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Feb 1­2:52 PM

Monday, Feb. 14- Sir Gawain & the Green Knight

Jan 25­12:40 PM

SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT

PART 1• while Arthur & knights of Round Table are feasting a large green knight interupts• Green Knight challenges Arthur & his knight's manhood & issues a New Year's challenge = exchange one blow for another• Green Knight will stand for the first blow & then have his turn in one year and a day• everyone waits for King Arthur to make first move, but he never does = Gawain steps up• Gawain & Knight enter a contract = goes over rules 3x• Gawain chops off the Knight's head & the Knight picks up his own head, and rides off with it

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Jan 25­12:40 PM

SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT

• full of description of armor & the dressing of a knight = common for medieval lit. & many other epics (battle prep)

• Gawain's Pentangle - worn on his shield- sign of Solomon = token of truth- five points = endless knot- all 5 features are interlocked- things knotted or interconnected is a common theme of the story (green girdle, pledges, cycle of holidays)- carries w/ him a reminder he must be true in all things or they will all fall apart- break one part = crumbles- be true to religion & code = foreshadows hero will be tempted

Jan 25­11:51 AM

Gawain Prepares to LeaveShield color.

Significance ofpentagram.

Then they showed forth the shield, that shone all red,With the pentangle portrayed in purest gold.About his broad neck by the baldric he casts it,That was meet for the man, and matched him well.And why the pentangle is proper to that peerless princeI intend now to tell, though detain me it must.It is a sign by Solomon sagely devisedTo be a token of truth, but its title of old,For it is a figure formed of five points,And each line is linked and locked with the nextFor ever and ever, and hence it is calledIn all England, as I hear, the endless knot.And well may he wear it on his worthy arms,For ever faithful five­fold in five­fold fashionWas Gawain in good works, as gold unalloyed,Devoid of all villainy, with virtues adorned in sight.

On sheild and coat in viewHe bore that emblem bright,As to his word most trueAnd in speech most courteous knight.

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Jan 25­11:52 AM

Significance of the number five.

The inside of the shield.

Five courtly virtues.

Embelishments of the shield.

And first, he was faultless in his five senses,Nor found ever to fail in his five fingers,And all his fealty was fixed upon the five woundsThat Christ got on the cross, as the creed tells;And wherever this man in melee took part,His one thought was of this, past all things else,That all his force was founded on the five joysThat the high Queen of heaven had in her child.And therefore, as I find, he fittingly hadOn the inner part of his shield her image portrayed,That when his look on it lighted, he never lost heart.The fifth of the five fives followed by this knightWere beneficence boundless and brotherly loveAnd pure mind and manners, that none might impeach,And compassion most precious ­ these peerless fiveWere forged and made fast in him, foremost of men.Now all of these five fives were confirmed in this knight, And each linked in other, that end there was none,And fixed to five points, whose force never failed,Nor assembled all on side, nor asunder either,Nor anywhere at an end, but whole and entireHowever the pattern proceeded or played to its course.And so on his shining shield shaped was the knotRoyally in red gold against red gules,That is the peerless pentangle, prized of oldin lore.

Now armed is Gawain gay,And bears his lance before,And soberly said good day,The thought forevermore.

Jan 25­11:44 AM

Interlocking points of pentagram reminiscentof a pagan Celtic knot.

• Faultless in his Five Senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste) • In his Five Fingers he failed at no time (he is dexterous and able in combat) • Faith in the Five Wounds Christ received on the cross (one in each limb and the spear wound in the abdomen) • Five Joys the Virgin Mary had in Jesus (These are not listed in the poem, but are offered as background: Annunciation, Nativity, Resurrection, Ascension, and Assumption) • And, finally, the Five Knightly Virtues (exact wording depends on translation, so several synonyms are offered) (a) generosity (or beneficence)(b) friendliness (or brotherly love) (c) chastity (or pure mind) (d) chivalry (or pure manners) (e) piety (or compassion)

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Jan 25­2:30 PM

Due be end of class Wednesday:

Make your own pentangle, illustratingyour top five virtues.

20 Points10 for having 5 virtues symbolically represented(use a symbol to accompany the word)

10 for creativity & appearance