The
Gawain
‐poet refers to the presumed and anonymous author of the Middle English alliterative poems
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
,
Pearl
,
Patience
, and
Cleanness
. The poems are believed to have been written sometime in the later fourteenth century. They survive in the only Middle English manuscript containing solely alliterative verse, British Library Cotton Nero A.x. (article 3). From manuscript evidence (dialect), and internal evidence, such as poetic form and interest, it is commonly assumed that the same person wrote all four poems. While some scholars have attempted to identify the poet, none of the theories have been widely accepted. Current scholarship traditionally accepts that the poet was from the northwest Midlands of England, was well read and familiar with courtly traditions, and was perhaps a cleric.
Cleanness
is a fourteenth‐century poem believed to have written by the
Gawain
‐poet. Structured like a sermon, it deals variously with aspects of physical and spiritual filth and “cleanness.” Through three main biblical exempla – Noah and the Flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, and Belshazzar's feast – the poet also contemplates obedience to God. The poem has, until recently, received minor scholarly attention; new editorial concern and interest in many of the poem's themes, such as sexism and violence, has increased interest in the poem itself.
This article discusses the importance and relevance of textual editing for students and scholars of historical literatures, especially Middle English texts. By surveying the different types of editions necessary for studying Middle English literature, the author argues that in the "digital age," an understanding of The Edition is necessary, not only for the preservation of cultural texts, but also for the contribution and understanding of interpretations fundamental to literary disciplines.
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