#pearl pearlofbeauty pearlofknowledge

[thedreamerandthemaiden-blog]

Uses of Perle

The following post will display uses of the word ‘Perle’ in the poem, Pearl.

Line 1: “Perle, plesaunte to prynces paye”

Line 24: “My privy perle wythouten spotte.”

Line 41: “On huyle ther perle hit trendeled doun”

Line 53: “I playned my perle that ther was penned”

Line 83: “Wern precious perles of Oryente”

Line 193 - 4: “A precios pyece in perles pyght. / Perles pyghte of ryal prys”

Line 202: “Dubbed with double perle and dyghte,”

Line 204: “Wyth precios perles al umbepyghte.” 

Line 208: “Highe pynakled of cler quyt perle”

Line 219: “Wyth whyte perle and non other gemme,” 

Line 221: “Bot a wonder perle wythouten wemme” 

Line 240: “To sware that swete in perles pyghte.”

Line 242: “Art thou my perle that I haf playned,”

Line 255: “Set on hyr coroun of perle orient”

Line 258: “To say your perle is al awaye” 

Line 273: “To a perle of prys hit is put in pref.” 

Line 283: “I trawed my perle don out of dawes.” 

Line 330: “My precios perle dos me gret pyne.” 

Line 335: “When I am partles of perle myne,” 

Line 376: “I wyste never quere my perle was gon;”

Line 411: “Thow wost wel when thy perle con schede” 

Line 733: “To bye hym a perle was mascelles.” (mascelle - spotless/ flawless)

Line 854: “That beren thys perle upon oure bereste,” 

Line 856: “Of spotles perles tha beren the creste.” 

Line 1038: “A parfyt perle that never fates.” 

Line 1102: “Depaynt in perles and wedes qwyte.” 

Line 1104: “The blysfyl perle with gret delyt.” 

Line 1113: “As praysed perles His wedes wasse.” 

Line 1173: “Ther as my perle to grounde strayd.” 

Line 1192: “As the perle me prayed that was so thryven -” 

Line 1206: “For pyty of my perle enclyin;” 

Line 1214: “And precious perles unto His pay.” 

Through these lines containing the word ‘perle’, we see how the Dreamer depicts the Margery and how he reduces her to a simple little girl. He has lost her and does not know where she has gone and still cries out in agony and continues to patronize her after he learns that she is not incapable of caring for herself and has been made the Queen of Heaven. He fails to acknowledge that his pearl that is so beautiful is composed of more than just beauty: she is wisdom and knowledge. Many of the lines that contain ‘perle’ are omitted from this list after they are just a repetition of the dreamer calling his pearl spotless and in plight.