Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Review
King Arthur
Celtic king in the 5th or 6th century who established the Knights of the Round Table and moral code his knights aspired to
To what main sin(s) has Gawain fallen prey?
Cowardice and Covetousness
What does Gawain do to the Green Knight?
Cuts off his head.
What does Gawain do the first time the Green Knight swings the axe? The second? What are the reasons behind the Green Knight's actions?
1.) Flinches 2.) Does not flinch. 3.) Scratches his neck. To teach him a lesson.
What gift does Gawain accept from the lady of the castle?
A green girdle.
What two things does the knight carry?
An axe and holly branch.
What challenge does the Green Knight make to Arthur's court?
If anyone is brave enough, a person can hit the Green Knight with the ax and if he lives a year or day, then he can do the same.
What is special about this gift?
It will allow him to live (protect him).
Sir Gawain
King Arthur calls him cousin. He is the youngest among the Knights of the Round Table
Guenevere
King Arthur's queen
Who accepts the challenge initially?
King Arthur.
What is the setting at the beginning of the story (time and place)?
New Year's Eve Feast at King Arthur's Court in Camelot.
Does Sir Gawain keep his part of the bargain and how does he feel about it?
No, the lady visited him three times and on the third time offered him her magic green girdle which would protect him from harm. Sir Gawain takes it & feels guilty when he deceives her husband.
How are Gawain and Arthur related?
Sir Gawain is King Arthur's nephew.
Who actually participates in the challenge?
Sir Gawain.
Who interrupted the feast? What is so strange about him?
The Green Knight. He was green as well as his horse.
What agreement does Gawain make with the lord of the castle?
They agree to exchange whatever they can receive during the next three days.
How were knights supposed to act while following the code of chivalry?
be honorable, courteous, brave, and skillful
What four things were unique about the Normans who were the last group of people to invade Britain?
came from coast of France and adopted French ways devout Christians spoke a dialect of French organized their society like French customs: feudalism
What are the characteristics of Medieval romance?
castle life with knights, kings, damsels in distress along with chivalry, adventure, love, and supernatural features
Is what Sir Gawain does regarding the green girdle chivalrous? Why or why not?
deceit is not part of the code of behavior and Sir Gawain is acting cowardly
How does the Green Knight feel about Sir Gawain at the end of the story?
he feels Sir Gawain has paid a price for his misdeeds and is now "clean".
What is the reason for the Green Knight's visit to King Arthur's castle?
he sought out King Arthur's court to play a Christmas "game" which was a blow of an ax for a blow in return
What role did the knight play in Medieval times?
in return for their services, knights received small parcels of land called manors they followed a moral code
What type of literature was Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and what type of literary device was used in it?
it was a Medieval romance and it used alliteration
The Green Knight
mystery man whose body, hair, and clothing were green when he issued a challenge to King Arthur's men regarding the ax
What role did the nobles play in Medieval times?
paid tax to the king for use of the land supplied a specific number of knights if and when the king needed them
What supernatural element occurs in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight?
when Sir Gawain chops off the Green Knights head, the Green Knight does not die
What role did serfs play in Medieval times?
worked the manors
Where must Gawain seek the Green Knight? When?
Green Chapel in a year or day.
What is Gawain's reaction?
He admits his faults and he's embarrassed of his cowardice.
What happened after the knight was beheaded?
He picks up his head and rode on his horse.
Who does Sir Gawain stay with while on his quest to seek out the Green Knight, and what is the bargain the two agree to?
He stays with Bertilak and Lady Bertilak. They agree to a pact that each will give the other what they received that day
When Sir Gawain locates the Green Chapel, who does he think the Green Knight is?
He thinks he is Satan
