Sir Gawain and the Green Knight & Morte d’Arthur By Sir Thomas Malory

Chivalric Code - 5 aspects Brotherly Love Generosity Courtesy/Honor Compassion Purity of mind

Romance Composed around poet unknown –Anonymity could be since Richard II was disposed by Henry of Lancaster and the poet dismissed from court –Originally within Cheshire English, poet was probably from the north in Cheshire since Richard’s guards were from North - tradition continued with Pope - Swiss guard

Single Manuscript Others may have been destroyed. Henry brought in family member - Chaucer to be court poet - 82 copies of Canterbury Tales survive 2530 lines Alliterative Anglo-Saxon verse

Arthurian Legends Written in French –Gawain in English - war with France, gave nationalism to England Battle of Hastings - Norman French Kings - erased Anglo-Saxon Geoffrey of Monmoth in 1100’s wrote history of England - replaces Alfred the Great with Arthur

Geoffrey of Monmoth Works for Normans History could be for bringing in foreign values - writing of text to justify the presecne and changes of regime Goes all the way back to Brutus and how he settled the land of England - son of Aeneus

Geoffrey continued Puts Arthur a Welshman in place of Alfred for Geoffrey was a Welshman himself

Gawain manuscript Mostly ignored until Tolkien wrote a translation Wrote another in same year he began work on Lord of the Rings - a lot of ingredients from Sir Gawain work their way into LOTR

Gawain manuscript Written during 100 years war - inspire English nationalism and patriotism through being written in English Meter going back to Anglo-Saxon turns its back on the French tradition Connect to Trojan foundation of England from Monmoth

Celtic elements Truly English - not French Christmas being offered as an English holiday Mythology and supernatural elements of Celtic mythology Green Knight - festive and sinister Green man of the woods

Tradition Green man figure - still in tradition today - Hagrid Football - they kick around green knight’s head Football at Christmas

Arthurian Gawain - Arthur’s nephew – great supporter and protector Material for Arthurian legends growing in popularity – Geoffrey of Monmoth gave materials an authenticity Gawain was unprecedented among Knights

Why choose Gawain? Sir Gawain – Celtic Sir Lancelot - French

Story Christmas at Camelot – warm inside, dangerous outside In bursts Green knight Challenge – a blow for a blow Gawain cuts off head – is going to make himself look good by volunteering and then guarantee he won’t have to receive blow by killing the Green Knight

Gawain must appear one year later at the Green Chapel to receive his blow November 1 st he sets out, he travels, Christmas arrives at castle in forest Invited to join celebration Lord of the castle says they will play a game

For three days, whatever the Lord gets on his hunt – he will give to Gawain, whatever Gawain gets at castle – he will give to Lord Gawain gets kisses from the lady of the castle, the Lord’s wife, gives them to Lord – does not give green sash which she says will protect him

Confesses his cowardice and deception to Green Knight who it is revealed is the lord of the castle Returns to Camelot, tells story, all knights don green sashes

Lord gives Gawain – Deer, Boar, and Fox – English Nationalism again – the fox hunt On the fourth day – Gawain goes to the Green Chapel Prepares for the blow and flinches, prepares again, flinches, receives a small graze

Simple symbolism Plays with knightly code and chivalrous conditions Is Gawain rash or prudent? Cunning? Deceptive? Honest? Covenant – honor Point is to prevail, so is he merely human? Is he chaste?

Symbol of deception becomes a badge of honor Arthur – young and frivolous in tale – could be because Richard II was young Is deception part of the knightly code?

Deeper symbolism – A good romance Descriptions of banquets, castle life, tradition within which the poet is writing Classical references – Gawain being armored – Achilles – sets Gawain up as a soldier – beginning poet goes back to settling of England with Brutus – fall of Troy

Color symbolism GreenGold –Lifesun –Springlight –Renewalwarmth –vegetation

Number symbolism 3 – hunts Days Blows in chapel Kisses

Symbols Coded messages within the text pointing reader towards what he or she is supposed to think

Symbolism of star on shield 5 points –Five senses –Five fingers of the warrior’s hand –5 virtues of a knight –Five joys of Mary –Five wounds of Christ –Poem itself is in five parts

Religious Themes Covenant – sense of Gawain mindlessly keeping his bargain Why a chapel? Do people normally go to a chapel to be executed? Then he confesses – his lack of courage Wear green sash as a sign, a penance Old Testament – justice vs. New Testament – forgiveness, redemption, salvation

Games Is the Green Knight taking it seriously? Games can be entertaining or take an omenous turn Games as devices to reveal character –Did Gawain pass his test? –Did the game reveal flaws in his character? –Did the game expose flaws in the chivalric code?

Culture Written by the winners Human values mirrored in Gawain –Resist temptation –Resist temptation to run away –Tests are desire – lust – and fear – death –Reaches across ages

Arthurian legends Renewed with each generation End of 1400’s – Mallory writes the Morte d’Arthur Interlaced quests – follow many adventures and stories woven back and forth – Like LOTR – Tolkien taught Mallory

Chivalric Romance Idylls of the King – Lord Tennyson, Victorian Camelot – early 1960’s 1970s – Monty Python and the Holy Grail – Terry Jones was a medievalist