For Friday: The World of the 'Pearl Poet'

 For Friday's class there is no reading (unless you haven't finished Beowulf, in which case, you should finish it!), though we will do something important.  To prepare you for the world and culture that produced Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, I will take you on a 'tour' of some art and events around the time it was written in the (we think) 14th century.  Though the author is anonymous, we call him the "Pearl Poet" since he is believed to have written three other poems, one of which is called "Pearl."  For more information on the mysterious Pearl Poet, click on the following Wikipedia link (which is actually quite good): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_Poet

Be sure you have the correct Norton Critical edition of Sir Gawain since you will need that version and the materials that accompany it.  Otherwise, see you in class tomorrow!