Naked and afraid: The symbolic function of textiles in Middle English romance

This thesis explores the symbolic function of textiles in Middle-English romance, using Havelok the Dane, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Sir Degrevant as case studies. The text examines the relationship between the material culture of fabric and how medieval individuals defined their identities within literary expression. Specifically, this text traces the development of the English wool industry alongside Middle-English romance, using economic data to contextualize the function of fabric within these three stories. In the introduction, I introduce the theoretical framework for the study. In chapter two, regarding Havelok the Dane, I examine how the function of cloth in the poem stresses Havelok’s spiritual worthiness. In chapter three, I study the ties between national identity and fabric in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The final chapter explores how Sir Degrevant utilizes fabric to speak to the onset of a struggle between the emergent middle-class and the longstanding landed elite. Middle-English poets often utilized depictions of fabric as a means of expressing intricate details about their characters, conveying literary ideas to an audience whose economic world was every bit as chaotic and complex as our own.

Embargo status: Restricted until 06/2026. To request the author grant access, click on the PDF link to the left.