Transcript Sir Gawain & the Green Knight”

“Sir Gawain & the Green Knight”
Geschke/British Literature
"Sir Gawain & the Green Knight"
Background Information
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Setting
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Christmas-season party at King Arthur’s
court in Camelot
The gigantic Green Knight appears,
armed with only his huge ax
Makes an offer to the court: He will
submit to a blow from the ax if he can
return the blow in one year and one day.
Geschke/British Literature
"Sir Gawain & the Green Knight"
Background Information
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Sir Gawain accepts the challenge and
cuts off the Green Knight’s head
The Green Knight picks up his own head,
gets on his horse, reaffirms the offer and
rides away
One year later, true to his word, Sir
Gawain leaves Camelot to find the Green
Knight and stay true to the bargain
Geschke/British Literature
"Sir Gawain & the Green Knight"
Background Information
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Travels for weeks through the cold and
haunted forests of north Whales
Comes to a beautiful castle where is
warmly welcomed by the lord and the
lady
During the next three mornings, the lord
of the castle goes hunting and the wife
woos Sir Gawain
Geschke/British Literature
"Sir Gawain & the Green Knight"
Background Information
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While the lord of the castle is away, Sir
Gawain kisses his wife
Sir Gawain and the lord of the castle
exchange the fruits of the day
The lady presents Sir Gawain with a love
token
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A magic green girdle that will protect the
wearer from any harm
Geschke/British Literature
"Sir Gawain & the Green Knight"
Background Information
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Eventually, Sir Gawain sets out to find
the Green Knight with a servant from the
castle
The servant tries to persuade Sir Gawain
to not search for the Green Knight
Sir Gawain does not accept the proposal;
rather, he rides on alone
Geschke/British Literature
"Sir Gawain & the Green Knight"
Setting
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“Then he spurred Gringolet down the path,
Across a slope, beside a grove,
Riding a rough road to the valley
Below. Then he looked about. It seemed
wild,
No sign of shelter anywhere, nothing
But steep hills on every side,
Gnarled crags with huge rocks,
Crags scratching at the sky!”
(1-8)
Geschke/British Literature
"Sir Gawain & the Green Knight"
Setting
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Wilderness is described as chaotic and
dangerous
Demonstrates Sir Gawain’s courage
Geschke/British Literature
"Sir Gawain & the Green Knight"
Setting
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“He saw holes at the end and the sides,
Saw patches of grass growing everywhere,
And only an old cave inside-A hole—a crevice in a crag: he couldn’t
Tell.
“My Lord, My Lord,” said the courteous
knight,
“Can this be the chapel? At midnight,
Here, the devils of hell
Could pray their prayers quite well!”
(21-29)
Geschke/British Literature
"Sir Gawain & the Green Knight"
Setting
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“By Jesus, it’s lonely here: this chapel
Is ugly, gruesome, all overgrown.
But a good place for the green knight,
He could serve the devil properly here,
By Christ, it’s Satan who struck me with this
meeting,
I felt it! He’s sent me here to destroy me.
What an evil church: may destruction end it!
The most cursed chapel I’ve ever come to!”
(30-37)
Geschke/British Literature
"Sir Gawain & the Green Knight"
Setting
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Even though the entrance to the cave is
fearsome, ugly enough to be a place
where devils reside, Sir Gawain does not
back away.
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demonstrates his courage
Gawain connects the Green Knight with
the devil
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This is an incorrect assumption by Sir
Gawain
Geschke/British Literature
"Sir Gawain & the Green Knight"
The Green Knight
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“…Then he stopped, and stepped
Down across a crag, came
Through a hole, whiling a fierce weapon,
A long-bladed battle-ax, sharpened for the stroke,
Its massive blade bent to the shaft,
Filed like a knife, on a grindstone four feet
Wide; a leather strap hung at
Its length; and the green man looked as he’d looked
At the start, his skin and his beard and his face,
Except that he skipped like a dancer, setting
His ax handle on stones and leaping along.
At the brook, to keep dry, he leaned on the handle
And hopped across, and hurried to Gawain”
(61-73)
Geschke/British Literature
"Sir Gawain & the Green Knight"
The Green Knight
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Creates a mood of fear
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He is agile
He holds a huge ax
He is huge
He can skip (very agile)
Geschke/British Literature
"Sir Gawain & the Green Knight"
Sir Gawain
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“God’s will be done!—‘Alas, alas!’-What good is wailing? It never
Helps; I’ll never gasp,
Though my life will be severed.”
(49-52)
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Gawain puts his faith in God
Geschke/British Literature
"Sir Gawain & the Green Knight"
Sir Gawain
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“By God,” said Gawain, “may the Holy Ghost
Grant me the power to begrudge you
nothing.
Keep to the bargain, swing just once,
And I’ll stand still, and you’ll do exactly
As you please.”
And he bent his neck, leaned
Forward; the white flesh gleamed.
He tried to seem
Fearless, but his knees
Were weak.”
(91-100)
Geschke/British Literature
"Sir Gawain & the Green Knight"
Sir Gawain
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Displays many of the characteristics of a
knight
– Keeps his word
– Trusts in God
Geschke/British Literature
"Sir Gawain & the Green Knight"
Sir Gawain
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Yet he does display fear
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Weak knees
Gawain flinches when the Green Knight is
about ready to strike
• Not a typical trait of a knight
Geschke/British Literature
"Sir Gawain & the Green Knight"
Sir Gawain
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“I flinched,” said Gawain,
“I won’t again.
And this much is plain:
My head, if it falls, won’t talk in my hands.
“But get it done, let it be over.
Bring me my fate, and bring it quickly.
I’ll stand like a stone: on my word of honor
My neck will be still till your stroke comes to
it.”
(121-128)
Geschke/British Literature
"Sir Gawain & the Green Knight"
Sir Gawain
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Gawain is aware of his mortality
– He is unlike the Green Knight, who was able
to pick up his head and still live, Gawain
would die if his head were to be cut off.
Geschke/British Literature
"Sir Gawain & the Green Knight"
Conclusion of the Poem
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The Green Knight only slightly wounds
Sir Gawain
At first, Gawain does not understand that
the Green Knight deliberately spared his
life
Geschke/British Literature
"Sir Gawain & the Green Knight"
Conclusion of the Poem
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The Green Knight reveals he was the
lord of the castle Gawain deceived
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In the complete poem, we find out Arthur’s
half-sister sent the Green Knight to test
Gawain’s nobility
Geschke/British Literature
"Sir Gawain & the Green Knight"
Conclusion of the Poem
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“And Gawain stood silent, stood a long time,
So burdened with grief that his heart
shuddered:
His blood ran like fire in his face,
He winced for shame at the green man’s
words.
And finally he found words of his own:
“A curse on cowardice and a curse on greed!
They shatter chivalry, their vice destroys
Virtue.”
(210-217)
Geschke/British Literature
"Sir Gawain & the Green Knight"
Conclusion of the Poem
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Gawain is embarrassed
Gawain is shocked as he learns what
really happened
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Understanding will lead to repentance
Repentance will lead to forgiveness
Geschke/British Literature
"Sir Gawain & the Green Knight"
Conclusion of the Poem
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Christian philosophy of sin and
forgiveness
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Sin
Penance
• the wound from the ax
Geschke/British Literature
"Sir Gawain & the Green Knight"
Conclusion of the Poem
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Christian philosophy of sin and
forgiveness (cont.)
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Forgiveness
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“The damage you did me is cured, it’s gone.
You stand confessed so clean, you took
Such plain penance at the point of my ax,
That I hold you cleansed, as pure in heart
As if from your birth to this day you’d never
Sinned!”
(231-236)
Geschke/British Literature
"Sir Gawain & the Green Knight"