A Companion to the Gawain-Poet

This collection provides insightful essays on the Gawain poet's works, including A Companion to the Gawain-Poet, enriching readers' understanding of medieval literature.

This collection of essays serves as an insightful companion to the works of the Gawain poet, including Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl, Cleanness, and Patience. Each essay offers a stimulating introduction that enriches the reader's understanding of these medieval texts. The contributors delve into various topics, such as theories of authorship, the historical and social contexts of the poems, and significant thematic elements that define the Gawain poet's oeuvre.

A thorough exploration of gender roles within the poems is presented, alongside an examination of the manuscript itself. The essays also investigate the metre, vocabulary, and dialect unique to these works. Particularly noteworthy is the section dedicated to Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, which discusses the concepts of courtesy and chivalry, while also tracing the poem's influence through adaptations from the fifteenth century to the twentieth century.

The volume concludes with a comprehensive bibliography, making it an essential resource for both scholars and enthusiasts of medieval literature. Edited by Derek Brewer, Emeritus Professor of English Literature at the University of Cambridge, and Jonathan Gibson, a lecturer at the Universities of Exeter and Durham, this compilation features contributions from a range of esteemed scholars, ensuring a rich and diverse perspective on the Gawain poet's legacy.