa

FILOLOGÍA

Ana Álvarez Quintas

Chilvary was the honor code of the knight An important part of chilvary was to show respect and gallantry towards women-> “knights shining armor”

in

2. Courly love Practiced in English courts from the 1300’s to the 1500’s -> marriages were arranged and had little to do with love. A succesful marriage brought material advantages to the participants and their families. The romance, rules (chastity and fidelity within the marriage) and art of Medieval Courtly Love allowed knights and ladies to show their admiration regardless of their marital state. It was common for a married lady to give a token to a knight of her choice to be worn during Medieval tournament.

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