Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Arthurian Romance

Castles and Keeps Stone castles were encircled by massive walls and guard towers Home to lord and lady, their family, knights, and servants A fortress of defense 2

Castles and Keeps 3

The 3 Estates in the Middle Ages The idea of estates, or orders, was encouraged during the Age, but this ordering was breaking down. Clergy those who pray, purpose was to save everyone’s soul, primarily spoke Latin Nobles those who fight, purpose was to protect—allow for all to work in peace—and provide justice, primarily spoke French Commoners those who work, purpose was to feed and clothe all above them, primarily spoke English

A tenant (vassal) renews his oath of fidelity to his lord feudalism The economic system of much of the Middle Ages (800-1100) Based on premise that the king owns all the land in the kingdom. William the Conquerer kept ¼ land for himself, gave ¼ to church, then parceled out rest to loyal barrons. A tenant (vassal) renews his oath of fidelity to his lord

Feudalism Think of a chess set 6

Feudalism Provide knights in times of war Provided land Provided lodging, food, etc Military protection service Barons gave land to serfs in return for take on profits. No “rent to own” option, however. 7

Feudalism Manors The lords estate – The lord provided the serfs with housing, farmland and protection Serfs tended the lands, cared for the animals, maintained the estate 8

Feudalism Manors Peasants rarely traveled more than 25 miles from the manor Was home to 15 – 30 families Self-Sufficient community Peasants heavily taxed, including a tithe – a church tax of 1/10 their income 9

Arthurian Romance Legend of King Arthur Many tales Told since the Anglo-Saxon period Many countries: England, France, Germany, etc. Sir Gawain = 14th C.

Romance poetry - genre Kings/knights Idealized courtly love (i.e. love within the king’s court, or assemblage) Fantasy Supernatural creatures Challenge/Test  Quest

Feudal social institutions Chivalry – knightly code of behavior Truth Honesty Respect for women Courage Obedience to the king Humility/humble

Chivalry Knight obeys the king because he’s the king One-way relationship

Chivalry A product of feudalism, chivalry was an idealized system of manners and morals Restricted to nobility Chivalric ideals include... desire to do good to others brotherly love politeness

The Age of Chivalry The mounted Knights were the most important part of an Army Knights were professional soldiers – main obligation was to serve in battle Devoted lives to war 15

The Age of Chivalry Chivalry – a complex set of ideals, demanded that a knight fight bravely in defense of three masters: his feudal lord, his heavenly lord, and his lady Meant to protect the weak and the poor Be loyal, brave, and courteous Demonstrate honesty, respect for women and humility 16

The Age of Chivalry Sons of nobles began training at an early age for knighthood Page – at 7 they were sent to another lord to be trained Squire – at 14 they act as a servant to a knight Knight- at 21 they become a knight and gain experience in local wars and tournaments 17

The Age of Chivalry Tournaments – mock battles that combined recreation and combat training Fierce and bloody competitions 18

The Church Provided guidance through well known precepts.. Seven Deadly Sins Pride Greed Wrath Envy Gluttony Sloth Lust

The Wheel of Fortune The idea of Fortune and her wheel was one of the most pervasive ideas throughout the Middle Ages. On the wheel are depicted four figures: one at the top, one at the bottom, one rising, and one falling.

It served to remind of the temporality of earthly things. The Wheel helps understand the medieval mind, and it can help remind us that the important things in life come from within, that hard work has its own merits. An award, an office, a title--these are not the things that make for greatness.

With the Crusades comes The Black Death spreads along trade routes kills much of the population the plague outbreaks occur through the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance Paradoxically, the Plague provides for continued growth in cities Afterwards, hundreds of new jobs available Many debts “died off” with creditors also contributed to society’s culture

Challenge / Test Purpose of the Test: Ensure that Sir Gawain must stick by his morals and convictions

Challenge / Test Chivalry guides his actions  the moral structure by which he bases his choices

Why read this today? Moral lesson 14th century—Knights had to make choices choices should reflect acceptance of the chivalric code

Why read this today? Moral lesson Modern Day – We have to make choices in life based on our belief system. 1st: we must explicitly know and understand what we believe in 2nd: we will judge our actions based on those beliefs

Why read this today? Conclusion: Can you hold firmly to your beliefs? beliefs, then, become the way in which we measure our actions way in which we decide what we have done as either good or bad Can you hold firmly to your beliefs?

Courtly Love in romance poetry Audience = mostly women Interest in stories where women play larger role Focus: contained alternates to combat (although combat is present)

Courtly Love in romance poetry The courtly love consisted of a relationship between a knight and the liege lady (sometimes already married to the king)

The Characters of Chivalric Romance A Kingdom with castle (Camelot) A King (Arthur) A Queen (Guinevere) Knights (Sir Gawain, Sir Lancelot, Sir Galahad, etc.) Ladies (objects of affection/devotion) Wizards, Sorcerers (Merlin) Enemies (other kings/knights)

The Ideal of Courtly Love This relationship was modeled on the feudal relationship between a knight and his liege lord. The knight serves his courtly lady with the same obedience and loyalty which he owes to his liege lord. She is in complete control; he owes her obedience and submission

The knight's love for the lady inspires him to do great deeds, in order to be worthy of her love or to win her favor.

Were marriages like this, too? “Courtly love" was not between husband and wife because it was an idealized sort of relationship that could not exist within the context of "real life" medieval marriages. In the middle ages, marriages amongst the nobility were typically based on practical and dynastic concerns rather than on love.

Courtly Love continued provided a model of behavior for a class of unmarried young men who might otherwise have threatened social stability. Knights were typically younger brothers without land of their own (hence unable to support a wife). They became members of the household of the feudal lords whom they served.

What is the purpose? It provided young men with a model for appropriate behavior. It taught them to sublimate their desires and to channel their energy into socially useful behavior (love service rather than wandering around the countryside, stealing or raping women).

Castle – What is this today?

King and Queen – Who rules the modern castle?

Knights – Who follows behavior code today?

Ladies – Any modern examples?

Identify these elements in Sir Gawain (graphic organizer) Hero Evil Enemy Quest a dangerous journey a test/ordeal for hero a return to some point of the beginning

Identify these elements in Sir Gawain (continued) Test(s) of the hero Supernatural elements Good vs. Evil Female figures (maidens in need of rescue, mothers, crones, or temptresses)

The Quest In addition to the theme of Courtly Love, the Quest was highly important: an errant knight wandering in search of deeds of chivalry is bound by a code of behavior - a set of conventional principles and expectations

Let’s Get Reading!! “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” The Canterbury Tales: “The Wife of Bath’s Tale”