An Introduction to The Gawain-Poet (Longman Medieval and Renaissance Library)

Putter, Ad

ISBN 10: 0582225744 ISBN 13: 9780582225749

Publisher: Routledge, 1996

Synopsis

The late 14th century produced a crop of brilliant writers: Chaucer, Langland and Gower. Their achievement was rivalled only by a series of four works generally agreed to have been written by a single northern author, known as the Gawain-Poet. This book introduces the reader to the Gawain-poet's four surviving works: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Patience, Pearl and Cleanness. The four poems are made accessible to the student by setting them in their relevant historical and cultural context and by developing some lines of critical argument. All studies are based on the author's own research and translations.

About this title

Review:

"This is an excellent book, which will serve as a sound and lively introduction for students, but also makes an impressive and substantial contribution to scholarly study of the Gawain-poet." English Studies "Ad Putter's Introduction is aimed at undergraduates and provides clearly written and largely independent critical introductions to the four poems." - TLS

From the Back Cover:

Longman Medieval and Renaissance Library
Series Editors: Charlotte Brewer and N H Keeble
Longman Medieval and Renaissance Library is a major new series of critical introductions to key literary and cultural topics from Old English to the late seventeenth century. Volumes draw on original research and are sensitive to current critical concerns, but they are designed particularly to meet the needs of students and the general reader. The key feature is the breadth and variety of coverage, providing authoritative studies on a range of subjects from individual authors and works to genres, periods and contexts.
The late fourteenth century produced a crop of brilliant writers: Chaucer, Langland and Gower. Their achievement was rivalled only by a series of four works generally agreed to have been written by a single northern author, known as the Gawain-Poet. This book introduces the reader to the Gawain-poet's four surviving works: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Patience, Pearl and Cleanness.
Combining earlier scholarly findings with fresh research and ideas, this book sets the poetry in its historical and literary context, as well as developing new critical approaches drawn from sociology and philosophy which bring an innovative and exciting dimension to the work.
The introductory chapter sets the historical scene for the poems and throughout the text the author provides fresh translations of passages from the poems and difficult foreign material. An extensive bibliography of both primary and secondary sources and an index of names and topics aid accessibility and complete the book.
Written in a student-friendly style, An Introduction to the Gawain-Poet gives the general reader and the medievalist access to important old and new criticism and research on the subject. It will prove essential reading for those undertaking courses in English Medieval Literature.
Ad Putter is Lecturer in the English Department of the University of Bristol, and also works for the Centre for Medieval studies at Bristol. He has researched and written extensively on medieval and renaissance literature in both books and journals.

About this edition

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 1996
• ISBN 10: 0582225744
• ISBN 13: 9780582225749
• Binding: Textbook Binding
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 268