Day 7 – Sir Gawain Day 7 – 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.”

Chivalric romanceChivalric romanceaccording to Abramsaccording to Abrams

A courtly and chivalric age (not wartime)A courtly and chivalric age (not wartime)

Highly developed manners and civilityHighly developed manners and civility

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

Tournaments, dragons, monstersTournaments, dragons, monsters

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

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

Analyze according to Analyze according to genregenre

Chivalric Romance – Do you see Sir Gawain Chivalric Romance – Do you see Sir Gawain as entirely different from Beowulf or does it as entirely different from Beowulf 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 racenation, or the human race

8 characteristics8 characteristics

Hero is of great national importanceHero is of great national importance

Setting is ample, and may be worldwideSetting is ample, and may be worldwide

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, invokes a Narrator begins by stating his argument, invokes a muse, then addresses the epic questionmuse, then addresses the epic question

Starts Starts in medias resin medias res

Catalogues of principal charactersCatalogues of principal characters

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 Knight

Tiny bookTiny book

Illuminated manuscript with 4 Illuminated manuscript with 4 illustrationsillustrations

Fitts – disagreement about how many Fitts – disagreement about how many sections there aresections there 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, Patience, The Pearl Poet”: Same poet as Pearl, Patience, Purity, writing in West Midlands at the same time as Purity, writing in West Midlands at the same time as Chaucer, but not really in Middle English. He uses Chaucer, but not really in Middle English. He uses an antiquated style to make his subject seem more an antiquated style to make his subject seem more serious and “higher.” When we get to Chaucer, we serious and “higher.” When we get to Chaucer, we won’t need so much help in order to understand it. won’t need so much help in order to understand it. If you take a class on Chaucer, the teachers just If you take a class on Chaucer, the teachers just expect you to read it. After a while, it does seem expect you to read it. After a while, it does seem sort of natural, but you just don’t trust yourself as sort of natural, but you just don’t trust yourself as much as you do with modern writers.much as you do with modern writers.

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?

Sir Gawain is associated with the Sun God, Sir Gawain is associated with the Sun God, whose strength is great in the day and then whose strength is great in the day and then lessens as the day goes on.lessens as the day goes on.

The Green Man as associated with May Day The Green Man as associated with May Day and the May Poleand the May Pole

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.

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

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.

Gary Varner saysGary Varner says

The symbolic “marriage” of the May queen and King was viewed The symbolic “marriage” of the May queen and King was viewed as a magical aid to the growth and fertility of vegetation. (Varner as a magical aid to the growth and fertility of vegetation. (Varner 78)78)

The Maypole represented the The Maypole represented the axis mundiaxis mundi, the center of the , the center of the universe, the Cosmic Tree. (Varner 78)universe, the Cosmic Tree. (Varner 78)

““the entire ceremony is symbolic of renewed life, sexual union, the entire ceremony is symbolic of renewed life, sexual union, resurrection and Spring” (Cooper quoted in Varner 79).  resurrection and Spring” (Cooper quoted in Varner 79).  

May Day festivals then were not just an innocent day of games May Day festivals then were not just an innocent day of games and bonfires. They were celebrations marking the end of winter, and bonfires. They were celebrations marking the end of winter, the renewal of life and the efforts of everyone to ensure a the renewal of life and the efforts of everyone to ensure a prosperous and healthy year to follow. They also recognized the prosperous and healthy year to follow. They also recognized the importance of the forests and trees and the spirits that importance of the forests and trees and the spirits that protected and lived within those trees. The Green Man was protected and lived within those trees. The Green Man was present in each festival as the May King or Jack-in-the-Green and present in each festival as the May King or Jack-in-the-Green and figuratively laid his life down so that the life of nature could figuratively laid his life down so that the life of nature could continue. (Varner 81) continue. (Varner 81)