Masterfully Crafted Examples of a Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Essay

For most academics, the story of Sir Gawain is centred on the three hunting versus bedroom scenes in the tale. Notably it is a binding of similarities and differences between these linked passages that has been fodder for academics to banter over for many years. The tale goes that the lord and Sir Gawain rise around dawn to set out on their hunt and then return with their kill. Immediately after the lady tempts Sir Gawain in the privacy of his bedroom. Then Gawain joins the lord to celebrate their morning kill. The story repeats itself three times, the ...

The poem "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" belongs to the works of the so-called "Arthurian cycle" since it tells about the adventures of Gawain, a knight of the Round Table, and the nephew of the legendary King Arthur. Translated by James Winny, the poem reveals the story about Sir Gawain's risky undertakings to meet the Green Knight. Sir Gawain agreed to hit the Green Knight with his axe but in return, he has to be struck back a year and one day later. The development of the plot of the poem is built on the conflict as well ...

Dealing with matters concerning the abuse of children has been one of the more complex issues that both police and policy makers have had to face in recent years. The reason for this is that by law it is quite difficult to prove that there is sufficient abuse to justify infringing on a parent’s rights and separate them from their own child. That being said, separating a child from an abuse parent in many instances is the right course of action; however, it becomes a complicated legal battle to justify taking the child and also find a way ...

This paper considers the shared ideas among Homer, Dante Alighieri, Virgil, and the anonymous writer of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The idea of paradise and hell, right, and wrong, retribution, and reward are evident in the texts with some of them bearing a close resemblance to each other. For the conclusion, there will be an analysis of how the authors’ perceptions echo in present-day societies. Perhaps the most common theme availed in all the reading is pride. In the texts, pride dominates the actions of the heroes and even propels some to act irrationally for the sake ...

We live in a world where there is good and evil. Since time immemorial, stories told by humans have always had heroes and villains. Human culture has always been rife with tales of heroism, both real and fictional, wherein awe-inspiring individuals faced immense adversity only to overcome it and accomplish good in the end. In the last century, these stories have taken a new turn in introducing fictional characters that are superhuman. The heroes in such storylines who’re more commonly referred to as superheroes are capable of feats that, by any standard, far exceed human capabilities. It is ...

In Medieval Literature women tend to be depicted as having no agency. They have act in accordance to the man’s will and have events acted upon them. In many cases they are nothing more than props used to provide the hero a basis for a heroic act. This paper will look at two stories in which the power of women is on display and how the power is utilized in comparison to each other. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, we have Guinevere, Lady Bertlak and Morgana Le Fay. Guinevere is the first women that we meet ...

At first glance the women in Arthurian Myths appear to be passive and unassuming but later it is revealed that there is more to the story. This paper will look at the women of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Morte D’ Arthur. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the three female characters are Guinevere, Lady Bertilak and Morgana Le Fay. The first woman we meet is Guinevere and she is the embodiment of a confined woman. She is described as “moving gaily among them, taken her place on the dais, which was adorn with silk sides ...

Literature is entertaining and provides valuable lessons on various subjects to the reader. A writer must use different methods to pass their message across to the reader. Some of the time, the idea maybe plain, but possess a hidden meaning to engage the reader’s mind. The methods used by writers in accomplishing this fete are known as literacy devices. There are several literacy devices that play various roles in literature: chiefly among them is the theme of the story. Writers tell a story through the characters and reveal the theme through the events in the story. For instance, ...

If you think that the use of sex to charge up storytelling is a modern conceit, then it is time to take another look at the medieval saga Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Lady Bertilak launches a seduction game that is every bit as convoluted and tense as anything that one might find on an episode of Billions or even a reality program such as The Bachelor. It is true that, unlike in a more modern program, the actual sex between Gawain and Lady Bertilak never takes place, but the placebo for Gawain is a magic girdle that ...

The anonymously written tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight revolves around the emergence a Green Knight in Camelot, under the guidance of a female sorcerer’s power, to test the Knights of the Round Table. Now, rather than concentrating on Sir. Gawain or the Knights for that matter, Lawrence Besserman’s work focuses on The Idea of the Green Knight, who apparently, possesses “paradoxical qualities” (220). According to the author, the knight’s green color serves two purposes as it depicts the traits of a “green man” and a “wild man” with each portrayal bringing forth a ...

The European renaissance was a time for people to rediscover philosophies from the Greek and Roman culture. These influences changed aspects to the English literature for the better. During the medieval times, dramas consisted of focusing on religious themes but with the rebirth the renaissance brought tragedies and comedies became the norm for stories and plays. Authors, such as William Shakespeare and Chaucer, began creating works that the held their beliefs on what the world and life were like. This paved the way for many other authors to base their literary works off of what they believed instead of ...

King Arthur's tale is a scenario where fiction has been integrated with reality to become an element of the story of a particular area. In this situation, King Arthur, the Knights of the Round Table, Camelot and the Holy Grail are embedded as an element of the British culture and held in respect as equivalent as other historical icons. While the is no clear indication that there was the existence of King Arthur, the tale has enjoyed the appreciation for centuries and has become a respectable and memorable symbol of British History. The paper will highlight the reasons why ...

Derek Pearsall’s essay “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: An Essay in Enigma” is part of The Chaucer Review’s commemorative issue celebrating the work of C. David Benson as he approaches the age of retirement. Pearsall hearkens back to his master’s thesis days when he writes about Sir Gawain and the Green Knight; he begins by noting that even though he is quite familiar with the plot of this tale, to the point where he can tell a slightly less salacious version of the tale to his children and grandchildren. However, he also points out that ...

Introduction:

On page 41 of “Gawain and the Green Knight” the poem speaks more of metrical romance. In this context the poet brings the theme of hunting and seduction. This is in relation to the frequently distinguished corresponding flanked by the three consequent hunting panoramas which are followed by the three seduction scenes. This clearly highlights the correspondence of the scenes that actually does arise when the lord goes out hunting. In this context the scene that does arise is the one which is illustrated by the lord rising early in the morning and goes deer hunting.

In these ...

The Once and Future King written by T.H. White is one of the works that contain several aspects of theorization and discussion of a perfect society, or utopia. It is the story of King Arthur’ ascension to the throne, his attempts to moralize the society of Camelot, his knights and problems, which they and Arthur faced. Finally, the story tells of the failure of King Arthur and his kingdom because of those problems. In T.H. White’s The Once and Future King, Arthur attempts to solve the problems in Camelot that refer to the excess of knights who do everything ...

Aristotle is considered to be on one of the greatest philosophers that ever lived. He is referred to as the teacher of metaphysics ethics and logic. One of the most famous medieval fable stories concerning this great philosopher is titled “Phyllis et Aristotle” which when translated means Aristotle and Phyllis. This story is about how the great Aristotle, at the time living at the residence of one of his greatest disciples, Alexander the Great seeks to separate the powerful ruler from his wife, Phyllis whom Aristotle considered to be absorbing all his energy and time leading him to neglecting ...

The Battle between the Sexes in the middle Ages

1.0 The battle of sexes which started out in the Middle Ages favored men greatly when compared to women. However, women on their part did not take this subject silently. These paper aims at showing how men and women have perceived women in writing in the medieval ages and even today. The discussion follows preempted questions according to their numbering in the assignment. 2.0 During the medieval times, male writers portrayed women in less than positive lights, with their perceived character and structural flaws exaggerated for the reader. This meant that women were often, presented in less ...

The women in Beowulf and other heroic narratives of other cultures were forced to take the background roles in the society because they were considered as weak and passive. The women in these epic stories were considered inferior to men and they were owned by their husbands once they got married. In the story of Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by Geoffrey Chaucer, the women took active roles than what was expected of them by the society. Beowulf is an epic poem that primarily focuses on the men heroic deeds, however, women play an integral ...

Language and Literature is always considered as a gateway through the style and ethics of a period and society. Mediaeval culture is a rich epoch to be evaluated in the light of this consideration. It is the time when the Latin was the language used for manuscripts and the literary works were under careful evaluation of Christian Churches. Much of the literature was prevailed through word of mouth and recorded on paper later in the forms of Welsh legend and Celtic myths. The legends were told in the form of stories carrying the romantic tilt with the courtly of courtly love. King ...

Introduction

This novel is written in form of verses and can be associated with a long poem. In it, there are many distinctive themes coming forth as one reads it. Its most vivid theme is in portraying nature versus the human society. This novel shows that there has been enmity between nature and the human society; each is exploiting the available resources for their own benefit. Since nature can not physically antagonize man, it has to be represented. Thus, nature is represented by Green Knight. When a Green Knight mysteriously rides into King’s court and interrupts a feast for celebrating the New ...

Most Americans have no clue whatsoever about what it is to be gay. Mostly, they opposed gay marriages out of darkness and ignorance. The argument is always centered on the belief that the family as understood in the western context consisted of a man and woman. The woman brings the feminine qualities responsible for nurturing, care, and motherhood. The father on the other hand, is in charge security of the family. This role extended to the provision of necessities for the well-being of children and the wife. In conventional understanding, sex is an act that united females and males in ...

Introduction

Summary The book is a historic one. The beginning and the end of the writing refer to the ancient city of Troy under the myth of Britain’s lineage. The books refer the way of Britain’s Trojan founder, Brutus. The translator of the poem makes an introduction of the British greatest leader, the legendary King Arthur (Armitage 12). The main action of the story takes place at the Camelot court where Arthur introduces a new game since it was New Year and game challenges were routine during holiday celebrations.

The poem is plotted during a New Year’s Eve feast ...

Over the course of the several decades, numerous romantic tales and epics have been penned. Epics are basically tales of warriors with heroic traits, capable of performing superhuman feats and fearlessly saving the nation and the damsel in distress from a terrible fate. In most tales of romance, captivating adventures as well as exciting experiences usually occur. The Anglo-Saxon poem, Beowulf, happens to be one of the most renowned epics in the world. The eponymous character of Beowulf is a strong and brave hero whose ferocity and skill in battle helps save the clan of King Hrothgar. Beowulf later is crowned the ...

Introduction:

The tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight starts at a New Years Eve Feast at King Arthur’s court. The lavish feast is interrupted when the Green Knight arrives and issues challenge to King Arthur and any member of his Court to strike him with his own axe, on the condition that the challenger find him in exactly one year to receive a blow in return. When no one, including Arthur takes him up on this so he mocks them. In response to his taunts, King Arthur steps up and starts to take the axe. Sir Gawain jumps in. ...

Ms. Kristy White

English Literature I Gawain and the Games of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight In the medieval classic Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain of King Arthur’s Court must answer the challenge of the ‘beheading game,’ in which the Green Knight will give a challenger one chance to hit him with his axe, provided the Knight is allowed to search for him to return the blow at any time in the next year. This starts the journey of Sir Gawain and the games he plays – he must endure many trials over the course of the ...

__ July 2013

Since time immemorial, the issue of gender has been subject to much debate. Literature captures gender perceptions of people in the past and the widespread sentiments of gender roles and equality back then. More often than not, women and men were boxed into the same set of roles in many classical literary pieces. Women were always portrayed as frail, gentle, submissive and passive. They obeyed their husbands and fathers without question. Men in classic literature always took on roles that characterized them as brave, strong, aggressive and initiator. Decision-making was their turf and they occupied positions of ...

Introduction

There are a very few characters in the history of mankind who have captured the imagination of so many creators – writers, artists, musicians and auteurs. King Arthur for his leadership of Britain in the late 5th Century is one such figure who has inspired a plethora of work based on him. At a time when heroic literature flourished in England, reminiscent of the great wars fought and the personalities who fought them, there existed an entire collection of work dedicated only to King Arthur, now called Arthurian Literature. Among the best known works of Arthurian literature is Sir Thomas Malory’s ...

Reader Response: Chivalry Tale

In the 14th century romance Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the story revolves around Sir Gawain, one of Arthur’s knights. The romance follows his exploits and attempts to respect the laws concerning chivalry, while overcoming the obstacles and temptations that would prevent him for obeying the laws of the knights’ code of conduct. Sir Gawain proves his courage when he dares to strike the Green Knight with an axe, but then he has to pass other tests in order to prove his worth as a knight, his honourable character and his moral value. It is a story of ...

This is not the only instance where Sir Gawain has been said to place his King’s safety before his own. In ‘the Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell’, Gawain agreed to marry and ugly old hag to save Arthur’s life saying “Is this alle?/ I shalle wed her and wed her again,/ Thoughe she were a fend,/ Though she were as foulle as Belsabub,/ Her shalle I wed, by the rood,/ Or ells were not I your frende;/ For ye ar my king with hnour/ And have worshipt me in many a stoure” . ...

An unknown author in the 14th-century wrote “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”. “Arthurian” stories. It takes place during the Christmas holiday that King Arthur and his subjects are celebrating. It’s a celebrating that is taking place in the prime of their life, “the happiest under heaven.” (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight) This mood is interrupted when a strange visitor, The Green Knight Arrives riding a green horse. The purpose of this essay is to establish is the Greene Knight is an evil character, or villain as will be the term used throughout this analysis. We will try to ...

On the surface, the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight appears to be a simple tale of a knight who accepts a difficult quest and, fulfilling it, returns to the court at Camelot, victorious. However, upon further exploration of the poem, much about its meaning becomes increasingly ambiguous. For example, the poem’s fourteenth century poet could have had a very different intent concerning ideas of chivalry and temptation than a modern reader may assume after reading the poem. Literary scholars argue over the meaning of Sir Gawain in terms of ideas about chivalry, temptation, the role of women, and the place of ...

Social-Cultural Theory

Lev Vygotsky is often known for his socio-cultural theory of psychological development. His theory has been applicable to children/adolescents in real-life settings such as schools, parent-child interactions such as parenting behaviors or therapy done with children in clinical settings. According to Berk (2012), Vygotsky’s theory is based on five major theses. First is that development of individuals takes place during the early formative years, and has a specifically historical content, character and form. This means that development differs with when and where one grows up. Second, development takes place during alterations in an individual’s social situation or during ...

An article published in a 2002 edition of The Modern Language Review noted that there is a growing belief among scholars that Sir Gawain is a misogynistic figure who descends “to the level of a churl capable of abusing the ladies of (the Green Knight’s) household” (Morgan, 265). Indeed, Gawain’s rant, which takes place near the end of the classic medieval poem, is part of an ancient literary tradition that reaches into the distant past. And yet Gawain is also a contradictory figure, a knight errant critical of women in the story and yet a hero who bore the image of the Virgin Mary ...

Negotiation plan

Negotiating involves convincing the other party that they should receive what they want. However, knowing what they want from negotiation is just a small part of what it takes to anticipate the negotiation process. The success of a firm emanates from developing effective negotiation strategies that convince the other side that what they want is reasonable and fair. This negotiation plan will indicate the position of Excalibur Engine Parts Company’s Vice President for Sales, Mr. Simon in convincing Knight Engines Inc. to purchase their pistons.

Issues in the negotiation

The negotiation between Knight and Excalibur has a number of issues including: The price at ...

The poem entitled Sir Gawain and the Green Knight was written by an anonymous individual – thought to be a contemporary of Geoffrey Chaucer – in the fourteenth century (Pace University). Its narrative is a moral one and discusses the importance of remaining honourable and chivalrous. Sir Gawain is a knight of King Arthur’s rule and as such, he always attempts to behave in a brave and noble fashion. His encounter with the Green Knight tests this as he must ward off his friend’s beautiful wife’s sexual advances, and honestly bestow his day’s awards upon his friend, as well as honourably ...

The story of King Arthur has involved a number of symbols, places and characters who have extensively contributed to the flow and narration of that story. For instance Sir Ulfius whose real name was Merlin was taken to be noble knight who was used by the king as a messenger to pass information to and from the king and other characters in the story (Cutler 23).

King Arthur forms the main character in this story. King Arthur lived in a castle a place which was considered to habitant for the rich and leaders of a certain territories. In this castle, the king was being ...

There is a vivid description of a heroic character in the two literature works: Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The heroic protagonist is portrayed, in both cases, as a plain human being with imperfections in one way or the other. In this work, I have critically analyzed and given a comparison of the heroic qualities of both the characters.

On the onset, Beowulf crosses the ocean to fight and the main reason for the fight is to attain fame and honour. In his society, one of the greatest achievements is fame, especially after death. This is the notion that drives ...