Day 4 – Sir Gawain Day 4 – Sir Gawain and the Green Knightand the Green Knight““The masterpiece of alliterative poetry.”The masterpiece of alliterative poetry.”““The finest Arthurian romance in English.”The finest Arthurian romance in English.”

This is an epic but it is This is an epic but it is also Chivalric romancealso Chivalric romance

According to M. H. Abrams According to M. H. Abrams Dictionary of Literary Dictionary of Literary TermsTerms, Chivalric Romance has these features:, Chivalric Romance has these features:

A courtly and chivalric age (not wartime) is the settingA courtly and chivalric age (not wartime) is the setting

Highly developed manners and civilityHighly developed manners and civility

Standard plot: quest by single knight to gain a lady’s Standard plot: quest by single knight to gain a lady’s favorfavor

Tournaments, dragons, monstersTournaments, dragons, monsters

Chivalric ideals of courage, loyalty, honor, mercifulness Chivalric ideals of courage, loyalty, honor, mercifulness to an opponent, and elaborate mannersto an opponent, and elaborate manners

Wonders and marvels, including supernatural events Wonders and marvels, including supernatural events (magic, spells, and enchantments)(magic, spells, and enchantments)

Analyze according to Analyze according to genregenre

Chivalric Romance – Do you see Chivalric Romance – Do you see Sir Gawain Sir Gawain as entirely different fromas entirely different from Beowulf Beowulf or does it or does it have some similarities?have some similarities?

Look at definitions of the two.Look at definitions of the two.

““Epic: long verse narrative on a serious Epic: long verse narrative on a serious subject, told in a formal and elevated style, subject, told in a formal and elevated style, and centered on a heroic or quasi-divine and centered on a heroic or quasi-divine figure on whose actions depend a tribe, figure on whose actions depend a tribe, nation, or the human race” (Abrams)nation, or the human race” (Abrams)

8 characteristics of epic8 characteristics of epic

M. H. Abrams: M. H. Abrams: A Glossary of Literary TermsA Glossary of Literary Terms Action involves superhuman deeds in battleAction involves superhuman deeds in battle Gods and other supernatural beings take a partGods and other supernatural beings take a part Poem itself is a ceremonial performancePoem itself is a ceremonial performance Narrator begins by stating his argument, Narrator begins by stating his argument,

invokes a muse, then addresses the epic invokes a muse, then addresses the epic questionquestion

Starts Starts in medias resin medias res Catalogues of principal charactersCatalogues of principal characters Setting is ample, and may be worldwideSetting is ample, and may be worldwide

Sir Gawain Sir Gawain is an actual is an actual bookbook

The text ofThe text of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Sir Gawain and the Green KnightTiny bookTiny book

Illuminated manuscript with 4 illustrationsIlluminated manuscript with 4 illustrations

Fitts – disagreement about how many sections Fitts – disagreement about how many sections there arethere are

Three illustrations Three illustrations

The BeheadingThe Beheading

The SeductionThe Seduction

What is this?What is this?

PoetryPoetry

Alliterative verseAlliterative verse

Bob (1 stress) Bob (1 stress)

Wheel (four rhymed lines of 3 stresses each)Wheel (four rhymed lines of 3 stresses each)

““The Pearl Poet”: Same poet as Pearl, The Pearl Poet”: Same poet as Pearl, Patience, Purity, writing in West Midlands at Patience, Purity, writing in West Midlands at the same time as Chaucer, but not really in the same time as Chaucer, but not really in Middle English. He uses an antiquated style Middle English. He uses an antiquated style to make his subject seem more serious and to make his subject seem more serious and “higher.”“higher.”

What can you see about Arthur and the knights What can you see about Arthur and the knights of the Round Table? of the Round Table?

What is the season of What is the season of the year?the year?

Why does Sir Gawain step forward and not somebody Why does Sir Gawain step forward and not somebody else, like Sir Lancelot?else, like Sir Lancelot?

Alain Renoir’s cinematographic theory of the writing of the beheading. Alain Renoir’s cinematographic theory of the writing of the beheading. “close reading”“close reading”

Also see Monty Python and the Holy Grailhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXY9TuuwyL8&feature=fvsr

Mythological/ Mythological/ AnthropologicalAnthropological

Anthropological view of the tale so far? Anthropological view of the tale so far?

Picture of “Green Man”Picture of “Green Man”

Sir Gawain as associated with OaksSir Gawain as associated with Oaks

Also Sir Gawain as associated with May Day Also Sir Gawain as associated with May Day and the May Poleand the May Pole

Story as fertility myth, Story as fertility myth, ritualritual

In European spring festivals, maypoles were set up to In European spring festivals, maypoles were set up to represent sacred represent sacred trees, and a , and a sacred marriage was was enacted between a May Queen—a descendant of enacted between a May Queen—a descendant of countless countless fertility goddesses reaching back to the goddesses reaching back to the Neolithic and the and the SumerianInanna— and a companion Inanna— and a companion known as the Green Man, himself a descendant of all known as the Green Man, himself a descendant of all those ancient fertility heroes such as Dumuzi, Attis, those ancient fertility heroes such as Dumuzi, Attis, and Adonis, many of whom were associated with and Adonis, many of whom were associated with sacred trees. A later relative of the Green Man was the sacred trees. A later relative of the Green Man was the Green Knight in the Middle English romance of Green Knight in the Middle English romance of Sir Sir Gawain and the Green KnightGawain and the Green Knight, in which the theme of , in which the theme of decapitation suggests the ancient ritual of fertile decapitation suggests the ancient ritual of fertile sacrifice for the good of humanity, a process reenacted sacrifice for the good of humanity, a process reenacted in the Christian story of Jesus, who died on the “tree”-in the Christian story of Jesus, who died on the “tree”-cross and was resurrected in the spring, symbolizing a cross and was resurrected in the spring, symbolizing a new spiritual fertility.new spiritual fertility.

Dr. Freud or Dr. Jung?Dr. Freud or Dr. Jung?

Psychological view of the tale so far?Psychological view of the tale so far?

What if you were doing a Freudian reading?What if you were doing a Freudian reading?

A Jungian reading?A Jungian reading?

In any case, the poem is very humanistic. In any case, the poem is very humanistic. Gawain’s “only fault is that he loves his life Gawain’s “only fault is that he loves his life too much.” The poem is about a good man too much.” The poem is about a good man choosing between right and wrong. choosing between right and wrong.

Questions as you keep Questions as you keep readingreading

Which court is more real? Arthur’s or Haut Which court is more real? Arthur’s or Haut desert?desert?

What should Gawain do with the Lady?What should Gawain do with the Lady?

What is the meaning of green?What is the meaning of green?

What kind of king is Arthur?What kind of king is Arthur?

What do the animals mean?What do the animals mean?

Anti-French?Anti-French?

How you would do a New Historical view? How you would do a New Historical view?

Some argue that there is an anti-French Some argue that there is an anti-French theme represented by Arthur’s court. This is theme represented by Arthur’s court. This is due to the 100 Years War. So French poetry due to the 100 Years War. So French poetry and structure were thrust aside. This is one and structure were thrust aside. This is one argument for the alliterative revival – an argument for the alliterative revival – an endeavor to find literary independence from endeavor to find literary independence from France.France.

Values?Values?

What values do you see as significant to Sir What values do you see as significant to Sir Gawain?Gawain?

From what you know of the Round Table, From what you know of the Round Table, what values were most significant?what values were most significant?

PentanglePentangle

““The poem describes Gawain's armor in detail. He The poem describes Gawain's armor in detail. He carries a red shield that has a pentangle painted on its carries a red shield that has a pentangle painted on its front. The pentangle is a token of truth. Each of the five front. The pentangle is a token of truth. Each of the five points are linked and locked with the next, forming points are linked and locked with the next, forming what is called the endless knot. The pentangle is a what is called the endless knot. The pentangle is a symbol that Gawain is faultless in his five senses, never symbol that Gawain is faultless in his five senses, never found to fail in his five fingers, faithful to the five found to fail in his five fingers, faithful to the five wounds that Christ received on the cross, strengthened wounds that Christ received on the cross, strengthened by the five joys that the Virgin Mary had in Jesus (The by the five joys that the Virgin Mary had in Jesus (The Annunciation, Nativity, Resurrection, Ascension, and Annunciation, Nativity, Resurrection, Ascension, and Assumption), and possesses generosity, courtesy, Assumption), and possesses generosity, courtesy, brotherly love, pure mind and manners, and brotherly love, pure mind and manners, and compassion most precious. The inside of the shield is compassion most precious. The inside of the shield is adorned with an image of the Virgin Mary to make sure adorned with an image of the Virgin Mary to make sure that Gawain never loses heart.” (Sir Gawain Room)that Gawain never loses heart.” (Sir Gawain Room)

Dark Ages?Dark Ages?

Sir Gawain and the Canterbury Tales were Sir Gawain and the Canterbury Tales were written at a time of transition. The Gawain/ written at a time of transition. The Gawain/ Pearl poet looks backwards to courtly love but Pearl poet looks backwards to courtly love but Chaucer looks forward to the Renaissance and Chaucer looks forward to the Renaissance and humanism.humanism.

Neither book (unlike Dante’s Neither book (unlike Dante’s Divine ComedyDivine Comedy) ) was focused on heaven. The rewards, was focused on heaven. The rewards, punishments, conflicts, etc. were based in this punishments, conflicts, etc. were based in this world. The focus is on human frailty and world. The focus is on human frailty and human greatness. There is sympathy for the human greatness. There is sympathy for the human condition. human condition.

Chivalric idealChivalric ideal

Loyalty to God, King, Lady (remember loyalty Loyalty to God, King, Lady (remember loyalty from Beowulf). But this doesn’t always work – from Beowulf). But this doesn’t always work – what do you do if there is a conflict in what do you do if there is a conflict in loyalties? Gawain fails in all three of these loyalties? Gawain fails in all three of these respects, as you will see. But he also respects, as you will see. But he also succeeds.succeeds.