Ecstatic Union

The poem Pearl is regarded as a 'Dream-vision' poem. In his paper The Prudence of Pearl, Corey Own suggest that "although he comes close, the Dreamer never actually achieves the ecstatic union described in other medieval works" (2011, p. 422). Arguably, Owen seems to suggest that an ecstatic union with God (or Heaven) does not actually occur, because "his experience is sensual, even though it occurs in a realm associated with pure intellect" (2011, p. 422). In an attempt to show that an 'ecstatic union' does occur between the dreamer and God/Heaven, the idea of grief and how it should be acted upon (according to the maiden guide) will be explored. Ultimately, I shall argue that the ecstatic union is not only reached between the Dreamer and God, but also between the Dreamer's grief and his ability to act and think rationally to that grief.

Key words: Pearl, prudence, dream-vision, union, grief, rationality, poem, medieval

Core Texts:
- The Gawain-Poet, "Pearl" in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight", translated by J. R. R. Tolkien, 1975, pp. 94-127.
- Corey Owen, "The Prudence of Pearl", The Chaucer Review, 45 (4), 2011, pp. 411-434.