A 12th Century Epic Romance A 12th Century Epic Romance

Is Honor Worth Dying for?Is Honor Worth Dying for?

This would have been an easy question for a medieval knight to answer. Knights were sworn to follow a code of behavior known as chivalry. The code required knights to defend their church, their king, and their country courageously. Today, however many people have doubts about whether an abstract concept such as honor is worth dying for.

This would have been an easy question for a medieval knight to answer. Knights were sworn to follow a code of behavior known as chivalry. The code required knights to defend their church, their king, and their country courageously. Today, however many people have doubts about whether an abstract concept such as honor is worth dying for.

Knight’s Code of Chivalry

Knight’s Code of Chivalry

A knight was expected to have not only the strength and skills to face combat in the violent Middle Ages but was also expected to temper this aggressive side of a knight with a chivalrous side to his nature.

A knight was expected to have not only the strength and skills to face combat in the violent Middle Ages but was also expected to temper this aggressive side of a knight with a chivalrous side to his nature.

The Knights Code of Chivalry and the vows of Knighthood

The Knights Code of Chivalry and the vows of Knighthood

To fear God and maintain His Church To serve the lord in valor and faith To protect the weak and defenseless To give aid to widows and orphans To refrain from the unjustified giving of offence To live by honor and for glory To despise pecuniary reward To fight for the welfare of all

To fear God and maintain His Church To serve the lord in valor and faith To protect the weak and defenseless To give aid to widows and orphans To refrain from the unjustified giving of offence To live by honor and for glory To despise pecuniary reward To fight for the welfare of all

To obey those placed in authority To guard the honor of fellow knights To shun unfairness, meanness and deceit To keep faith At all times to speak the truth To persevere to the end in any enterprise

begun To respect the honor of women Never to refuse a challenge from an equal Never to turn the back upon a foe

To obey those placed in authority To guard the honor of fellow knights To shun unfairness, meanness and deceit To keep faith At all times to speak the truth To persevere to the end in any enterprise

begun To respect the honor of women Never to refuse a challenge from an equal Never to turn the back upon a foe

FidelityFidelity

Loyalty, devotion, faithfulnessHonor, truth

Loyalty, devotion, faithfulnessHonor, truth

Medieval RomanceMedieval Romance

A medieval romance can be a dramatic verse or a prose narrative. It typically includes the following elements:•Larger-than-life characters•An adventurous hero who faces a severe challenge•Idealized love involving a noble lady•Exotic settings•Supernatural elements•Hidden or mistaken identity

CharactersCharacters Arthur : The legendary king of Britain, at whose

court the story begins. Husband of Guinevere and uncle of Gawain, he presides over the famed Knights of the Round Table at Camelot.

His wife Guinevere--own issues with “fidelity.”

Arthur : The legendary king of Britain, at whose court the story begins. Husband of Guinevere and uncle of Gawain, he presides over the famed Knights of the Round Table at Camelot.

His wife Guinevere--own issues with “fidelity.”

Morgan Le Faye: Arthur’s half sister who is jealous of Arthur’s inheritance (Camelot from his father Uther Pendragon)

She hopes to embarrass the knights.

Morgan Le Faye: Arthur’s half sister who is jealous of Arthur’s inheritance (Camelot from his father Uther Pendragon)

She hopes to embarrass the knights.

Bertilak: manor lord of Hautdesert, where Gawain spends time playing the hunting game during the Christmas season

Lady Bertilak, the temptress; her desire is to seduce Gawain so that Arthur’s knights will be embarrassed.

Bertilak: manor lord of Hautdesert, where Gawain spends time playing the hunting game during the Christmas season

Lady Bertilak, the temptress; her desire is to seduce Gawain so that Arthur’s knights will be embarrassed.

The Green Knight: a green man who comes to Arthur’s court in “friendship” he seeks someone in Arthur’s court who can play the “beheading game”

The Green Knight: a green man who comes to Arthur’s court in “friendship” he seeks someone in Arthur’s court who can play the “beheading game”

SymbolismSymbolism Symbolism: Green

In English folklore and literature, Green has traditionally been used to symbolize nature and its embodied attributes, namely those of fertility and rebirth.

Symbolism: Green In English folklore and literature, Green has traditionally been used to symbolize nature and its embodied attributes, namely those of fertility and rebirth.

Plot A:The Beheading game

Plot A:The Beheading game

The Green Knight arrives in Camelot, challenges Arthur to a game of exchanging a “Blow for a Blow”

Arthur accepts, but Gawain steps in to defend King Arthur

Following the event, Gawain has one year and a day to go to receive his beheading!

The Green Knight arrives in Camelot, challenges Arthur to a game of exchanging a “Blow for a Blow”

Arthur accepts, but Gawain steps in to defend King Arthur

Following the event, Gawain has one year and a day to go to receive his beheading!

Applying the Cycle of the hero

Applying the Cycle of the hero

Where are we:Departure The Call to Adventure

Refusal of the Call

#Address the refusal of the call in an iNote..

Where are we:Departure The Call to Adventure

Refusal of the Call

#Address the refusal of the call in an iNote..

Bob and WheelBob and WheelThe Gawain poet is famous

for this deviceThe Gawain poet is famous

for this device

The "bob" is a very short line, sometimes of only two syllables, followed by the "wheel," longer lines with internal rhyme.

*Some internal rhyme is lost in translation.Ex. Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,

StropheStrophe"stanza-" signifies regular, recurrent, and

typically rhymed sections of poems"strophe-" to signifies irregular,

unrhymed subdivisions. 

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight was written in a series of strophes followed by "bob-and-wheel" stanzas.

"stanza-" signifies regular, recurrent, and typically rhymed sections of poems

"strophe-" to signifies irregular, unrhymed subdivisions. 

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight was written in a series of strophes followed by "bob-and-wheel" stanzas.

Plot B: The QuestPlot B: The Quest

Almost one year later, Gawain leaves Arthur’s court to find the Green knight

In classic Romance fashion, Gawain is given three chances to deny himself the misery of his quest

Almost one year later, Gawain leaves Arthur’s court to find the Green knight

In classic Romance fashion, Gawain is given three chances to deny himself the misery of his quest

Five points of perfectionFive points of perfection Gawain’s armorial symbol is the Pentangle

symbolizing the requirements of Arthur’s knights-

Compassion Courtesy Loving kindness Openness Integrity

Inside his shield is a painting of the Madonna Symbols of his outer nature

Gawain’s armorial symbol is the Pentangle symbolizing the requirements of Arthur’s knights-

Compassion Courtesy Loving kindness Openness Integrity

Inside his shield is a painting of the Madonna Symbols of his outer nature

Visit to HautdesertVisit to HautdesertGawain searches for a place to celebrate Christmas and discovers a heavenly place called HautdesertHe spends time at Hautdesert with Lord and Lady BercilakEach day as the Lord goes out to hunt, Gawain stays behind and “flirts” with Lady Bercilak.

Gawain searches for a place to celebrate Christmas and discovers a heavenly place called HautdesertHe spends time at Hautdesert with Lord and Lady BercilakEach day as the Lord goes out to hunt, Gawain stays behind and “flirts” with Lady Bercilak.

There’s all kinds of symbolism with the hunting and the flirting, but it amounts to Gawain falling into the trap that Morgan le Fay set for him.

On the Third Day- The Lady gives Gawain a sash, or girdle of green, which she promises will magically prevent his death, remember he’s looking for the jolly green giant, so he thinks this can’t be such a bad idea.

There’s all kinds of symbolism with the hunting and the flirting, but it amounts to Gawain falling into the trap that Morgan le Fay set for him.

On the Third Day- The Lady gives Gawain a sash, or girdle of green, which she promises will magically prevent his death, remember he’s looking for the jolly green giant, so he thinks this can’t be such a bad idea.

The evening of the third day Bercilak returns and Gawain obviously refuses to tell about the belt (sash, girdle)

The next day, Gawain hopes to go to find the Green Knight so that he can prove himself in the Beheading Game

The evening of the third day Bercilak returns and Gawain obviously refuses to tell about the belt (sash, girdle)

The next day, Gawain hopes to go to find the Green Knight so that he can prove himself in the Beheading Game

Arrival at the Green ChapelArrival at the Green Chapel Found in a pit Seems to be overgrown… an underground church of evil a thing of the Devil Gawain hears the sharpening of an AXE! The Green Knight appears and praises

Gawain!

Found in a pit Seems to be overgrown… an underground church of evil a thing of the Devil Gawain hears the sharpening of an AXE! The Green Knight appears and praises

Gawain!

The Beheading GameThe Beheading Game

It is one year and one day after the Green Knight’s head was stricken off

The first blow causes Gawain to flinch in fear-Gawain argues that his head will not grow back!

The second blow stops short – Green Knight admires that Gawain did not flinch this time!

It is one year and one day after the Green Knight’s head was stricken off

The first blow causes Gawain to flinch in fear-Gawain argues that his head will not grow back!

The second blow stops short – Green Knight admires that Gawain did not flinch this time!

The Beheading GameThe Beheading Game

The third blow just slices Gawain’s neck, not injuring the man-The Green Knight says it is for taking the green sash!

He knows of the seduction with his wife…the kisses Gawain took from Lady Bercilak

The third blow just slices Gawain’s neck, not injuring the man-The Green Knight says it is for taking the green sash!

He knows of the seduction with his wife…the kisses Gawain took from Lady Bercilak

The Green Knight is a shape shifter- he was created by Morgan le Faye to ridicule Arthur!

The Green Knight is a shape shifter- he was created by Morgan le Faye to ridicule Arthur!

Get your Interactive Reader Workbooks and turn to page 54. We will read the story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Which character do you think is the most honorable?Make sure you can answer why when we finish!

Can you identify some examples of the elements of Medieval Romance found in “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight?” Larger than life characters: Hero who faces a severe challenge Idealized love involving a noble lady Exotic setting Supernatural elements Hidden or mistaken Identity

Can you identify some examples of the elements of Medieval Romance found in “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight?” Larger than life characters: Hero who faces a severe challenge Idealized love involving a noble lady Exotic setting Supernatural elements Hidden or mistaken Identity