The Poetic Dialogization And Contemplation In Pearl-From The Perspective Of Speech Genres

The Middle English alliterative poem Pearl is a language-conscious poem. Since the1960s, much attention has been given to the multiple meanings of its language. Previous studies have identified two ideological values in this poem, namely the courtly and the religious; however, the conclusion intended by the poet remains rather ambiguous. Scholars have also disagreed on whether its theme is consolatio or contemplatio. This essay seeks to approach these problems with reference to Mikhail. M. Bakhtin’s discussion on speech genres. According to Bakhtin, studies on literary genres of speech should not be confined within the realm of literature. Some generic features of common speech such as thematic composition, style and semantic plan should also be considered because when speech transfers from primary genres to secondary genres, such features often change and renew. However, because literary speeches are characterized by individual styles, it is difficult to find systematic definition of speech genres which can be applied to the general discussion of different works. This study is a first attempt to consider the generic features of the speech of the Dreamer and the Pearl-maiden in the Middle English poem Pearl. Focusing on the two modes of allegorical interpretation in the speech of the two speakers, the writer tries to unveil the process of dialogization in this poem by drawing on relevant works such as the Roman de la Rose, Boccaccio’s Olympia and Augustine’s De doctrina christiana for comparison. The textual analysis demonstrates that the generic features in the speech of the Dreamer and the Pearl-maiden differ according to the function and purpose of their rhetoric, and this difference is related with the two modes of allegorical interpretation in medieval rhetoric. The dialogization takes place in the Peal-maiden’s evaluative teaching and the Dreamer’s responsive understanding and finally arrives at reconciliation with the renewal of both genres of speech. At the end of the poem, the Dreamer’s passion of sadness is lessened by the pleasure of contemplation and his longing for the reunion with the deceased girl transforms into the desire for divine knowledge. His attempt to cross the river represents the experience of contemplative ecstasy. The renewal of language also involves a cognitive transformation as the Dreamer perceives the meanings of religious texts and rituals with new insights and sentiments.