Sir Gawain and the Classical Tradition

Essays on the Ancient Antecedents

Fiction & Literature, Literary Theory & Criticism, Ancient & Classical, Nonfiction, History, Medieval
Cover of the book Sir Gawain and the Classical Tradition by , McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: ISBN: 9781476634326
Publisher: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers Publication: March 9, 2018
Imprint: Language: English
Author:
ISBN: 9781476634326
Publisher: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Publication: March 9, 2018
Imprint:
Language: English

The 14th century English alliterative poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is admired for its morally complex plot and brilliant poetics. A chivalric romance placed in an Arthurian setting, it has since received acclaim for its commentary regarding important socio-political and religious concerns. The poem’s technical brilliance blends psychological depth and vivid language to produce an effect widely considered superior to any other work of the time. Although the poem is a combination of English alliterative meter, romanticism, and a wide-ranging knowledge of Celtic lore, continental materials and Latin classics, the extent to which Classical antecedents affected or directed the poem is a point of continued controversy among literary scholars. This collection of essays by scholars of diverse interests addresses this puzzling and fascinating question. The introduction provides an expansive background for the topic, and subsequent essays explore the extent to which classical Greek, Roman, Arabic, Christian and Celtic influences are revealed in the poem's opening and closing allusions, themes, and composition. Essays discuss the way in which the anonymous author of Sir Gawain employs figural echoes of classical materials, cultural memoirs of past British tradition, and romantic re-textualizations of Trojan and British literature. It is argued that Sir Gawain may be understood as an Aeneas, Achilles, or Odysseus figure, while the British situation in the 14th century may be understood as analogous to that of ancient Troy.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

The 14th century English alliterative poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is admired for its morally complex plot and brilliant poetics. A chivalric romance placed in an Arthurian setting, it has since received acclaim for its commentary regarding important socio-political and religious concerns. The poem’s technical brilliance blends psychological depth and vivid language to produce an effect widely considered superior to any other work of the time. Although the poem is a combination of English alliterative meter, romanticism, and a wide-ranging knowledge of Celtic lore, continental materials and Latin classics, the extent to which Classical antecedents affected or directed the poem is a point of continued controversy among literary scholars. This collection of essays by scholars of diverse interests addresses this puzzling and fascinating question. The introduction provides an expansive background for the topic, and subsequent essays explore the extent to which classical Greek, Roman, Arabic, Christian and Celtic influences are revealed in the poem's opening and closing allusions, themes, and composition. Essays discuss the way in which the anonymous author of Sir Gawain employs figural echoes of classical materials, cultural memoirs of past British tradition, and romantic re-textualizations of Trojan and British literature. It is argued that Sir Gawain may be understood as an Aeneas, Achilles, or Odysseus figure, while the British situation in the 14th century may be understood as analogous to that of ancient Troy.

More books from McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers

Cover of the book Paul Blaisdell, Monster Maker by
Cover of the book Tappin' at the Apollo by
Cover of the book Passing Time by
Cover of the book Tracking the Weretiger by
Cover of the book Rice Paddy Recon by
Cover of the book Saul Bellow by
Cover of the book A Hospital for Ashe County by
Cover of the book Text & Presentation, 2014 by
Cover of the book Stanley Kubrick by
Cover of the book Kabul Classroom by
Cover of the book Southeast Missouri from Swampland to Farmland by
Cover of the book Historic Hiking Trails by
Cover of the book Italian Gothic Horror Films, 1970-1979 by
Cover of the book A Spy's Diary of World War II by
Cover of the book The Many Lives of Ajax by
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy