Essays on Medieval Literature

Abstract

The chapters in this book are chiefly concerned with English and Scottish writings of the 14th and 15th centuries. Those on Chaucer's Knight's Tale, Langland's second version, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Henryson's Preaching of the Swallow belong together as attempts to clarify the meaning of particular poems from this period by explaining concepts or institutions which are more or less unfamiliar nowadays: the scheme of the three ages in Chaucer, the sequence sermon-confession-pilgrimage-pardon in Langland, honour and shame in Sir Gawain, and the virtue of prudence in Henryson. Of the other two chapters on Canterbury Tales, that on the Merchant's Tale represents a kind of ‘new criticism’ of Chaucer whereas the second which is on Sir Thopas indicates one way for ward for Chaucer criticism now, through the detailed study of his poetic language. The chapter on The Cloud of Unknowing and on the audience of Piers Plowman are both primarily concerned with questions of style. The remaining four chapters range more widely and they discuss the importance of context, the medieval poet's presentation of himself, the ‘nature ideal’ in thinking about the ages of man, and the integrity of the literal level in allegories.

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