Redeeming the Dog:Sir Gowther

In the Middle English romance Sir Gowther, Gowther's redemption is contingent upon the reform of his animality as well as of his humanity. This article discusses Gowther's similarity to three different cultural representations of dogs in medieval culture: the folk type of the demonic hellhound, the secular and revered hunting hound of the nobility, and the figure of the holy greyhound. Gowther's canine self is imagined by way of his muteness as well as his appetites; these functions are instrumental in the reform of his relationships to both humans and animals in the romance.