ENGL 2000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Homicide, Celtic Christianity, Sir Gowther
Document Summary
Gilbert: says gowther"s wild ways are a reflection of society. Failure of baptism, breast feeding, knighthood: he rejects all attempts to introduce him to society. Missing a paternal role: maternal figure ends up transmitting heir material. Gowther listens more to mother than father. Gowther doesn"t discover much on his own: a lot is revealed to him. Hopkins and gilbert compare sir gowther to robert the devil. Robert the devil is a french poem: reached a broad audience. Sir gowther is very similar but it was written in the english vernacular. Hopkins: argues that that gowther is wild because of lack of father figure. Gowther wants to escape his fate: unlike robert who goes towards his fate. Catholic church had difference forms through europe: private (england) vs. public penance (rome, no mass communication between church officials, celtic church allowed for multiple confessions. Penalty for homicide in celtic church was exile: one form of public penance.
