Description
Book SynopsisThis anthology of medieval writing provides a context for a deeper understanding of the Gawain-poet's originality and skill.The intertextuality of this brilliant poem can be more fully understood through Elisabeth Brewer's presentation of modern English versions of themes familiar from
Gawain and the Green Knight -beheading, seduction and othertraditional material - from a range of medieval writings. Her book is a delightful and unusual small anthology of medieval literature; but its greatest success lies in providing a context for a fuller understanding of
Sir Gawain, through its presentation of extracts and poems (including translation from Celtic and French originals) illustrating the tradition in which the
Gawain-poet wrote, underscoring his own great achievement. It is both anintroduction to the poem and a useful tool for critical comparison. First published in 1975 as
From Cuchulainn to Gawain.
ELISABETH BREWERlectured in English at Homerton College, Cambridge.
Table of ContentsThe feast; the beheading game; the passing of the year; the arming of the warrior; Gawain's arrival at the castle; the hunt; the temptation theme; the antifeminist diatribe; later versions.
