Yes indeed, largely because of the homophonic concept (rather than any properties of rue itself), which is why it's generally a symbol for pity and/or repentance in early modern literature and was sometimes referred to as the "herb of grace" (Shakespeare does so in Ophelia's mad scene, and also in the garden scene in Richard II, for instance).
ISTR that the Pearl-poet wrote in a northern dialect, which perhaps explains the resemblance you see, although Dunbar is writing about a century (give or take 20 years) later. :)
Ach, for Northerners, what's 80 years or so? There's enough alliterative rhyme in the above poem as well as the AABBA end-rhyme to tie into the Pearl connection, y wys.
I LOVE the way Anglo-Saxon rhyming persists alongside the later Norman French end-rhyme... the way our crazy language mixes it all up like a great Christmas pudding, and it still comes out a delight!
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This language and spelling reminds me strongly of 'The Pearl', which I had to study in depth at college. Wonderful, highly-crafted, beautiful stuff.
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ISTR that the Pearl-poet wrote in a northern dialect, which perhaps explains the resemblance you see, although Dunbar is writing about a century (give or take 20 years) later. :)
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There's enough alliterative rhyme in the above poem as well as the AABBA end-rhyme to tie into the Pearl connection, y wys.
I LOVE the way Anglo-Saxon rhyming persists alongside the later Norman French end-rhyme... the way our crazy language mixes it all up like a great Christmas pudding, and it still comes out a delight!
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Clearly, I need more coffee.
Mmmm -- coffee.
---L.
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