Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Discuss the resolution in terms of Biblical parable though Gawain's disillusionment.

Gawain seems to have lost himself at the end of the novel. The Green Knight represents Satan and "takes people's souls."

Animal Symbolism/Plot Parallel

Gawain's horse is a symbol of fertility. His quest is a plot parallel because he stops and gets off task occasionally.

Patterns

Green- Growth; the Green Knight helps Gawain grow as a person and shows him honesty. Three- Bible & Life; the Holy Trinity, on the 3rd day land was separated from water, represents unity (Past/Present/Future, Man/Woman/Child, Solid/Liquid/Gas)

Plot Details

Initial Situation- everyone is at King Arthur's castle, King Arthur wouldn't eat until he'd heard a good story, the Green Knight appears. Conflict- Gawain chops off the Green Knight's head, the Green Knight picks it up and tells Gawain that he's going to do the same to him next Christmas. Complication- Gawain spends the next holiday at a mysterious castle in the enchanted forest. Rising Action- Gawain is being seduced by Bertilak's wife. Climax- Gawain meets the Green Knight. Suspense- Gawain withstands 2 chops to the neck and gets slightly cut the third time. Denouement- the Green Knight is actually Bertilak, the blows to the neck represent the days spent at the castle. The first two blows didn't harm Gawain since he followed the rules the first two days, however the third blow cut his neck because he lied about the girdle. Bertilak tells Gawain that the woman is Morgan La Faye, a powerful sorceress, and she enchanted him to go into the court as the Green Knight to scare/test the knights. Conclusion- Gawain returns to Arthur's court and tells him about the adventure. Gawain vows to wear the girdle as a sign of his failure and other knights wear a belt in honor of Gawain and it becomes a symbol of honor.

Describe the conclusion. How do the cyclical patterns emphasize the significance of historical allusion used in the novel?

It shows that man has to maintain life by learning history so it doesn't repeat, the rise and fall of people, and the testing of people by nature/people/fate/etc.

Archetypes

Mentor- The heroes guide. (Green Knight teaches honesty and true knightlyness) Hemptress- The protagonist is attracted to; brings his downfall. (Wife (causes shame)) Trickster- Plays tricks. (Green Knight)

Symbolism

Pentangle- five pointed star on Gawain's shield, dexterity of 5 fingers, perfection of 5 senses, devotion of 5 wounds in Christ, 5 joys of Mary in Christ, 5 virtues of a knight (generosity, fellowship, chastity, courtesy and charity) Green- rebirth and nature Green Girdle- reminder of Gawain's mistake Gawain's Shield- Gawain's morality

Conflict

Sir Gawain had to face the Green Knight after a year.

Characterization

Sir Gawain- protagonist, King Arthur's nephew, most loyal/modest great knight/courtly lover, takes pride in his humility/piety/integrity/loyalty/honesty, only flaw is trying to save his life, he leaves Green Chapel changed Green Knight- mysterious visitor to Camelot, green attire, represents nature (rebirth), also Bertilak, also represents the Devil Bertilak of Hautdesert- good natured lord, associated with the natural world (beard= beaver, face= fire), courtly behavior of a host, boisterous, powerful, brave, also Green Knight Bertilak's wife- tries to seduce Gawain, presented as just a beautiful woman, very clever at responding to Gawain's actions Morgan La Faye- Arthinian tradition, she's a powerful sorceress, half sister of King Arthur, old woman at the castle (not learned until the end of poem), controlled the poem's entire action, appears in Arthinian literature as enemy to Camelot/trouble maker King Arthur- king of Camelot, young, Court is in its Golden Age, refuses to eat until he has heard a good story, wears a green girdle along with Gawain to show his own fallibility like Gawain's trial has taught him Queen Guinevere- Arthur's wife, remains silent, has an objectified presence at the Round Table Gringolet- Gawain's horse

Historical Allusions

The Fall of Troy; Romulous and the founding of Rome; Tirius and the founding of Tuscany; Langobard and the founding of Lombardy; Brutus and the founding of Britain

Historical and Cultural Context

The Trojan War happened before; it glorified King Arthur which is why Gawain chopped the Green Knight's head off for him; the book used Arthinian legends; during the time of kings/queens/knights; was written in the 14th century

How have the three hunts symbolized the emblematic souls of man: the concupiscent, the irascible, and the intellectual?

The boar is the irascible since it's angered easily, the fox is the intellectual and the deer is the concupiscent.

Explain the symbolism of the color green throughout the novel, especially in Fit 4.

The color green symbolizes fertility in the land, and it especially symbolizes regeneration of man in Fit 4. From the beginning to the end, the story is about the rise and fall of civilization.

Discuss the use of animal symbolism, while alive, hunted and slaughtered.

The deer represents Gawain's purity and innocence and while it's hunted, that represents his innocence being taken away. The boar represents Gawain's resistance to the host's wife, and the fox represents Gawain's cleverness.

Explain the motif of mistaken identity. Who might the Green Knight actually represent?

The motif of mistaken identity is that anyone can pretend to be something, but you would never know unless they show their true self to you. The Green Knight represents Satan.

Discuss the archetypal patterns found throughout the novel. As natural order has been restored, argue the point that, within Gawain's soul, moral order has been uprooted.

The patterns throughout the novel are parallel to Fit 1 & 3 and Fit 2 & 4. The seasons in the novel line up with Gawain's internal conflict and the hunt lines up with Gawain's being "hunted." In Gawain's soul, moral order has been uprooted because the journey from Camelot and the stay at the castle took a piece of Gawain, and the Green Knight represents the devil who's taken a piece of Gawain's soul.

Setting

14th century England; King Arthur's court; Christmastime; enchanted wilderness; Sir Bertilak's castle at Christmastime

Discuss Sir Gawain' s lamentation of the 4 Biblical figures.

Adam, Solomon, Samson and David. His lamentation is he was tested by the seduction and trickery of the host's wife, along with the four other men. They all had a downfall.

Structure

Alliterative poetry; 4 Fits= 4 Seasons

Style

Alliterative verse

Role of Women

Although it's a patriarchy and most of the time they are disrespected, women have the true power because of their manipulative behavior.

Theme

Always be honest because of the consequences.

Biblical Parable

David & Goliath- David stepped up to fight Goliath, Sir Gawain stepped up to fight the Green Knight The Devil's Trickery- Green Knight and Gawain Host's Wife- Bathsheba seducing Gawain Adam & Eve- Human error (Gawain's Mistake)

Imagery

Descriptive (green girdle, Green Knight) 1. Hero is a figure of great importance. (Arthur's Knight) 2. The vast setting. (Arthur's castle to Bertilak's castle) 3. Actions consist of deeds (Gawain travels to the Green Knight to receive the blow and keeps his word even though he knows he won't survive) 4. Supernatural forces. (Green Knight survives decapitation, magic girdle) 5. Writing is elevated and ceremonial. (Formal terminology) 6. Opens in media res. (Opens with King Arthur & knights at Christmastime festivities)

Outward Action Reflecting Inner Virtue

During the summer season, Gawain was a cheerful and positive person, but as the seasons change he began to remember what he has to do and he becomes more dull and negative.

Themes/Motifs of the Novel

Theme- make sure you know what you will/have gotten yourself into. Motifs- the seasons began to change with Gawain's emotions and attitude, summer- cheerful, winter- bleak.

Language

Uses alliteration, allusions and symbolism

Explain the parallel of Sir Gawain's internal conflict with that of the hunt itself.

While the host is hunting for food for Gawain, the host's wife is "hunting" for Gawain's love, creating an internal conflict.

Pathos

an appeal to emotion, the way of convincing an audience of an argument.

Ethos

an appeal to ethics, a means of convincing someone of character/credibility of the persuader. Ex. - Sir Gawain when he follows through on his word in search for the Green Knight.

Logos

an appeal to logic, way of persuading an audience by reason. Ex. - The pentangle on Sir Gawain's shield.