The Structure of Pearl

I Introduction (1-60):

  • The narrators grief (1-36)
  • The garden (36-60)

II The Dream (61-1170):

  • Descriptio loci et personae (61-160)
    • The dream landscape (61-160)
    • The Pearl-maiden (161-240)
  • Disputation (241-422)
  • Argumentation (423-744)
  • Demonstration (744-976)
  • Vision of the Heavenly City (977-1170)

III Conclusion (1171-1212):

  • The dreamer awakes and feels comforted (1171-1212)

Some topics of scholarly interest:

  • Is the poem an allegory or an elegy?
     
  • Forms of symbolism:
    • pearl
    • numbers
    • precious stones
    • flowers
    • landscape
       
  • Formal analysis of text (structure, rhyme scheme, stanza grouping, concatenation, etc.)
     
  • The theological impact of the poem
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