A Book of Dreaming (A bok of swevenyng)

Extract

[...] In the same vein, I spotted the words "croune" or "toune" which respectively became "crown" and "town." This poem thus encourages the reader to become more conscious of both pronunciation and spelling changes in the evolution of the English language and also explains why native French speakers do not instinctively know how to pronounce specific words, especially vowels. The last feature I noticed was terminations in [our] that sometimes become or stay [our]. This illustrates the difference between British and American English in spelling. [...]

[...] Whoever goes hunting: That signifies acquisition. Whoever thinks that he flies: That very dream means change of place. Whoever sees burning clothes: Deceit is the betokening. To see full vessels in a house: That betokens plenty. Whoever thinks he sees God, Or something that brings him illumination: That, as these clerks say, Betokens good works. Some say it is an ill omen, And that it is by God's will. Whoever sees a girdle washed: Chaste, I believe, that same one is. [...]

[...] Cultural interest A Book of Dreaming can be of cultural interest as the urge to try to make sense of what surrounds human beings crosses the ages in literary works as well as in science, art or philosophy. In fact, literature can be a specific way for an author to interpret what he or she has seen, whatever appears in his or her head, and very often to give a meaning to what is abstract, without any physical form and beyond reach. [...]

[...] For instance, at this time, greatness and power were shown through clothes, although fashion changed during the 13th century, from plain and simple clothes, yet still ornamented with long and thick capes with imposing golden necklaces for Kings, with large swords on the side of a belt decorated with jewels ("Having weapons large and long:/That means power, I understand./Having weapons short and lean:/That means weakness once and for all."), to even more imposing clothes with imposing sleeves, hats, crowns, and even high necks going up to form an aureole around women's heads. On top of the clothes, greatness was also found in the size of thrones, which were raised to overhang those who came before of the King. They were certainly aimed at bringing the King closer to God as he was supposed to be his representation on earth, hence this fear of being shorter and losing strength, and this desire to grow and be mightier. [...]

[...] The symbol of snakes is frequently used in literary works. Emily Dickinson's poem narrow Fellow in the Grass" (this is only the first line of poem number 986 in Emily Dickinson, Selected Poems since this one is untitled) immediately comes to my mind as I studied it, but more generally speaking, one may consider Ovid's Metamorphoses, Paradise Lost by John Milton or The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. No wonder that the use of this symbol is so widespread since it appears in the Bible and has a lengthy list of biblical meanings related to it. [...]