Sir Gawain: animal, vegetable, mineral. . .

One thing to discuss in the hunting scenes of SGGK is the progression of animals which are hunted: deer, boar, and a fox. Books about animals were very popular throughout the Middle Ages, and there are some good web sites that can tell us what attributes where associated with different beasts.

This site gives general overviews, and has some nifty manuscript illuminations; it also contains descriptions of gems (remember how often the text calls Gawain a pearl?). Some other medieval bestiaries have been edited and one of them is available as an etext through Carnegie Vincent Library (if anyone wants to work on a topic like this for a paper).

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

This is one of the most famous of the Middle English Romances. It exists in 1 manuscript, which does have some illuminations (illustrations):

Sir Gawain brings up several key themes which we'll discuss in class on Tuesday. I'll add the list of themes to this post after discussion, so you can keep them in mind for reading the rest of the poem.

Edit: Some ideas that you all raised in class for themes:
Nature/court
Color schemes
Honor
Bravery

Some things I'd like to add:
Trouthe (truth)
Game
Reciprocity

Consider form, too: what does the stanza structure allow the poet? What does it keep him from doing?

Introduction to Old English

The article on Caedmon currently on wikipedia is written by one of the experts in the field and was reviewed by the Anglo-Saxonists list-serve.

Not only did Bede influence chronology and commit the facts and legends of early British history to writing--he's got his own theme park! Ok, so it's really more a living history museum than a theme park. It still makes Anglo-Saxonists happy.

The Sutton Hoo finds are spectacular (check them out at the British Museum if you're ever in London). See more pictures at this site.