Importance of Medieval Numerology and the Effects Upon Meaning in the Works of the Gawain-Poet

<p>An examination of the influence of medieval numerology and number theory upon the works of the Gawain poet, this essay seeks to connect the importance of numbers to the construction of the four poems. By examining such number theories as the Divine Proportion and marriage numbers, as well as Pythagorean number concepts of masculine and feminine numbers, a clear connection between the literature and the number can be found. The poet not only seeks to use numbers to impart important Christian doctrine to his readers in a subconscious way, he also demonstrates an extreme pre-planning of every line and layout of each poem upon the page. Continuing in current critical traditions of examining this manuscript as whole, "Pearl, " "Patience, " "Cleanness, " and "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" are shown to join together in an interweaving of connectivity through number pattern and the repetition of important numerological concepts.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

English

Year

2010

Author dc:creator

• Cusimano, Alessandra

Contributors dc:contributor

• Marti, Kevin
• Doll, Daniel
• Gonzalez, Daniel

• medieval literature
• Gawain-poet
• Pearl-poet
• Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
• Pearl
• Patience
• Cleanness
• numerology
• medieval numerology
• Divine Proportion
• marriage number

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/1220

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarworks.uno.edu:td-2203