The story of King Arthur has been told in many different forms over the centuries. Two of the core seminal works are Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, a long poem from the 14th century by an unknown author, and Le Morte d’Arthur, a prose work from the 15th century by Thomas Malory. King Arthur... Continue Reading →
The Spots of the Dreamer in “Pearl”
In Part 16 of the Pearl poem, the Dreamer asks the Pearl-Maiden to show him the way to Jerusalem, but the Pearl-Maiden tells him the difference between the worldly and heavenly Jerusalems. This section is about the spots of man which keep him trapped in the worldly Jerusalem away from the heavenly one, and the... Continue Reading →
Criseyde’s Tragic Journey to Love and Back
One of the English poet Geoffrey Chaucer’s most famous poems is Troilus and Criseyde, a retelling of the classic love tragedy poem. It is set amid the background of the Trojan War, but in a 14th century environment. In it, the Trojan prince Troilus falls in love with the Trojan noblewoman Criseyde. Criseyde is a... Continue Reading →
Historical Time Traveler’s Guide: St. David’s and Southwest Wales, late 12th century
Location St David's is in the region of Deheubarth in the southwest of Wales. It is a remote corner on the coast of the Irish sea, with rocky and barren soil without woods, rivers, or meadows, never exposed to the winds and tempests.[1] The cathedral is in a narrow valley with damp, marshy and unstable... Continue Reading →