1. Intro notes for Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

2. The manuscript:
One story out of four in a single manuscript
Pearl, Patience, and Cleanness are the others
Composed in the late 1300s around Chaucer’s time
most likely written by a priest or a monk
Not as well known as The Canterbury Tales
found referenced in many other texts
Original manuscript was “lost” in the 1600s in a fire
Found in 1839 among other manuscripts
story gains its fame in scholarship
Now kept in the British Museum

3. The predominant characters:
Sir Gawain – youngest of Arthur’s knights
King Arthur – Sir Gawain’s uncle
Queen Guenevere – wife of Arthur
The Green Knight – Gawain’s challenger
Lord Bercilak – assist’s Gawain toward the end of his quest
Lady Bercilak – wife of Bercilak

4. The story:
Medieval Romance – quest to test a person
Different dialect of Middle English than Canterbury
Tales - more poetic and great use of alliteration
Challenge of Sir Gawain’s knightly qualities
Gawain’s symbol on his shield - pentangle

5. Symbolism: five wounds of Christ
His side
Right hand
Left hand
Right foot
Left foot

6. Symbolism: five joys of the Virgin Mary
Annunciation
Assumption
Nativity
Ascension
Resurrection

7. Symbolism: five virtues of knighthood
generosity
piety
fidelity
chivalry
chastity

8. Generosity – giving nature, kindness
Fidelity – brotherly love, loyalty, truthfulness
Chastity – purity, integrity
Chivalry – honor, courtesy, valor
Piety – holiness, dignity, humility

9. Setting of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

10. Snowdonia in North Wales

12. Beaumaris Castle in Anglesey in Wales

13. Caernarfon Castle in Wales

14. Possible site of Bercilak’s castle in Wales

15. This is one possibility for the Green Chapel…

16. This is a close up of the previous picture…

17. St. Seirol’s Well… another possibility

18. The most likely candidate for the Green Chapel