Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Sir Gawain
Element of Romance
• Set in a remote place and time
• Incorporates the marvelous and miracles
• Hero is superior to other men and his
environment
• May involve “Testing Plot”
Sir Gawain
Testing Plot
• Tester is unrealistic and remote
• Test is extreme
• Hero follows the higher of conflicting virtues
• Tester relents and allows hero to fulfill lower
virtue
Sir Gawain
Departs from Romance
• Calendar time/ real places
• Hero is one of us, not superior
• Tester is split: Morgan and Bercilak
• Gawain fails the test because he is human and
sinful
• Mixture of romance and realism
Major Characters
Sir Gawain
The story’s protagonist. A loyal knight to King
Arthur, as well as his nephew. Gawain goes on
his quest to meet the Green Knight in order to
uphold his knightly values.
The Green Knight
Sir Gawain’s main opposition in the story. He
is a richly decorated knight, who has green
skin and hair.
King Arthur
The king of Camelot. Uncle of Sir Gawain. It is at
his celebration feast that the Green Knight
challenges the court to a game.
Bertilak de Hautdesert
The Lord of the castle at which Gawain spends
his time before meeting the Green Knight. We
learn his true identity at the end of the story.
Minor Characters
• Bertilak’s wife- During the competition between
Gawain and her husband, she tests Gawain’s integrity
and honesty
• Morgan le Faye (The old lady)- Powerful sorceress
trained by Merlin. Assists Lady Bertilak in testing
Gawain
• Guinevere- King Arthur’s wife and Queen. Seated
next to Gawain during the court’s feast.
Settings
Camelot
The Holiday celebrations take place at King
Arthur’s castle in Camelot. It is here that the
Green Knight challenges Gawain to exchange
blows with him.
Bertilak’s Home
On his quest to meet the Green Knight, Gawain
stays here for a short period of time.
The Green Chapel
The supposed home of the Green Knight.
Gawain is sent here to keep his end of the
bargain which he made with the Green Knight
at Arthur’s holiday celebration a year prior
Major Conflict
• Gawain’s struggle to decide between his
duties as a knight and the worth of his own
life.
Rising Action
• Gawain accepts the Green Knight’s challenge
and cuts off his head. The Green Knight
survives the blow and Gawain is then required
to maintain his half of the challenge.
Climax
• Gawain meets the Green Knight at the Green
Chapel. After faking his first two swings, the
Green Knight nicks Gawain on his third swing,
only slightly cutting his neck.
Falling Action
Confession
• Shame and mortification
• Statement of Sin: Gawain admits cowardice,
covetousness, and untruth
• Request for penance
Examples of The Code of Chivalry
• Thou shalt defend the Church.
• Thou shalt repect all weaknesses, and shalt
constitute thyself the defender of them.
• Live to serve King and Country.
• Live to defend Crown and Country and all it
holds dear.
• Live one's life so that it is worthy of respect and
honor.
• Live for freedom, justice and all that is good.
• Never attack an unarmed foe.
Examples from The Laws of Courtly
Love
• Thou shalt avoid avarice like the deadly pestilence and
shalt embrace its opposite.
• Thou shalt keep thyself chaste for the sake of her whom
thou lovest.
• Boys do not love until they reach the age of maturity.
• When one lover dies, a widowhood of two years is
required of the survivor.
• No one should be deprived of love without the very best
of reasons.
• No one can love unless he is propelled by the persuasion
of love.
Questions
1. Did Sir Gawain live up to the Code of
Chivalry? The Laws of Courtly Love?
2. What does Gawain’s faults as the hero tell us
about society?
3. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is well
known for its use of alliteration. Give three
examples of this literary technique from the
work.
Anticipation Guide
Number papers 1-10. Mark ‘yes’ or ‘no’ for each statement.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Men often act macho to try to impress women.
Women are impressed when men act macho.
There are many double standards in society regarding men and women.
Women should be treated equally to men in all aspects of life.
The expectations for the ability of women should be equal to that of men
in every career.
6. Chivalry is dead.
7. If a married man/woman is unhappy he/she should seek companionship
elsewhere.
8. The lives of kings are worth more than the lives of peasants.
9. Most people try to live their lives by proper morals and virtues.
10. It is worth it to die to save one’s honor.
Links to YouTube video
Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t855W1rFYE
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Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgyTl9siqT
E&feature=related