Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Flashcards
Compare the alliterative verse of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight with that written in the Anglo-Saxon period. What kinds of similarities do you see in structure and theme? What kinds of differences?
Gawain is written in Bob and Wheel, which is a paragraph-like form, with two lines
(bob),each with one stressed syllable, followed by four lines (wheel), each with four stressed syllables.
*Examine the ways in which Arthur’s court is portrayed as both orderly and youthful. Why does the poet present the court in this fashion? To what larger thematic issues are these characterizations connected?
Larger themes: Promise (spring/youth), Achievement (summer/maturity), Collapse/Decline (fall/old age), Failure (winter/death)
*What time of year is it when the Green Knight arrives in Arthur’s court? *What is the exact challenge that the Green Knight offers? *How is it that Gawain is the
knight eventually selected to meet the challenge” *What other individual first steps forward?
The Green Knight arrives in the spring, signifying youth, or a time of new beginning. The exact challenge that the Green Knight offers is that anyone can come and strike him across the neck with an axe as long as one year from that day, the person who strikes him also receives what was given to him that day. The first individual to step forward is Arthur. The Green Knight arrives during the Christmas celebration period- right before Spring
time.
*Describe Gawain’s shield (front and back). What does it represent
The front of the shield has the pentangle, signifying the five points of the knights code of
honor. These five points represent:
1. the five senses;
2. five fingers never at fault;
3. the five wounds of faith;
4. the five joys in Mary and Jesus’ life;
5. Friendship, fraternity, purity, politeness and pity.
The back of the shield has a picture of the Virgin Mary, who gave birth to the Savior and
who Gawin hopes will be his savior as well.
*Compare the entrance of the Green Knight to Arthur’s court with that of Gawain to Bertilak’s court (we only find out his name at the very end of the poem).
The Green Knight barges in and demeans Arthur’s court while Gawain is ushered in and welcomed into Bertilak’s court.
*What are the terms of the new pact Gawain enters into with the Lord of this castle?
Gawain must stay at the castle and relax during the day while the Lord goes out to hunt. At the end of each of the three days, the Lord will give Gawain what he earns that day, and Gawain will do the same in return.
Compare the hunting scenes in the forest to the “hunting scenes” in the bedroom.
The hunt is a metaphor for sexual pursuit.
Deer- delicate
Fox- sneaky
Boar-Aggressive
*How would you describe the various dangers and moral difficulties besetting the hero? *Which does he perceive, and which is he ignorant of?
The real danger to Gawain is his inevitable meeting with the Green Knight, and possibly
Bertilak if Beowulf doesn’t dismiss his wife’s advances.
Morally, Beowulf has to keep his promise to give Bertilak what he receives throughout
the day, Keep his honor as a guest and dismiss the lady’s advances, represent Aurhor’s
court to the highest standards, hold up his religious ideals, and show up to his fight with
the Green Knight.
His most obvious ignorance is that of the pact with Bertilak, because he does not return
the green girdle that he is given.
*What promises has Gawain made throughout the poem? *Which promises does he keep? *Which does he renege on?
Keeps- Green Knight, chivalry, Christian, Arthur
Reneges- Bertilak
*Describe the offer made to Gawain by the guide who showed him the location of the Green Chapel. *How does Gawain respond to the offer?
He offers to let him run away and never tell anyone. Gawain responds that he cannot for he made a deal and he must keep it.
*Describe the three swings of the axe Gawain endured from the Green Knight. *What is the Green Knight’s explanation for the number of swings and for the
damage done by each?
1st two do not hit Gawain’s neck and 3rd only scratches it. First two nights of deal Gawain kept his promise to Bertilak while the third night he only
gives him part of what he received that knight: did not return belt
Note that the Green Knight’s speech to Gawain in Pt. 4, lines 2390-2406. In what way can we say he’s playing the role of the priest? Why does the poet present the Green Knight in this fashion?
It is a similar to a confession
*Who is Morgan le Fay and what is her role in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight?
Sorcerer- Arthur’s half sister. She set it up to scare Guinevere
*Why does Gawain keep the girdle after discovering the truth about the Green Knight? *How does Gawain’s interpretation of the girdle’s significance differ from that of the rest of Arthur’s court? What do you make of the fact that Gawain -even
on his physical return to Arthur’s court- has now been ideologically separated from the community he represents?
Keeps it was a reminder of his sins. Arthur’s court see it as a token of his accomplishments. He tries to line up his ideals- almost too much- and the court doesn’t
understand why he is being so hard on himself.
Three possible perspectives for Gawain’s “failure”
1) Gawain holds the pentangle very high, so he believes he has utterly failed his challenge by not fulfilling all aspects of it
2) Green Knight says no one can possibly uphold all of the pentangle, so Gawain’s only fault was loving his own life, which was not a big deal
3) Arthur’s court does not take the pentangles as seriously as Gawain, so they think his belt is a badge of honor and not failure
