Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 1380

1
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (1380?)

• Classic Medieval Metrical Romance
• Arthurian tale of chivalry and courtly love
• Native poetic tradition
• Deliberately artful vocabulary
• Alliterative revival
• Looks like Old Englishnorthern dialect

2
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (1380?)

• Gawain poet also credited with Pearl,
  Cleanliness, and Patience
• Contemporary of Chaucer
• Language looks radically different than Chaucers
  middle English

3
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (14th century)

• Atypical Arthurian talenot really about Arthur,
  battles, or Camelot
• Inner moral testing rather than physical tests
• 2 narrative motifs
• Beheading game
• Exchange of gifts
• Powerful imagery of Gawains clothes/dressing
• Gawain succeeds as hero by doing nothing/little

4
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (14th century)

• Intricately structured poem
• May have influence of oral tradition
• Far too ornate and organized to be oral
• Alliterative verse recalls earlier Anglo-Saxon
  tradition
• Conscious use of native rather than popular
  continental tradition
• Chaucer follows Continental model

5
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (14th century)

• Alliterative poem
• Phenomenal symmetry
• Each line has 4 stresses
• Two or three fall on alliterative words
• Exception of bob and wheel
• 5 line verse that ends each stanza
• Picks up alliterative techniques in impending
  stanza

6
Romance

• Chivalric Romance (Medieval Romance)narrative
  form that developed in 12th-century France
• Spreads to other countries/cultures
• Displaced different epic and heroic tales
• Not concerned with heroic age of tribal conflict
  like epic
• Romance concerned with courtly age of chivalric
  conduct
• Often written in verseMetrical Romance

7
Romance

• Romance plot usually revolves around quest
  undertaken by single knight for ladys favor
• Often revolves around theme of courtly love
• Tournaments, quests, dragons and beasts fought
• Highlights chivalric ideals of honor, courage,
  and loyalty
• Supernatural events have their origin on earth
  rather than with gods
• Mysterious spells, magic, sorcery

8
4 Main Materials for Romance

• The Matter of BritainArthurian
• The Matter of RomeClassical antiquity and
  Alexander the Great
• The Matter of FranceCharlemagne and knights
• The Matter of Englandnative English heroes
  such as King Horn and Guy of Warwick

9
Sir Gawain, Part I

• 1459 Historical nexus from siege of Troy
• From Rome to legendary founder of Britain
• Felix Brutus
• Cultural transition in Britain
• 1460 Many marvels have happened in Britain
• Arthur the most marvelous
• Claims to have heard this story in hall

10
Sir Gawain, Part I

• 1460 Merlin as legendary builder of Round Table
• Camelot at Christmas time
• Celebration of feasting and tournaments
• Christian kingdom
• New Year near
• Time to celebrate glad tidings

11
Sir Gawain, Part I

• 1461 gift-exchanging
• Guenevere decked out in costly silks
• Arthur wont eat until everyone served
• Arthur wants to hear tale of chivalric adventure
  before he eats
• 1462 Great food served
• Unknown rider entershalf a giant

12
Sir Gawain, Part I

• 1462 Great wonder in the hall
• Green appearance
• 1463 Ornate decorations of green knight
• Horses fancy wear
• Green knight seems happygreat beard
• Green knight clearly impressive to court
• No armorhas axe and holly

13
Sir Gawain, Part I

• 1464 Axe of green steel
• Green knight asks for leader
• Green knight stuns other knights
• Arthur addresses Green Knighthas no fear
• Arthur welcomes Green Knightasks for story
• 1465 Green Knight knows grand reputation of
  Arthurs court

14
Sir Gawain, Part I

• 1465 Green Knight comes in peacebears holly
  and wears no armor
• Green knight wants to play gameArthur agrees
• Green Knight calls others knights puny
• Doesnt want to fight
• Wants Christmas game
• To trade blow for blow with axe

15
Sir Gawain, Part I

• 1465 Green Knight to have his turn in a year
• Court astonished by game
• Green Knight mocks Arthurs court as cowardly
• Arthur to play
• Gawain implores Arthur to let him play

16
Sir Gawain, Part I

• 1467 Gawain demeans himselfdoesnt want Arthur
  to risk death
• Green Knight repeats rules of game
• Gawain must come seek Green Knight out in a year
• Gawain wants to know Green Knights name and
  where he lives

17
Sir Gawain, Part I

• 1468 Gawain will know enough in a year after he
  finishes game
• Gawain severs Green Knights head
• Blood flows but Green Knight doesnt falter
• Picks up severed head and gets back on horse
• Green Knight reminds Gawain to find him at Green
  Chapel

18
Sir Gawain, Part I

• 1469 Come or be a coward
• Court still in wonder over events
• Arthur wants to get back to celebration
• He can now eat
• Axe hung as memorial of the wonder

19
Sir Gawain, Part II

• 1470 Time goes onwonder of season wanes
• Seasons changespring
• Summer
• All-Hallows DaySeptember 29
• Gawain preparing to head out on quest
• 1471 Gawain to fulfill dutifully the rules of
  the game

20
Sir Gawain, Part II

• 1471 Gawain not cowardlytrue man
• Dressing/arming of Gawain
• 1472 Gawain goes to mass in armor
• Gawains horse prepared
• Gawains decorous helmet
• Gawains shield
• Pentangle
• 5 pointed star
• All connected
• Emblem of Gawains character/greatness

21
Sir Gawain, Part II

• 1473 Numerological emblem of pentangle
• Gawains faultlessness in 5s
• Each of Gawains 5 qualities connected to the
  others
• Narrative sense of ill-tidings (undeserved?) for
  Gawain
• Many tears at court when Gawain leaves

22
Sir Gawain, Part II

• 1474 Gawain travels alone
• Goes to North Wales
• Asks everyone he sees about Green Knight
• No one knows him
• Goes over wild and strange country
• Many different courses of travel
• Gawain must go far awaywild land
• Many wonderscant name them all

23
Sir Gawain, Part II

• 1475 Prays all night on Christmas Eve to Mary
  for guidance
• Goes in to the wild forest
• Gawain prays for place to celebrate Christmas
  prayers
• Gawain suddenly becomes aware of dwelling in the
  woodscastle

24
Sir Gawain, Part II

• 1476 Gawain approaches castle
• Gawain inquires at castle if he can celebrate
  Christmas there
• 1477 Gawain brought into noble hall
• Attendants see to his care
• Lord welcomes Gawain
• Lord a massive individual

25
Sir Gawain, Part II

• 1477 Gawain well-taken care of by servants
• Servants admire Gawain
• 1478 Gawain relaxes by fire
• Grand food
• Gawain identifies himself to servants
• Gawain as most honored knight
• Has reputation
• Servants honored to have Gawain around for
  Christmas

26
Sir Gawain, Part II

• 1479 Lord attends evening holy songs
  alonewithout lady
• Lord welcomes Gawain
• Lady comes out to look at Gawain
• Gawain admires beautiful lady
• Ladys attendant not a looker
• 1480 Gawain greets the womenoffers his services

27
Sir Gawain, Part II

• 1480 Lord to promote Christmas mirth next day
• Christmas celebrations
• Gawain and Lady keep close company
• 1481 Extended Christmas celebrations
• Gawain prepares to leave
• Gawain explains to Lord he is seeking a place he
  doesnt know

28
Sir Gawain, Part II

• 1481 Gawain asks Lord of Green Knight
• Lord to take Gawain to Green Chapel
• 1482 Lord tells Gawain to relax until 1st of
  yearchapel only two miles away
• Gawin to relaxoffers to perform tasks for Lord
• Gawain agrees to obey the bidding of Lord while
  at the castle

29
Sir Gawain, Part II

• 1482 Lord to go hunting while Gawain dines with
  the Lady
• Gift-exchangewhatever the Lord catches hunting
  and whatever Gawain receives at home
• Men agree to terms

30
Sir Gawain, Part III

• 1483 Lord prepares to hunt
• 1484 Lord leads hunt while Gawain remains in
  bed
• Lady comes into Gawains roomcomes to his
  bedside
• Gawain awakens
• Lady wants to make truce with Gawain
• 1485 Lady will keep Gawain in bed
• Has locked the door

31
Sir Gawain, Part III

• 1485 Gawain claims he is unworthy of Ladys
  praise
• Lady suggests Gawain in quite a catch
• Gawain claims he does not deserve grand
  reputation
• 1486 Lady upholds Gawain as ideal husband
• Gawain insists Lady is bound to better man

32
Sir Gawain, Part III

• 1486 Lady kisses Gawain
• 1487 Meanwhile . . . Lord is hunting
• Dress the catch
• 1488 Lord shows his catch to GawainGawain
  impressed
• Gawain offers Lord the kissLord accepts
• Men agree to exchange gifts on next day

33
Sir Gawain, Part III

• 1489 Lord and men set out to hunt
• Great beast targeted
• 1490 Lord leads charge after beast
• Gawain safe at home
• Lady arrives earlyto use her art
• Gawain affirms that he is at the bidding of the
  Lady
• Lady again kisses him

34
Sir Gawain, Part III

• 1491 Lady speaks of Gawains grand reputation
• Why has he not used language of love?
• Does Gawain find lady dull?
• Gawain honored to have company of Lady
• Gawain does not talk of love to one who is far
  more skilled in language of love
• Lady keeps trying and failing to get Gawain to sin

35
Sir Gawain, Part III

• 1492 Gawain prepares for mass
• Lord goes after beastdefeats beast
• 1493 Gawain and Lord meet
• Lord recounts tale of hunting the boar
• Lord offers prize to Gawain
• Gawain gives Lord courteous kisseven!
• Lord seems to admire Gawain as good player

36
Sir Gawain, Part III

• 1494 Feast
• Lady always glancing at GawainGawain cannot
  repay courtship
• Gawain and Lord agree to exchange on New Years
  Eve
• Lord promises to get Gawain to Green Chapel by
  New Years Day
• To exchange gifts againGawain has passed test
  1st two times

37
Sir Gawain, Part III

• 1495 Lord hunts fox
• Lady goes to Gawains chamber again
• Gawain dreaming
• Lady kisses Gawain
• Gawain welcomes Lady
• Each happy to see the other
• Lady now being quite aggressive and explicit

38
Sir Gawain, Part III

• 1496 Gawain struggles to negotiate his courtesy
  and sin
• Lady claims shes offended by Gawains restraint
• Gawain claims he has no other lover
• 1497 Lady asks Gawain for gift to remember him
• Gawain doesnt want Ladys ring

39
Sir Gawain, Part III

• 1497 Gawain initially declines Ladys girdle
• 1498 Lady explains power of girdle to protect
  wearer from physical harm
• Gawain ponders power of girdle to help with Green
  Knight game
• Gawain accepts girdletold to keep it hidden
• Lady kiss Gawain 3 times

40
Sir Gawain, Part III

• 1498 Gawain goes to Confession
• Gawain in merry mood after
• 1499 Lord hunting fox
• Lord comes home
• Gawain lingers with ladies
• Gawain offers Lord 3 kisses
• 1500 Lord offers Gawain fox pelt
• Men make merry

41
Sir Gawain, Part III

• 1500 Gawain must go to Green Chapel next
  morning
• Gawain thanks all men and women of Lords house
• 1501 Narrator wont presume to tell us how well
  Gawain slept

42
Sir Gawain, Part IV

• 1501 New Year close
• Storms at night
• Gawain not sleeping too well
• Dressing of Gawain
• Puts on Ladys girdle
• 1502 Gawain wears girdle for its protective
  powers

43
Sir Gawain, Part IV

• 1502 Dressing of Gringolet
• Gawain blesses Lords house
• 1503 Guide warns Gawain of dangers at Green
  Chapel
• Horrible villain
• certain death
• Guide offers not to tell anyone if Gawain wants
  to flee

44
Sir Gawain, Part IV

• 1504 Gawain claims he must go to the Chapel
• What will be will be
• Guide offers directions to Green Chapel
• Gawain will let Gods will be done
• Wild landscape of valleydesolate
• 1505 Gawain describes chapel as place where
  the devil would pray

45
Sir Gawain, Part IV

• 1505 Gawains five wits tell him the Fiend has
  lured him here
• Loud noise
• 1506 Green Knight applauds Gawains loyalty to
  his word
• Gawain will live up to his end of game
• Green Knight mocks Gawain for flinching
• Cant be real Gawain

46
Sir Gawain, Part IV

• 1507 Gawain promises not to flinch this time
• Gawain getting tired of Green Knights games
• Green Knight hammers hardonly leaves flesh wound
• Gawain prepares to fight when he sees blood

47
Sir Gawain, Part IV

• 1508 Gawain claims he has fulfilled covenant
  made last year
• Green Knight recounts how he had compensated
  Gawain appropriately for gifts exchanged
• Green Knight explains game
• Green Knight knows Gawain has his wifes belt

48
Sir Gawain, Part IV

• 1509 Gawain feels humiliated to be exposed
• Feels he has not lived up to code of honorable
  knighthood
• Green Knight reminds Gawain that he has lived
  faultless till know
• Green Kngiht wants Gawain to come back to feast

49
Sir Gawain, Part IV

• 1509 Gawain positions himself with other great
  men deceived by women
• 1510 Gawain seems to pardon himself since other
  great men have been fooled by women
• Gawain worries girdle will promote sin of
  excesstakes it with him

50
Sir Gawain, Part IV

• 1510 Green Knight identifies himself as
  Bertilak
• Assisted by Morgan le Fay
• Powerful sorceress
• Arthurs half-sister
• Mistress/Foil of Merlin
• Morgan le Fay orchestrated scheme to frighten
  queen and weaken grand reputation of Arthurs
  kngihts

51
Sir Gawain, Part IV

• 1511 Gawain and Green Knight parton good
  terms?
• Gawain has wild ride back
• Many adventures
• Wore green belt to remind him of his error
• Gawain welcomed back at Camelot
• Gawain recounts his adventures

52
Sir Gawain, Part IV

• 1511 Gawain claims he must wear belt as badge
  of shame
• All night of Round Table agree to wear green
  badge as baldric
• 1512 Poet ends by returning to historical
  lineage of opening