Medieval English Texts: Cotton MS Nero A.X/2 and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Explore the rich literary realm of Medieval English texts through manuscripts like the Cotton MS Nero A.X/2, containing alliterative poetry in Middle English, featuring works like Pearl, Patience, Cleanness, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Delve into the world of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight with its distinctive stanza structure and thematic elements reflecting the natural world.
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Sibilla Siano Filologia del Testo Medievale Inglese sibilla.siano@phd.unipd.it Wandering the Wilderness: Echoes of the Old English Wandering the Wilderness: Echoes of the Old English Elegies in Elegies in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
COTTON MS NERO A X/2 Cotton CottonMS MSNero NeroA AX/ X/2 2 general generalinformation information The manuscript is composed of four texts presumably by the same author (whose identity remainsunknown) Pearl (dream vision), Patience and Cleanness (homiletictexts),andSGGK(Arthurianromance) Codexunicus Only surviving manuscript entirely consisting of alliterativepoetryinME
COTTON MS NERO A X/2 Cotton CottonMS MSNero NeroA AX/ X/2 2 general generalinformation information The identification of the area of composition withCheshireorStaffordshire dialect evidence allows the Script: featuresofanglicana textura rotunda with some Date of creation: 1375 1425 Patron unknown
SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Text divided in stanzas of irregular length with additional bob- and-wheellinesrhyming ABABAattheendofeachstanza Synopsis:
SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT First stanza First stanza SI EN esegeand eassautwatzsesedat Troye, ebor brittened and brentto bronde and askez, e etulk tulk at at e etrammes trammesof of tresoun Watztried for his tricherie, etreweston erthe: Hit watzEnnias eathel, and his highekynde, atsi endepreced prouinces, and patrounes bicome Welne eof al ewelein ewest iles. Fro riche Romulus to Rome ricchishymswy e, With gretbobbaunce atbur ehe bigesvponfyrst, And neuenes hit his aunenome, as hit now hat; Tiriusto Tuskanand teldesbigynnes, Langaberdein Lumbardielyftesvphomes, And ferouer eFrench flodFelix Brutus On monybonkkes fulbrodeBretaynhe settez wythwynne, Where werreand wrakeand wonder Bi sy ezhatzwont erinne, And oft bo eblysseand blunder Fulsketehatzskyftedsynne. (ll. 1-19) tresoun er erwro wro t t Alliterating long lines Bob-and-wheel
THE REPRESENTATION OF THE NATURAL WORLD The Themeter meterof ofSGGK SGGK The unrhymed alliterative long line in Middle English consists of two verses or half-linesdividedbyacaesura Each verse may have two or three lifts (stresses)andonetofour(dips) X / X X / X X / X X / e t tulk at e t tram mes of t tre soun er wro t
THE REPRESENTATION OF THE NATURAL WORLD The representation of the The representation of the natural world in natural world in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and the Green Knight Sir Gawain
THE REPRESENTATION OF THE NATURAL WORLD The The natural natural world romances romances world in in traditional traditional Arthurian Arthurian Functional to the story Meeting the audience s expectations Never a threat Crowded with stereotyped, conventional foes (giants, dragons, wodwoes)
THE REPRESENTATION OF THE NATURAL WORLD E E. .g g. . Chr tien Chr tien de Chevalier Chevalierau de Troyes, Troyes, Yvain auLion Lion Yvain ou ou Le Le Mes sire Yvainsne sejorna Puis qu'armes fune tant ne qant, Ein oiserra chascunjortant, Par Par montaignes montaigneset par Et par forez longues par forez longues et lees, Par Par leus leusestranges estrangeset salvages Si passa mainz mainzfelons felonspassages Et maint perilet maint destroit, Tant qu'il vint au santierestroit Plain de ronces et d'oscurtez. Et lors fuil asse rez Qu'il ne pooitmes esgarer. (ll. 760-71) et par valees valees salvages, passages
THE REPRESENTATION OF THE NATURAL WORLD At At the author author similarly similarly describes the thewilderness wilderness. . the beginning beginning of of Gawain s describes his Gawain s quest his encounters encounters in in quest, , the the So mony mony meruayl Hit were to tore for to telle of e ten e dole. Sumwhyle wyth wormez wormez he werrez, and with wolues Sumwhyle wyth wodwos wodwos, at woned in e knarrez, Bo e wyth bullez bullez and berez berez, and borez And etaynez etaynez, at hym anelede of e he e felle; Nade he ben du ty and dry e, and Dry tyn had serued, Douteles he hade ben ded and dreped ful ofte. ( (ll. ll. 718 meruayl bi mount er e mon fyndez, wolues als, borez o erquyle, 718- -25) 25)
THE REPRESENTATION OF THE NATURAL WORLD However, the author dismisses this traditional material in only a few lines and paints with brushstrokes of realism landscape. a threatening wintry For For werre werrewrathed wynter wynternas naswors wrathedhym wors (l. 726) hymnot so much not so much at at This line marks the threshold between a natural landscape sketched by drawing on traditional Arthurian romances and a real natural world, seriouslycapableofendangeringGawain slife.
THE REPRESENTATION OF THE NATURAL WORLD As Assoon soonas alongside alongside their depicted depicted as increasingly increasinglyrealistic asthe theaudience audiencecrosses their hero, hero, the as increasingly increasingly threatening, realisticat atthe crossesthis the natural natural world threatening, though thesame sametime time. . thisthreshold threshold world is is though The forest is presented as a self-standing character; The natural landscape fails to fulfil the audience s expectations; The weather is presented as the real enemy.
THE REPRESENTATION OF THE NATURAL WORLD however, the role of nature does not appear to be restricted to that of a mere foe, but rather ranges from proper enemy to an instrument tostrengthenthehero sfaith. constant ambiguity poem. ambiguityat the very heart of the
THE REPRESENTATION OF THE NATURAL WORLD Although Although the somehow somehow indebted romances, romances, it it also degree degree of of unusualness unusualness by drawing drawingon onmultiple multiplecultural the description description of of nature indebted to to standard standard Arthurian also reveals reveals a a significant by simultaneously culturaltraditions nature is is Arthurian significant simultaneously traditions. . Old English Elegies; Popular folklore; Celtic and Norse legends.
THE INFLUENCE OF OLD ENGLISH ELEGIES The Therevival revivalof ofthe thealliterative alliterativeverse verse In order to convey an almost realistic description of the wintry weather, the Gawain-poet makes use of theevocativepowerofalliteration alliteration,reminiscentofOld English poetry, and recreates before the audience s eyes the sound of the wailing wind slashing the bare rocks. When ecoldeclerwater fro ecloudezschadde, And freserhit fallemy tto efaleer e; Nerslaynwyth esletehe slepedin his yrnes Mo ny tez eninnoghein naked rokkez, eras claterandefro ecrest ecoldeborne rennez, And h hengedh he eouerh his h hedein h hard iisse-ikkles. (ll. 727-32)
THE INFLUENCE OF OLD ENGLISH ELEGIES The description of the frozen landscape seems to be remarkably more inspired by the Old English alliterative tradition of The Wanderer or of The Seafarer,ratherthanbycourtlyromances. The wind holds centre stage The miserable condition of the anhaga Ubi sunt theme
THE INFLUENCE OF OLD ENGLISH ELEGIES The Thedescription descriptionof ofthe thewind wind ond asstanhleo u | stormascnyssa , hri hreosende | hrusanbinde , wintreswoma, | onnewon cyme , (The Wanderer, ll. 101-3) NOW ne ez eNw ere, and eny tpassez, eday dryuezto ederk, as Dry tynbiddez; Bot wyldewederezof e Clowdeskestenkenly ecoldeto eer e, Wythny einnogheof enor e, enaked to tene; esnawesniteredfulsnart, atsnayped ewylde; e ewerbelande werbelandewynde wyndewapped wappedfro And And drof drofvche vchedale dale ful fulof of dryftes dryftesful eleudelystenedfulwel atle in his bedde, (ll. 1998-2006) eworlde worldewakned wakned eroute, fro e fulgrete grete. . ehy hy e e, ,
THE INFLUENCE OF OLD ENGLISH ELEGIES The Thewind windhas haschanged changedits itssymbolic symbolicvalue value. . In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the image of the wind beating the castle walls echoes that of the wilderness trying to gain room to civilised castles, whereas in the OE elegies, it is a symbol of decay and transienceofearthlythings. ewallezwere welarayed, Hit dutno no wyndez wyndezblaste (ll. 783-4) blaste. swanu missenlice | geond isnemiddangeard windebiwaune | weallas weallasstonda , hrimebihrorene, | hry ge aederas (The Wanderer, ll. 75-7) ederas;
THE INFLUENCE OF POPULAR FOLKLORE Although Although transformed transformed in in the power powerof ofChristian Christianprayers, popular popular folklore folklore and still stillevoked evoked. . the the chaotic chaotic the orderly orderly creation prayers,some and Norse Norse and wilderness wilderness creation of of God someelements elementsrelated and Celtic Celtic legends is is promptly promptly God by by the relatedto to legends are the are Bi a mounte on e morne meryly Into a forest ful dep, at ferly Hi e hillez on vche a halue, and holtwodez vnder Of hore okez okez ful hoge a hundreth togeder; e hasel hasel and e ha ha orne orne were harled al samen, With ro e raged mosse mosse rayled aywhere, With mony bryddez vnbly e vpon bare twyges, at pitosly er piped for pyne of e colde. e gome vpon Gryngolet glydez hem vnder, ur mony misy misy and and myre myre, mon al hym one, (ll. 740-9) meryly he rydes ferly watz watz wylde wylde,
THE INFLUENCE OF POPULAR FOLKLORE Emergence of elements inherited from popular folklore: Misy and myre mires used to be surrounded by an aura of mysteryandabhorrence, ber inherited from both Celtic and Norse mythology, according to which the tumuli were inhabited by hostile elfish creatures. Furtherambiguity: thelandscapeappearstobestill ferlywylde (l.741) Ferly= 1)exceedingly (referredtoarealdeep forest) 2)terribly (foreststillrelatedtothe marvellous, and thus terribilis = uncanny, beyond humancomprehension)
THE INFLUENCE OF POPULAR FOLKLORE The description of the natural landscape completely paralysed by ice is intertwined with elements reminiscentofpopularfolklore. aybo enbi bonkkez erbo ezarbare, ayclombenbi clyffez erclengez ecolde. eheuenwatzvphalt, bot vgly er-vnder; Mist Mistmuged mugedon on e emor mor, malt on emountez, Vchhillehade a hatte, a myst-hakelhuge. Brokez Brokezbyled byledand brekebi bonkkezaboute, Schyreschaterandeon schorez, er aydounschowued. (ll. 2077-83)
THE INFLUENCE OF POPULAR FOLKLORE The description of bubbling streams was almost a tropeinOEliterature;however,inonlyafewlines,the addition of a single vowel to the word byled transformsarealstreamintoameruayl byled meruayl. He se non suchein no syde, & sellyhym o t, Sauea lyttelon a launde, a laweas hit we[re], A bal ber bi a bonke ebrymme by-syde, Bi a for of a flode atferked are; eborne blubred er-inne as hit boyled (ll. 2170-4) boyledhade. De la fontaine p ezcroire, Qu'eleboloit boloitcomiauechaude. Li perrons ertd'une esmeraude (Chr tien de Troyes, Yvainoule Chevalier au Lion, ll. 422-4)
THE REPRESENTATION OF THE NATURAL WORLD In conclusion, although the Gawain-poet partially draws on the romance tradition in order to depict the natural landscape, he significantly detaches himself from standard Arthurian romances, by representing itnotasamerebackgroundforhishero sadventures, but rather as an additional character. Nature is no longerdescribedasfunctionaltothestory, butrather as unpredictable and potentially deadly, thus capable of playing an ambiguous and particularly active role inthenarrative.
THE REPRESENTATION OF THE NATURAL WORLD Bibliography Bibliography Primary Sources Primary Sources Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, edited by Helen Cooper, translated by Keith Harrison, New York: Oxford University Press, 2008. The Earliest English Poems,translated and introduced by Michael Alexander, London: Penguin Books, 1991. The Poems of the Pearl Manuscript, edited by Andrew Malcolm and Waldron Ronald, Exeter: Liverpool University Press, 2007. The Works of the Gawain Poet, Pearl, Cleanness, Patience, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, edited by Ad Putter and Myra Stokes, London: Penguin, 2014. Chr tien de Troyes, The Knight with the Lion, or Yvain(Le Chevalier au Lion), edited and translated by William W. Kibler, New York: Garland Library of Middle English Literature, 1985. Critical literature Critical literature Auerbach, Erich, Mimesis, The Representation of Reality in Western Literature (Mimesis: DargestellteWirklichkeitin der abendl ndischen Literatur),translated by Willard R. Trask,Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1953.
THE REPRESENTATION OF THE NATURAL WORLD Bibliography Bibliography Barber, Richard, Edward III and the Triumph of England, London: Penguin, 2014. Barron, W.R.J., Arthurian Romance in Corinne Saunders ed., A Companion to Romance from Classical to Contemporary, Oxford: Blackwell, 2004, pp. 65-84. Chiesa Isnardi, Gianna, I Miti Nordici, Milano: Longanesi, 1991. Dean, Christopher, Weal WundrumHeah, WyrmlicumFah and the Narrative Background of The Wanderer , Modern Philology, 63 (1965), pp. 141-3. Hanscom, Elizabeth Deering, The Feeling for Nature in Old English Poetry , The Journal of English and Germanic Philology, 5 (1905), pp. 439-63. Klinck, Anne L., The Old English Elegies, A Critical Edition and Genre Study, Montreal: McGill-Queen 's University Press, 1992. Martinez, Ann M., Bertilak sGreen Vision: Land Stewardship in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight ,Arthuriana, 26 (2016), pp. 114-29. Putter, Ad, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and the French Arthurian Romance, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1995.
THE REPRESENTATION OF THE NATURAL WORLD Bibliography Bibliography Rudd, Gillian, The Wilderness of Wirral in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight , Arthuriana, 23 (2013), pp. 52-65. Saunders, Corinne, The Forest of Medieval Romance: Avernus, Broceliande, Arden, Cambridge: Boydelland Brewer, 1993. Online sources Online sources Middle English Dictionary https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/middle-english- dictionary/dictionary[accessed on 08/10/2019] Cheshire WildforestTrust, https://www.wirralwildlife.org.uk/thornton- wood[accessed on 06/12/2019]
Sibilla Siano Filologia del Testo Medievale Inglese sibilla.siano@phd.unipd.it Thank you!
