SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT

Historical Background (since Anglo-Saxons)

The Viking Age began in Britain on June 8, 793 when Viking raiders attacked the abbey at Lindesfarne

This started a series of invasions by Vikings throughout England

Eventually Vikings settled and took up an agrarian way of life

Similar invasions occurred throughout Europe

Historical Background In some cases Vikings drove out the

Anglo-Saxons but they also inter-married and lived together

Religions, cultural practices, and languages blended together in many areas

There became a strong link between the ruling class in England and that in Norway

Normans: Vikings (“Norse Men”) who had invaded and settled in northern region of France

Norman Invasion of 1066

British King Edward died without a clear heir

Throne was contested by William (“the Bastard”), Duke of Normandy and Harald Hardrata, King of Norway

Clash came to a head in 1066 at the Battle of Hastings

William became known as “William the Conqueror” won the throne of England

Norman England Norman aristocracy replaced the old

Anglo-Saxon aristocracy Anglo-Saxons were purged from

government and church positions Norman French became the language of

the government and the upper classes Only the lower classes spoke English

Literature and Language English ceased to be a written language Norman French was used for government

texts and for literature Latin was used for religious texts English was stigmatized as a language

for the poor and uneducated It was unsuitable for literature for many

centuries

Chanson de Geste “Songs of Deeds” Much of the poetry of the time deals with

the great deeds of heros King Arthur and his knights are a major

subject for these poems Sir Gawain and the Green Knight falls

into this genre

Characters King Arthur: mythical king who united

England. He ruled from Camelot, an ideal place, with the help of the Knights of the Round Table

Sir Gawain: a Round Table knight and Arthur’s nephew

Morgan Le Fey: Arthur’s half-sister. She is a powerful sorceress and enemy of Arthur and his knights

The Chivalric Code An ideal for knightly behavior based on

concepts of Christian morality. The virtues of knights:

Friendship Generosity Chastity Courtesy Piety

Gawain is considered to be one of the most virtuous knights in the land because of his adherence to the chivalric code.

The Style Similar to that of Old English poetry Alliteration connects the two half-lines Stanzas are structured around rhyme Each stanza ends with a “bob and

wheel”: two syllables followed by a quatrain

“Bob and Wheel” comments on what just happened or creates suspense by foreshadowing the future

The PlotThree main plots (all of which are common

to Medieval poetry)1. The beheading game2. The exchange of winnings3. The hero’s temptation

These plots dramatize tests of the hero’s loyalty, honesty, and chastity – the most important knightly qualities.

Part One Arthur’s court is holding a New Year’s

Eve Feast A strange visitor, known only as the

Green Knight, arrives He extends a challenge: a knight may

strike him with an axe if the knight agrees to receive a strike in a year

Arthur takes the challenge but Gawain intervenes

With one blow, Gawain chops the head off the knight

Part One The description of the beheading is

particularly gory: blood spurts every where and the head rolls all around the room.

The headless knight picks up his head, reminds Gawain of the second half of the bargain, and rides away.

Part Two Begins with a description of changing

seasons, used to illustrate that it’s almost time for Gawain to complete his bargain

Gawain grabs his shield (decorated with a pentacle), hops on Gringolet, and rides off in search of the Green Chapel

In desperation, he prays to the Virgin Mary, repenting of his sins and asking for her to supply him a place to spend Christmas Eve

Part Two He immediately sees a beautiful castle,

where he is welcomed with great joy The host proposes that Gawain play a

game with him:For three days, the host will go out hunting while Gawain stays at the castle with the ladies. At the end of each day, the two men will exchange whatever they have won

SymbolsThe pentacle: a symbol of truth. The five points are interlocking, forming an endless

knot. It symbolizes the virtues to which Gawain aspires:1. To be faultless in his five senses2. Never to fail in his five fingers3. To be faithful to the five wounds of Christ4. To be strengthened by the five joys that the Virgin

Mary had in Jesus (Annunciation, Nativity, Resurrection, Ascension, and Assumption)

5. To possess the five knightly virtues: generosity, brotherly love, courtesy, piety, and chastity

Recurring Images Weather: the weather corresponds to

Gawain’s emotional and psychological states

Games: these forms of social behavior are used to disguise tests of an individual’s character

The color green: pay attention to things that are described as being green – there is a symbolic connection between them

Part Three Each day the host goes hunting while

Gawain stays at the castle. Each day the host’s wife tries to seduce

Gawain and kisses him. When the host returns from hunting, he

gives Gawain whatever he killed. Gawain gives him the kisses he received

from the host’s wife.

Part Three On the third day, the lady offers to give

Gawain her green girdle as a token of her love.

She says it will keep him safe. He accepts. At the end of the day, he gives the host

the kisses but keeps the girdle. The host throws a party for Gawain on

his final night in the castle.

Part Four Gawain ties on the girdle and rides off in

search for the Green Chapel. He finally finds the Green Knight and is

filled with fear. At the first swing of the axe, Gawain

flinches so the Knight stops. Gawain does not flinch at the second

swing and the Knight stops and congratulates his courage.

Part Four The Knight brings the third swing down

hard, but it causes Gawain no harm. He explains that the first two swings

were because Gawain kept the terms of the host’s bargain on the first two days.

The cut on the third swing was payment for his failure on the third day.

The Green Knight reveals himself to be Bertilak, the host of the castle.

Part Four He is a servant of Morgan le Fey. Morgan has put a spell on him to

disguise him as the Green Knight. Morgan herself is disguised as the old

lady in the castle. She devised this game to test the valor

of Arthur’s knights (and severely frighten Guinevere).

Gawain wears the girdle on his arm as a reminder of his sin.

The Failure of the Chivalric Code Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

illustrates a flaw in the code: it is based on the appearance of virtue, rather than the real existence of internal virtue.

Gawain must learn that the chivalric code does not guarantee virtue. Although he is the most courteous knight in

the land, he has still sinned and failed as a human being.